The Historical boulder circuits in Val di Mello & Val Masino

There’s an invisible thread that connects the boulders to memories, the problems to the footsteps of the first "sassisti", the first boulderers in Val Masino and Val di Mello. It’s a map woven from stories, vertical intuition, and long silences, broken only by the breath of those balancing their way past rough granite crystals.

In the heart of Val di Mello and Val Masino, the Melloblocco Historical Circuits mark their return thi year with 30 boulders which are not just boulders, but true journeys, discoveries, rituals.

The idea behind the circuits was to bring to the forefront those invisible lines left by those who climbed before us. Each circuit — I Sassisti, Il Melàt, and Il Gigiàt — is an invitation to retrace those pioneers, honoring the beauty of the moves and the spirit of exploration. This is not a nostalgic revival, but an active, living tribute to the best boulder problems in the valley.

I Sassisti (5-6A) – A tribute to the 1970s, to those who climbed in battered shoes, tracing lines as light as an idea. Boulders like Tendine dello Yeti and Preda Peintada reclaim the spotlight — not to measure yourself against history, but to remember the past.
1. Il tendine dello Yeti
2. Il masso del tetto
3. Il panino
4. La preda peintada
5. Masso del Francese
6. Masso dell’Ivan
7. I tre strapiombi dei veronesi
8. Muro di Jessica
9. Masso della luna
10. Geodes

Il Melàt (6B-6C) – Strong as the valley farmers who built megalithic paths and carved steps into stone to reach distant alpine pastures. This is the circuit of purity, of joy that comes from a perfectly executed heel hook.
1. Spalla
2. L’arco del tetto
3. Titanic
4. Preda peintada
5. Il francese
6. Dr. Zero (stand)
7. Masso della grotta
8. Il lupo
9. Il traverso della polenta
10. Moby Dick

Il Gigiàt (7A-7B) – The wildest, the most mythical problems. Ten blocs designed to discover the essence of this valley's granite. Legendary boulders like Tarzan and Vermut Stisciut await those who embrace the demands of precision, patience, and respect.
1. Tarzan
2. Lo strapiombo (di sinistra)
3. Andrea si è perso (diretto)
4. Vermuth Strisciut
5. Devil and Dust
6. Fat Boy Slim
7. Zero in condotta
8. Il francese (la placca)
9. Spigolo della carrozza di rame
10. Videogames

Thanks to the NIVA app, everyone can easily geolocate the problems, discover the historical context of each boulder, and map their own vertical journey. It’s a new way to experience climbing: not just performance, but sharing, culture, nature.

Those who wander among these boulders, who pause to listen to the flowing water, who touch the rock as one might caress a memory, understand that Melloblocco is far more than a competition. It’s an invitation to listen, to marvel at Mother Nature. See you in the valley.

- Michele Comi, Val Masino

>> Scarica l'app NIVA