Rebolting Millennium Cave in Sardinia - the complete list of all sport climbs at this Cala Gonone crag

The Millennium Cave at Cala Gonone is one of the most iconic and popular crags in Sardinia, Italy. The first routes were put up by Austrian climber Arthur Kubista and the Sardinians Enzo Lecis and Simone Sarti. Subsequently, Maurizio Oviglia established numerous routes, followed by French and other tourists. The crag is located close to the sea and, although sheltered, it is notably exposed to sea salt and winds from the south. Like all Biddiriscottai sea cliffs, on which the cave is located, Millennium is one of the coastal crags most at risk in Sardinia of bolt corrosion.

Although some bolts placed originally by Arthur Kubista suggest a steel more similar to 316 than 304 (no precise information is available on this), the majority of the routes here were bolted with grade 304 stainless steel in the mid-2000s. Since 2017, Maurizio Oviglia has begun the systematic rebolting of the most popular climbs, partly self-financed and partly aided by crowdfunding. Some climbs have not yet been rebolted. Generally, all rebolted routes have the year they were rebolted and the hardware used written at the base, next to the name. The following list provides a summary, updated to the end of February 2026, as well as the estimated leve of risk.

1. Incompiuta - 5c, 6a+ (Buluggiu/Oviglia, 2013) – stainless steel 316 – risk 1
2. Semaforo rotto – 6b (Oviglia/Marchi 2020) – stainless steel 316 – risk 2
3. Millennium Bug - 7a, 6c+, 7b+, 7a+, 7a+ (Giupponi/Oviglia, 2010) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
4. Mammuthone 1 pitch - 6c+ (Kubista 2003) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
5. Mammuthone 2 pitch – 8b+ (Kubista 2003) - stainless steel 304/316 – risk 3
6. Chentu concas chentu barrittas – 7b+ (Kubista 2003) – stainless steel 316/titanium – risk 2
7. Crisi al buio - 7a+ (Oviglia 21) – stainless steel 316 – risk 2
8. Millennium (2 pitch) - 7c+ (Lecis/Sarti 99) ) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
9. La legge delle chiodande - 7a+ (Kubista 03) - Titanio/stainless steel 316 – risk 1
10. Le Lion de Panshir – 8b+ (Guesquiers 01) – titanium – risk 1
11. Come un gatto sull’Aurelia - 7b (Oviglia 09) – schiodata
12. Vercors connection - 7a (french climbers 15) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
13. Dea pagana - 7b+ (Lecis 06) ) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
14. Gli dei tossici – 7b+ (Lecis 06) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
15. Tre corsari - 7a (Pinotti 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
16. 33 Trentini – 6b+ (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
17. Roulette russa – 6a+ (Sarti/Oviglia 26) - stainless steel 316 – risk 1 ( will be completed soon)
18. Capitan Shakespeare - 6c+ (Pinotti/Comi 09) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
19. Oups - 6b (French climbers 15) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
20. Tom el sereno – 7a (unknown) - stainless steel 304/316 – risk 3
21. Ciao Alessandra, ciao Renzo - 7a+ (unknown) - stainless steel 304/316 – risk 3
22. Casus belli - 6b+ (Oviglia/Marchi 20) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
23. Harry Potter – 7b+ (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
24. The day after – 7a+ (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316/titanium – risk 1
25. Il mio miglior amico - 7a (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
26. Testardo - 8a (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
27. Bugiardo – 7c+ (Oviglia 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
28. Giardino dell’Eden – 6c (Kubista/Oviglia 20) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
29. Mata Durga – 7a+ (Lecis 04) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
30. Rhapsody – 7a (Oviglia 21) - stainless steel 316 – risk 2
31. Yoddu li e Dulli ö - 6a (Sarti/Kubista 01)
32. Kubomaladia: Zigantumania – 8c+ (Kubista 06) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
33. Il vecchio e il mare – 8b (Larcher 03) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4 (planned rebolting 2026)
34. Si su chelu fit in terra – 7c+ (Kubista 03) - stainless steel 304 – risk 4
35. Adamo – 6b (Selis/Mattu 03) - stainless steel 316/titanium – risk 2
36. Mare aperto (Selis/Mattu 03) – stainless steel 304/316 – risk 2

Risk 1 (very low): Non-overhanging crags bolted or rebolted with 316 steel, or overhanging crags bolted or rebolted with titanium.
Risk 2 (low): Caves and overhangs bolted and rebolted with 316 steel. Galvanized bolts on slabs and gray/white limestone walls in good condition (not rusty).
Risk 3 (moderate): Slabs and walls near the sea bolted with 304 steel. Rusty galvanized bolts on overhangs.
Risk 4 (high): Overhangs and caves bolted with expansion bolts or glued-in bolts in 304 steel, even if apparently in good condition. Anchors with rusty fixed gear such as maillon rapide or hardware store carabiners. High risk of failure.

This is a subjective assessment, based on my experience, which I hope can help climbers make informed decisions. I would like to remind you that every climber is responsible for their own decisions and actions regarding the assessment of fixed gear at the crag: bolts, anchors, fixed quickdraws, slings.

- Maurizio Oviglia, Cagliari

Info: www.pietradiluna.com