AtlasOssola

Bianca (Val Bianca)

verified Ungraded Unknown flood risk Piedimulera, VB

Gneiss above Piedimulera, eight rappels dropping 180 meters, playful and mellow up top before the valley opens and the drops lengthen. A 35 meter rappel near the end lands in a trap pothole that takes real effort to climb out of.

An upstream mineral processing plant draws off the flow during working hours, so the canyon runs at a normal level while the plant operates but rises sharply once it shuts down for the day, worst in the afternoon. The exit rappel out of the trap pothole below the last waterfall carries a heavy backwash and severe rope friction; using an anchor extraction and counterweight technique is how parties stay clear of the water there. Anchors are in place at the pothole but no fixed rope is left. Often combined with Croto or the upper and lower Mondelli descents in the same valley.

Logistics

PermitNo permit required. A small mineral processing facility upstream diverts the flow during working hours; when it shuts down in the afternoon the canyon's water level and force rise sharply, so afternoon descents carry more risk at the trap pothole section. No formal release schedule is published, it is a byproduct of the facility's operating hours, not a hydroelectric dam.
Distance400m
Time2 hr-3 hr
Technical8 rappels, longest 45m
SeasonJun-Sep
Coordinates45.9949, 8.1582

Sources