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The Gola della Rossa and the Gola di Frasassi are two limestone gorges in the interior of the province of Ancona in Marche, both inside the Gola della Rossa e di Frasassi Regional Nature Park. The park is best known for the Frasassi caves; for climbers, it is one of the largest groups of crags in Marche.
This guide covers what to decide before you go: whether the grades suit you, which months to go, how to get there without a car, and which walls in the park are permanently off limits. For a seasonal and regional comparison of Italian crags, see the series overview; to the south in Umbria is Ferentillo.
What kind of crag is it
Limestone, from single pitches to gorge walls. Planetmountain says the area has seen mountaineering since 1932. With the arrival of sport climbing it became a real climbing centre, and the various guidebooks together list "oltre 500 itinerari" (more than 500 routes): single pitches, boulders, multi-pitch and alpine-style routes. Climb Europe lists Falcioni and the Gola di Frasassi among the largest crags in Marche, with bolted multi-pitch routes up to 170 m at Frasassi and routes up to 150 m at Falcioni.
Main sectors.
| Sector | Location | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Sulfuria | Entrance to the Gola di Frasassi, across the river from San Vittore | East-facing, three sub-sectors, 34–39 routes, 10–35 m |
| Frasassi gorge multi-pitch | Gorge walls near the Santuario | Bolted multi-pitch, up to about 170 m (Climb Europe) |
| Gola della Rossa | The gorge along the old road | Multi-pitch on the Paretone Oggioni and the Placche, up to about 270 m |
| Falcioni, Monte Revellone | Above the village of Falcioni, south-west face of Revellone | Single pitches mostly 6a and 6b; multi-pitch above of 115–316 m |
| La Sbarra | Filed under Gola della Rossa on Climbook | 23 routes, mostly 5th grade, 596 repeats on Climbook |
Scale. Figures from each source (checked October 2026):
| Source | Scope | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Planetmountain | Both gorges | More than 500 routes |
| Vertical-Life (8a.nu) | 15 crags in the Frasassi area | 517 routes in the database |
| Climbook | Falcioni single-pitch sector | 67 routes |
| Climbook | Frasassi multi-pitch | 53 entries (each pitch counted separately) |
Falcioni. The local route developer Lorenzo Rossetti writes on Climbing Spot Factory that Falcioni is on the south-west face of Monte Revellone, with classic CAI ascents since the 1930s. It has dozens of 6a and 6b pitches, "especially for the beginners". The holds on the easy lines are polished; in Il Triangolo, the leftmost sector, the bolts are spaced, and the hard pitches often have short, bouldery sequences.
Who it suits. Sport climbers in the 5th and 6th grades have the most choice. For climbers moving from single pitches to multi-pitch, there are well-protected (S1) bolted routes as well as classics with their original pitons, where you add your own gear.
When to go
Climb Europe says the crags in Marche are mostly between 300 and 700 m, facing every direction, and the best season is early autumn to late spring, when you can always find sun or shade as needed.
| Place | Source | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Sulfuria | Planetmountain | East-facing; ideal on summer afternoons, in shade from 13:00; in winter the sun arrives late (about 9:00 on I Liscioni, 10:00 elsewhere) and goes by 12:00 |
| Falcioni | Climbing Spot Factory | Cool on summer mornings, warm on winter afternoons |
| Whole area | Frasassi Climbing Festival | A climbing festival every late August, in 2026 for example 27–30 August; busy on those days |
Getting there
| Public transport | Driving | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Rome–Ancona railway; regional trains stop at Genga, Serra San Quirico and Albacina | SS76 expressway, exits Serra San Quirico, Genga, Borgo Tufico |
| Airports | Ancona and Perugia airports, under 1 hour by car | Same |
| Last stretch | Walk from the station to the sectors | Park by each sector and walk 3–40 minutes |
Public transport
The park's travel page says the Rome–Ancona railway crosses the park; the main station is Fabriano, and regional trains stop at the small stations of Albacina, Genga and Serra San Quirico. Check walking distances from the stations to the sectors, and the train times, on Trenitalia before you go.
Driving and parking
- Sulfuria: from the village of San Vittore, cross the Roman bridge over the Sentino, turn left onto the riverside path (drinking fountain), cross a wooden footbridge, and at a cairn head up right to the wall; about 20 minutes (Planetmountain).
- Frasassi gorge multi-pitch: leave the SS76 at the Genga–Grotte di Frasassi exit and, near the end of the gorge, park in the small lot signed "Santuario della Beata Vergine – Grotta del Mezzogiorno"; follow the paved lane up to the Sentiero dei Gradoni. Route starts are 15–40 minutes away (CAI Perugia multi-pitch compendium).
- Gola della Rossa: coming from Ancona, leave the expressway before the tunnel, head for the old road (now closed) and park near a house before the no-entry signs. The Paretone Oggioni is 15–20 minutes up faint tracks; the roadside routes are about 3 minutes away (CAI Perugia).
- Falcioni, Monte Revellone: coming from Ancona, take the first exit after the Gola della Rossa tunnel; start just past the village of Falcioni by a fountain, pass the single-pitch sector, then bear right to the multi-pitch routes; about 30 minutes (CAI Perugia).
Rules to know before you go
Only routes on the park's list may be climbed. Article 27 of the park regulations (June 2022) says that within the park "l'accesso è consentito esclusivamente lungo le vie di roccia di cui all'elenco riportato nell'Allegato n. 4" (climbing is allowed only on the rock routes listed in Annex 4). The closure zones in Article 24 also apply. Annex 4 marks which routes lie in permanent closure zones and which have seasonal limits. The annexes and maps are on the page of the Unione Montana that runs the park.
Walls permanently closed. Article 24, paragraph 4.1, lists areas where access is "sempre vietato" (always prohibited) because of rare species, mapped in Annex 2:
| Area | Extent |
|---|---|
| Valle Scappuccia | The whole valley |
| Gola di Frasassi | The left bank of the river, within the zones on the map (Annex 2/a) |
| Valle del Vernino | The wall on the orographic left (Annex 2/b, map titled "Valle del Vernino – Monte Revellone") |
| Monte Scoccioni | The walls at La Costa (Annex 2/c) |
| Albacina | The south to south-west wall below La Rocchetta, above the old quarry (Annex 2/d) |
The park reserves the right to change the closure zones based on monitoring, and will publicise any change. The parks.it services page also notes that climbing on some walls is regulated to avoid disturbing raptors nesting there. Before you go, check the latest annexes on the park's Normative page or ask at the park visitor centre.
Bolts and new routes. The regulations allow only stainless-steel or titanium glue-in bolts and certified anchors on sport and multi-pitch routes, and ban drilled aid. Opening a new route or reopening an old one needs the park's authorisation (Nulla Osta).
Paths and vehicles. The CAI Perugia compendium says the Sentiero dei Gradoni in the Gola di Frasassi has exposed sections and is closed to groups of more than 20. The regulations also ban motor vehicles on the park's minor roads and forest tracks.
Old protection. The CAI Perugia compendium says Via Badiali Conti still has almost entirely original pitons from 40 years ago, and that on Raggio di luna the protection "sono ancora quelle originali che occorre bene valutare" (is still original and needs careful assessment).
Rescue. The national mountain and cave rescue service (CNSAS) says calling for rescue in Italy is free: in the mountains call 118 or 112 and ask for CNSAS.
Routes by level
YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.
Popularity for single pitches uses Climbook repeat counts (Sulfuria data to August 2019). Multi-pitch pitch grades come from the compendium compiled by the CAI Perugia "La Fenice" school; S1 and S2 rate the protection (S1 is best), and "obligatory" is the minimum grade you must climb free. Before climbing any route below, check that it is on the park's Annex 4 list and outside the closure zones.
Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)
Falcioni and La Sbarra are the first choice for beginners, and Sulfuria's Maestro Rampichino sector has a row of short 5th-grade lines.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skywalker | 5c | 5.9 | single pitch | La Sbarra | 45 repeats on Climbook |
| Spigolandia | 6a | 5.10a | single pitch | La Sbarra | 45 repeats on Climbook |
| Kartoffeln a colazione | 5c | 5.9 | single pitch | La Sbarra | 40 repeats on Climbook |
| Dritto per dritto | 5a | 5.7 | single pitch | Falcioni | 20 repeats on Climbook |
| Armonia | 5c | 5.9 | single pitch | Falcioni | 16 repeats on Climbook |
| Mai a sinistra | 6a (Climbook users suggest 5c+) | 5.10a | single pitch | Falcioni | 17 repeats on Climbook |
| Banana boat | 5b | 5.8 | 10–15 m | Sulfuria, Maestro Rampichino | Planetmountain |
| Amarilla | 6a | 5.10a | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | Most repeated on Climbook, 73 |
| Marcellus Augustus | 6a | 5.10a | 15–20 m | Sulfuria, I Liscioni | 41 repeats on Climbook |
Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)
The main grade band in Sulfuria's Centrale sector, and the band for the gorges' S1 multi-pitch routes.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunetta | 6a+ | 5.10b | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 62 repeats on Climbook |
| In mia faria | 6b | 5.10c | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 59 repeats on Climbook |
| Little boy | 6b+ (6b+/6c in another source) | 5.10d | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 48 repeats on Climbook |
| Naxxramas | 6c | 5.11a/b | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 58 repeats on Climbook |
| Ice Crown | 6c+ | 5.11c | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 50 repeats on Climbook |
| Fantasie di primavera | 6a+ | 5.10b | single pitch | Falcioni | Most repeated at Falcioni, 26 |
| Il fachiro Casimiro | 6b | 5.10c | single pitch | Falcioni | 15 repeats on Climbook |
| Bivi della solitudine | max 6b (5c obligatory) | 5.10c | 240 m | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: S1, "bellissima linea di ottica moderna"; if you top out, find the abseils of the Placche basse |
| Araldo di Zakarum | 5c, 6b, 6c, 6a, 5a | hardest 5.11a/b | 5 pitches | Gola di Frasassi | CAI Perugia: S1+, abseil descent |
| Figli di operai | max 6c (6a+ obligatory) | 5.11a/b | 4 pitches | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: S1, fully bolted; avoid falling at the small roof on pitch 2 |
Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arancia Meccanica | 7a | 5.11d | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | 38 repeats on Climbook |
| Sax Appeal | 7a+ | 5.12a | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | Planetmountain |
| Welcome into the Big Wall | 7b+ | 5.12c | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | Planetmountain |
| Excalibur | 7c+ | 5.13a | 30–35 m | Sulfuria, Centrale | Planetmountain |
| Il mercante di appigli | 6b, 7a, 6c, 6b, 6a, 6a | hardest 5.11d | 6 pitches | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: S2+, 6b+ obligatory, "max esposizione"; two abseils of 70 m and 60 m |
| Uno Nessuno | max 7a+ (5b obligatory) | 5.12a | 6 pitches | Gola di Frasassi | CAI Perugia: S1, stainless bolts; bring 16 quickdraws and a 70 m rope |
| Radio Alice | max 7a (5c/6a obligatory) | 5.11d | multi-pitch | Gola di Frasassi | CAI Perugia: S1 |
| Al ballo mascherato delle celebrità | 6c, 5c, 6b+, 7b | hardest 5.12b | 120 m, 4 pitches | Monte Revellone | CAI Perugia: S2, 6a obligatory; pitch 4 can be done at A1 |
Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)
Little data at this grade. Sulfuria tops out at 7c+/8a (Planetmountain), and the guidebook summaries and Climbook single-pitch lists give no further verifiable 8th-grade routes; there is one multi-pitch.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Regola | 6a+, 6b+, 8a+, 6b+ | hardest 5.13c | 5 pitches | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: S1, 6c+ obligatory; the roof on pitch 3 can be aided at A1, and retreating by abseil above the roof is difficult |
Trad and multi-pitch (UIAA grades)
The old-style gorge routes use UIAA grades and are protected mostly by original pitons; bring cams, nuts and slings.
| Route | Original grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Wall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Via Badiali Conti | VI (IV+ obligatory) | 5.9 | 230 m, 6 pitches | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: R1, almost all original pitons from 40 years ago |
| Fata morgana | VI | 5.9 | 115 m, 4 pitches | Monte Revellone | CAI Perugia: IV, V+, A1, VI; no pitons on pitch 1 |
| Via Opec '80 | VIII- | 5.11b | 215 m, 8 pitches | Gola della Rossa | CAI Perugia: S2+, pitch 2 can be aided at A2; abseil stations re-equipped in 2008; the final 70 m corner deliberately left trad |
| Raggio di luna | VI | 5.9 | 140 m | Monte Revellone | CAI Perugia: A2, V+/VI (7c free); protection is original |
Where to look things up
- Park Normative page and list of regulation annexes: the full regulations, closure maps and the list of routes you may climb.
- CAI Perugia: Compendio delle vie MultiPitch: pitch grades, approaches and descents for the park's multi-pitch routes; free PDF.
- Climbook: Gola della Rossa: route and repeat counts for each crag.
- Vertical-Life: Frasassi: logged ascents across 15 crags in the Frasassi area.
- Planetmountain: Sulfuria: approach, sun times and route list for Sulfuria.
- Climbing Spot Factory: Falcioni: the developer's account of Falcioni's history and bolts; the topo is in the app.
- Frasassi Climbing Festival: dates and events for the late-August climbing festival.
- Guidebooks: Grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority.
- Calcare di Marca (Marco Nardi, Sandro Angelini, Versante Sud, third edition 2025, Italian, 560 pp, ISBN 978-88-55471-95-4): every sport crag in Marche; the publisher says the new edition adds new crags at Frasassi. Climb Europe gives 65 crags. The CAI Perugia multi-pitch compendium also recommends this book for the single-pitch crags.
References
- Climb Europe: Rock climbing in the Marches
- Planetmountain: Gola di Frasassi - Sulfuria
- theCrag: Sulfuria
- theCrag: Falcioni
- Climbook: Gola di Frasassi (Sulfuria)
- Climbook: Gola della Rossa
- Climbook: Falcioni
- Climbook: La sbarra
- Vertical-Life: Frasassi crags
- Climbing Spot Factory: The Cliff of Falcioni (2019)
- CAI Perugia: Compendio delle vie MultiPitch nel Parco Gola della Rossa e Frasassi
- Gola della Rossa e Frasassi Park: Regolamento del Parco (2022)
- Unione Montana dell'Esino Frasassi: regulations and annexes
- Gola della Rossa e Frasassi Park: Normative
- Gola della Rossa e Frasassi Park: Come arrivare
- Gola della Rossa e Frasassi Park: home page
- parks.it: Parco Gola della Rossa e di Frasassi, Servizi
- e-borghi: Frasassi Climbing Festival 2026
- Frasassi Climbing Festival: Arrampicata a Frasassi
- CNSAS: La richiesta di soccorso
- Versante Sud: Calcare di Marca (2025)
- Mountain Project: International Climbing Grades