canyon exploring with Michele Angileri

Il Golf (Vallone della Pietra)

One of the most enchanting places in Calabria, very rich in natural beauties and outdoor sports opportunities. Canyoning enthusiasts find here different trails, first of all the Canyon of Lao River. It begins 2 Km down the village of Laino. We can go through Lao Canyon on foot only in summer, when water level is at its minimum. But even in summer current is strong and may be dangerous..

The name Vallone della Pietra appears on IGMI maps. It means "deep valley of stone", describing very well what this canyon is. A majestic dry canyon.

I remember ...

In the first nineties Riccardo Hallgass used to tell a witty remark. While we were trudging up weak paths amidst blackberry bushes,cooked by hot and the sun, backpacks heavy like big stones, tired even before really to start, a restless night spent with anxiety for what we could find in canyon, absolutely alone in a hard and unknown place, in those moments Riccardo used to tell: why not changing our sport? let's choose golf! you don't even have to bring up and down your club, someone will do it for you! Smart guys choose golf!!
Dear Riccardo, this Golf is exactly as the ones in our past. It begins with a path no more covered, ruined by rains and full of blackberry bushes. Backpacks are heavy big stones, sun squeezes us like lemons making us understand that 1.5 liters of beverages are too few for this place ...
But today as once canyon is very beautiful, majestic, a hard piece of heaven, and as hours slowly pass we feel more tired, and on the top of the highest rappel we don't know if our ropes are long enough, and ...
... it's over, but this place is now in our hearts and our memory, and there will be forever.

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