“Blinded by the climb”: climbing fears, opening horizons

When we imagine climbing, we often think of strength, focus, control. But what happens when those who climb do not rely on their sight, but on trust, touch, voice, human connection? This is the essence of the project Blinded by the climb, created by Alessandro Palma and Simone Salvagnin: turning the mountains (or the climbing wall) into a place of empowerment, exploration, and connection for visually impaired young people.

Since 2023, the initiative has aimed to help those with visual disabilities overcome their limits and discover how nature — and climbing — can give back freedom and a new point of view.

In the video we’ve created, we want to take you inside this world: to let you feel the breath, the silence, the trust, the bond built between climber and guide. And above all, to make you understand that “seeing” isn’t only a matter of eyes.

Alessandro’s story — from the idea to the climb

When describing the evolution of the project, Alessandro recalls how everything started with a simple yet ambitious dream: to create a “climbing day” for people with visual impairments. Resources were needed to make it happen — so a fundraising campaign was launched and, thanks to great generosity, successfully reached its goal. With this support and the help of the nonprofit organization Emozionabile — committed for years to activities for people with disabilities — Simone and his team were able to organize an event that was not just about climbing, but designed to be truly inclusive and moving.

In 2024, the organizers decided to “raise the bar”: no longer just one day, but a moment of sharing filled with stories, emotions, and reflections. That’s how “Punti di vista” was born: an evening in which Simone shared what it means to live, dream, and climb without sight. Words full of courage, fear — but also hope.

And the following Sunday, they returned to the climbing wall — this time with a meaningful addition: blacked-out ski goggles, so that sighted participants could also experience what it means to climb “in the dark.” A simple, almost trivial gesture — yet incredibly powerful: creating empathy, closing distances, transforming fear into connection.

More than a sport: empathy, awareness, community

• Not just climbing — for many, “climbing in the dark” means trusting. Trusting someone’s hands, someone’s voice. It means letting go, listening, connecting. And in trust, finding freedom.
• A bridge between different worlds — when sighted people try to “see” through other senses, a powerful realization emerges: disabilities are not weaknesses to pity, but differences to respect and value.
• Community and sharing — it’s not just for climbers with visual impairments: it’s for everyone. To create dialogue, break prejudices, build empathy. Whether climbing, belaying, or observing… in the end, we are “all on the same rope.”

Why this project matters — to us and to everyone

Because it dismantles a dangerous stereotype: that visual impairment is a sentence, a loss. Blinded by the climb teaches us instead that the real loss is failing to recognize the value of others: their ability to adapt, to reinvent themselves, to trust, to build relationships.

And because it reminds us that the mountains — or a simple climbing wall — are places of challenge, but also of encounter; not only with ourselves but with others. Their lives, their stories, their perspectives — even when they cannot see.

Finally, because every participant, volunteer, and supporter becomes a witness to a more inclusive world. A world where “seeing” also means feeling, listening, perceiving with the whole body.

In the video we created, we tried to capture this magic: bringing out what truly matters.

We invite you to watch it with an open mind and heart: it might change the way you see climbing — or the way you see the role of others, in sport and in life.