"Aphrodite at the Alpetto Refuge" | Elias Iagnemma

In the world of bouldering, the search for new spots is a fundamental part of the adventure. It’s an activity that blends the passion for climbing with an unquenchable thirst for discovery, combined with a significant challenge against oneself and one’s own psycho-physical limits. Elias Iagnemma, recently, went beyond the most well-known destinations to explore the area around the Rifugio Alpetto, where he found some boulders and lines of great beauty.

Elias Iagnemma: “L'Alpetto. A name that to many may sound like just a reference point on a map, but for me it has become synonymous with adventure and discovery. During one of my many days spent searching for new boulders, I was looking for a summer area for climbing, an alternative to the well-known Rifugio Barbara. I had heard about the Rifugio Alpetto and its scattered boulders, so I decided to ask some locals for information and set off on an exploration. By the end of the day, I had been more than rewarded by what I discovered: I found Afrodite, one of the most beautiful and easiest-to-spot boulders in the area, although partially hidden by a bend in the road. Seeing it for the first time was an incredible moment. It features a simply perfect line. It’s a 35-degree panel on alpine serpentine, where the crimps look almost hand-carved. The style and shapes immediately reminded me of the flawless lines of Rocklands, and even the orange hue of the rock evokes the atmosphere and type of stone found there. That’s why I decided to name it Afrodite: no other name could do justice to such beauty.”

Bouldering is more than just a sport; it’s an introspective journey and a life choice. It’s not only about climbing a boulder or chasing ever-higher grades. It’s an activity that invites us to explore, to test ourselves, and to interpret our path through our own sensitivity, abilities, and ambitions. In bouldering, there is no single way to experience performance. Each of us can discover the line, the challenge, and the grade that best suits us, moving forward along a path that is at once human and athletic. The boulderer becomes an explorer, an artist reading the shapes of the rock, and a thinker planning each move. The search for an untouched boulder, cleaning the holds, and deciphering a complex sequence are all stages of a process that goes far beyond mere physical achievement. It is a search for oneself, an expression of one’s creativity, and a celebration of the relationship between humans and nature. In this sense, bouldering teaches us that the true victory is not only the summit, but the journey that led us to discover it and climb it.