Build My Own FeedBD athlete Fred Nicole reports on a bouldering find in Cresciano, Switzerland
Black Diamond athlete Fred Nicole sent us the quick email recently that told of another special moment of discovery he enjoyed in his beloved forest of Cresciano.
Walking through the forest of Cresciano (Ticino), I was astonished by the amount of climbers on the rocks. It’s crazy to see the development of this area during the past 15 years! From a few lost souls in the woods back in time, to the winter Mecca for dozens, if not hundreds, of people. I’m not a misanthrope, but sometimes I appreciate the possibility of trying a boulder by myself at my own pace. It didn’t seem the right place for it so I continued my quest. I saw many possibilities during the following hours but it’s only at the end of the day that I found the perfect line: a beautiful steep arête going to a nice overhanging face and a real top out. A subtle mix of difficulty, technique and endurance! I went back the next day to try a little bit of the moves and it felt feasible. And between the days climbing with Mary, my brother François, Nini, and their kids, celebrating New Year with my friends and family, I was very happy to complete this great line on January 3rd. ”I portici” means “the archs”, because the structure made me think of it. And it is also the name of a very good pizzeria in Bellinzona, where I like to eat after bouldering.
— Fred
United States / English 
10 Feb 2011, 7:45AM
looks nice-i`m thinking it looks pretty straight forward too :)