Lillaz Ice Climbing – 20th to 25th Jan 2026

For a few years now, Paul M has been fostering the idea of a winter club trip to north Italy to sample the delights of the plentiful ice-climbing routes on offer around the small village of Lillaz. Paul has been to the area on several occasions and wrote a trip report after a visit in 2022. Lillaz is located in the valley south of Aosta and a few km to the east of Cogne at an altitude of approximately 1500m. The terrain is perfectly suited to ice-climbing with many nearby waterfalls that reliably freeze, offering many routes in a range of achievable grades. Skiing of all types and snow-shoe trails are also available in the area.

A small trip was planned. Paul with Dave M, Phil H and Derek W teamed up to make an exploratory venture to test the water and check out the suitability for another trip the following year. Flights from Manchester to Milan Malpensa and a hire car were the means of transport which worked well. Our self-catering accommodation with four single beds was booked online and was very comfortable, well equipped and had a drying room in the basement. Four full days of climbing were anticipated and we were fortunate that neither the weather conditions nor our personal limitations let us down.

In preparation for the trip all four of us kept our climbing skills up to date and used the internet to source information on equipment and technique. Derek was a first-timer to ice-climbing but had proficiency at mountaineering, rock and mixed winter climbing. A dry-tooling wall was set up where boots, crampons, axes and core strength could be tested to remind ourselves of what to expect on the ice. We would climb as pairs with twin 60m ropes and already had a sufficient supply of ice-screws between us.

The journey out was relatively uneventful and we arrived at the accommodation at about 9:30pm. We had called into a Lidl supermarket en-route so had sufficient supplies for the night and following day. Despite prior testing and checking, Phil's boots disintegrated on arrival at Milan Malpensa so a replacement pair were needed. In the morning a very helpful sports shop in Cogne hired boots at a bargain price of E22 for the full week. The shop technician also re-sharpened Phil's crampons and we were on our way to the first crag of the trip by 9:15am.

The first climb of the week was the classic Cascata di Lillaz which was a ten minute walk from the accommodation. The weather had been cold for a period of time and most icefalls were in very good condition. One pitch on our route was not fully formed but the easy start at WI(water-ice)2 was an ideal introduction to the conditions we should expect in the days ahead. The main part of the route, at grade WI3 was well established. Paul and Derek had almost finished the first cascade when Phil and Dave arrived at the foot of the climb. The conditions were perfect for our first climb. It was cold, clear, calm and not too busy. We enjoyed a leisurely late lunch before abseiling down and heading back to the apartment.

After sorting our gear and changing we headed down the valley into Cogne. Hot chocolate beckoned and a top-up of food shopping now that we had a better understanding of the apartment and our plans for the week. We discovered a decent restaurant that served top quality pizza and established our routine of eating out every night whether at Cogne, Lillaz or further down the valley at Epinel.

On day two we climbed an easy-grade WI2 cascade at the western end of Lillaz. The Cascata di Champlong was a short walk-in and after 3 pitches of WI2 there is a final pitch of WI4 which we would attempt if we felt confident. The good ice and generally benign slope on this climb gave us the opportunity to take our time, practice skills and familiarise ourselves with the environment. However, on reaching pitch four we decided that WI4 and the conditions above would be a step too far and the loud crack when the sun came round onto the face confirmed to us that the better part of valour was chickening out.

The route had easy escape options all of the way up so at pitch 4 we turned up, out of the gully and descended to an earlier pitch where we top-roped the climb to build more experience. It was a fun and useful way to prepare for a bigger venture and we had the place to ourselves for most of the day. The evening was spent in Cogne, this time sampling the local stew with Paul's favourite, polenta.

Day three was another day for a classic climb. Pattinaggio Artistico is a WI3, five-pitch route with a 45 minute walk-in from the apartment. There was a tracked path through wooded slopes to find the route but care had to be taken to make sure to take the correct one. We climbed as two pairs and luckily the route was quiet with a pair well ahead of us and a team of 3 Spanish climbers that overtook us at the very start. Today was slightly overcast but calm and not so cold.

Fixed gear was helpful and all teams were able to climb without hindering each other. Pitch 2 had an awkward start but other than that all climbing was very pleasant and comfortable for our grade although there was a lot of it and the route was a physical slog.

We kept together as two sociable pairs so the climb took longer than initially anticipated. The light had almost gone when Derek and Paul reached the top so a traditional York MC Petzl headtorch descent became the order of the evening. There was light snow falling but the path, although steep and tricky on loose snow, was thankfully easy to follow.

Walking back into Lillaz at 8pm we noticed a restaurant that was having a busy night but guessed that they would be able to find a table for us. After a quick change of outer-wear we headed back to the restaurant and were welcomed in for a most wonderful meal. Linen napkins and tablecloth meant that it would be expensive. However, the climb had been successful though tiring and a celebratory meal with such good food, pleasant staff and warm Italian, Friday night ambience was a tremendous way to finish off our day.

Saturday was our last day of climbing. We were beginning to tire so a shorter, simpler day seemed to be a good option. Initially we aimed for a low-grade multi-pitch climb beside Cogne, however, it looked like it was banked out with deep snow so instead we stopped off at the roadside ice-cragging venue at Moline. It was an impressive place, busy with guides and clients, British incuded and all of the top-rope stations that were of any use to us were occupied.

We were considering another course of action for the day but luckily a top-rope station on an easier route was about to become vacant. Even more luck came our way when the Italian guide told us that he was leaving his rope on the climb and we were quite welcome to make use of it. A double bonus which also kept our ropes dry before going home. We had two climbs each following different lines on the same route which was a brilliant way to end our fourth day of climbing.

It was an early afternoon finish and we headed into Cogne for light lunch and to return Phil's hired boots. The town was incredibly busy. There was a winter triathlon competition taking place over the weekend and masses of competitors in every category along with their support had brought a carnival atmosphere to the previously quiet town. We don't know what the expected standard should be but some of the competitors may have been couch to 5k and others in the elite division. We figured that Phil would make a fair entry if we sign him up for next year.

In the evening the town remained busy so we went a few kilometers down the valley to a restaurant in Epinel where it was a lot quieter. We were joined by a couple of Paul's climbing friends that he knows from Harrogate and enjoyed a final pizza and tiramisu. Snow was beginning to fall during the evening but it was not a problem on the roads although care was needed in places.

The journey home on Sunday was straight forward. The roads were relatively quiet and flights on time. The hire car was returned with minimal fuss and there were no extra fees. The trip was a success. The whole package worked well, it was great fun and there was a strong sense of satisfaction and achievement at the end of it. The cost of the trip was not cheap, however, we felt it was very reasonable for what we had done. Here is an approximate breakdown of our individual costs:

Flights (Ryanair)	-	£147
Hire Car (Budget)	£308	£77
Airport Parking (Manchester T3)	£72	£18
Accommodation Lillaz	£664	£166
Personal Insurance (BMC but other brands are available)	-	£112
Personal expenses (share of all food, fuel, beer, cake etc)	-	£195
Total per person		£715

We anticipate that there will be a second trip to Lillaz in January 2027. I already know of six persons that are interested in going and have the right sort of skills for such a trip. Logistically it is easier to team up into groups of four because of hire cars and accommodation. If anyone is interested in joing a trip to Lillaz at the same time next year please let me know. There are no guarantees that there will be a space available and there are no guarantees that the conditions will be as good as we saw on this occasion.

Thanks to Derek, Phil and Paul for being such good company on this trip. It was a real pleasure and we hope next year will be just as good, in every respect.

Ciao!

Dave M