Las Calas
A hike for the more experienced
Warning: non-tourist route
About this place
Las Calas Gorge is a deep gorge, with walls nearly 200 meters high, carved into the rock by the millennial action of water. The Chiarsò stream flows through the middle of this canyon of immeasurable beauty, creating a unique landscape in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The gorge can be visited thanks to a path carved into the stone, built in the 1950s in anticipation of creating a mountain reservoir, an idea that was later abandoned. The service corridor was later secured and equipped with a steel cable.
- Location: Paularo (UD)
- Parking: pitch a short distance away
- Length: 3.5 km
- Difficulty: EE experienced hikers
Why visit
01.
A gorge of 200 m.
The canyon in which the creek bed winds is unique and is a rare sight that can be seen from the rock face itself thanks to the corridor that has been carved into it. The gorge is nearly 200 m deep, and the trail is 30 m high. The position allows you to be overlooked by the calcite wall and experience the thrill of looking at the creek vertically.
02.
Adventurous route
The path winds along a corridor carved into the rock at a height of 30 meters. The trail has a steel cable anchored to the wall but no fences or railings at the edge of the gorge. The effect is very immersive: on one side the exposed view, overhead the looming rock face. All this with the roar of the waters overpowering the other noises of nature.
03.
The forest and the storm
In late October 2018, Storm Vaia violently struck the forested portions surrounding the gorge, uprooting trees and causing small debris landslides. The forest is now regenerating, and it is very exciting to walk the path to the canyon amidst the tracks that the storm left behind, among fallen logs and plants growing back wild all around.
An exciting hike
Las Calas Gorge is recommended for experienced hikers. The path is easy to walk on but does not have guardrails, but rather a steel cable anchored to the wall. Moreover, the route is very impressive: it has exposed spots, the sound of the waters is thunderous, and the walls overlooking the gorge dominate the landscape. Consequently, it is not suitable for people who suffer from dizziness or susceptible to this type of experience.
The use of a helmet and harness are strongly recommended, as are suitable footwear and clothing. It is also recommended to bring water to drink especially in view of the end of the loop, where there is an uphill section in the undergrowth to return to the road.
The trail is not suitable for children or dogs.
The path of the storm
The path to the gorge, in its first part, descends to the Chiarsò stream by crossing the forest on a path recently affected by a storm. As a result, to reach the canyon entrance, one will have to proceed on a partly uneven path, climbing over fallen logs and debris sections. The storm that hit the area caused some damage to the forest stock, but the weather gave the flora a chance to regenerate, thus creating a fairy-tale atmosphere. Nature has regained control, and plants are reborn along the path and cover the marks left by the storm.
Warning
Las Calas Gorge is suitable for Experienced Hikers only. It presents many exposed points and a few critical passages. It can be walked safely with a helmet and harness. The route is definitely not recommended for children, families and inexperienced people. As with all the places reviewed on this site, Explorer FVG assumes no responsibility for damage to people, animals or property occurring during your visit. Be cautious and before any visit and for any information contact the Promoturismo FVG Infopoints.
Getting there
From Paularo follow the road to Cason di Lanza. After about 20 minutes by car, there are signs for Las Calas Gorge and a lay-by on the left.
From the road go down the path. Signage is poorly visible, so use care in taking the right path to the gorge:
- Just before the storm-damaged bridge, take the path on the right that skirts and ascends the course of the stream until you reach the beginning of the gorge of the ravine;
- Enter the equipped gorge trail and walk along it;
- Coming out of the gorge, continue on the uphill path back to the main road.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The trail is easy to walk, but some sections can be dangerous if not undertaken with proper care. For safety, you can use the harness, hooking it to the steel cable that has been installed all along the route. A helmet is strongly recommended.
Absolutely not. The current is very strong and the creek is not accessible.
The path is not suitable for children, who might lean out. Kids used to the mountains can go to the gorge, but a harness is recommended.
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