not as difficult
Arzino (superiore)
Country:
Italia / Italy
Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia
Subregion: ente di decentramento regionale di Udine
Town: Preone
v3 a3 II
3h
5min
2h30
25min
715m
655m
60m
20m
2x20m
14
250m
on Foot
Rating:
★★★★★
4.9 (3)
Info:
★★★
1 (1)
Belay:
★★★
1.5 (2)
Summary:
‘Arzino sup’ or -1, touristically known as ‘Cascate e pozze turchesi del Torrente Arzino’ is a compact and rather aquatic canyoning tour in a remote Dolomite valley of glacier origin. The descent is characterized by leaps, pools, potholes and inviting, colourful water straight from the source. Start of the obstacles are an almost horizontal geyser, a Niagara-pool, followed by a slightly more carved out gorge, but never more than 10m deep. Non-canyoneers can easily follow from the trail. Morning to mid-day for ideal light conditions. No phone reception in the upper parts of this valley.
Parts
Name
Difficulty
Approach
Tour
Return
May - October
11-14 o'clock
Northeast
Dolomite
Summary:
‘Arzino sup’ or -1, touristically known as ‘Cascate e pozze turchesi del Torrente Arzino’ is a compact and rather aquatic canyoning tour in a remote Dolomite valley of glacier origin. The descent is characterized by leaps, pools, potholes and inviting, colourful water straight from the source. Start of the obstacles are an almost horizontal geyser, a Niagara-pool, followed by a slightly more carved out gorge, but never more than 10m deep. Non-canyoneers can easily follow from the trail. Morning to mid-day for ideal light conditions. No phone reception in the upper parts of this valley.
Access:
Drive all the way up the Arzino valley, before the last hairpin turns take the left-hand secondary road that takes us higher into the Arzino valley than Arzino 0 starting point (there is one touristic sign for each of the canyons). Follow this little road which is quite narrow with lots of short turns, up until the P on the left hand side, marked again by a touristic sign.
Approach (5 min):
From the car park walk down to the waterfalls. Start of the obstacles is near the picnic bench and a broken down viewing platform. Left of this viewing platform we can use the tree for abseiling into the first obstacle and find a first bolt left bank, as an intermediate anchor, from which an ideal access is given to the geyser.
Tour (2 h 30):
01 - natural anchor on the tourist trail, left bank, 10m from a tree to a ledge (1p. only)
02 - 7m abseil, left bank, from a bolt on the ledge (exposed, 1p. only) into a waterjet-geyser (impressive when source is active)
If the water is overflowing on all sides of this obstacle, the canyon is in high flow/overflowing.
(01 & 02 are avoidable, but recommended to test the strength of the waterflow)
03 - 8m abseil, from a natural anchor, right bank, 8m, into a Niagara-pool, can be partially avoided by abseiling left bank from a natural anchor.
04 - 6m left bank, before the bridge, bolt
05 - 5m right bank, directly under the bridge, bolt.
If high flow, then the rocks in the pool may be easily mistaken for white water, careful in the reception.
06 - 7m right bank, into a turbulent pool, bolt (possible jump, not verified)
07 - 9m left bank, into a pool with water movement, bolt + ring
Hanging pool with tourist viewpoint on the right (possible escape)
First option. Dry line to the left.
08 - downclimb, left bank, to a bolt + ring, followed by a 12m abseil
09 - To a bolt, left bank, 16m abseil
Second option. Aquatic line to the right:
08 - climb up, right bank, to a natural anchor, abseil 18m or 16 + 2m jump (not verified)
09 - 20m abseil, right bank, from a bolt, down the double waterfall
10 - downclimb the sloping right bank, 5m
11 - traverse up a ledge, to a bolt, left bank
(Or jump/slide into a small pool with water movement, not verified)
12 - Mc, from a bolt, to a bolt + ring (far, slightly ascending), left bank to avoid the small pool
13 - 5m abseil, left bank, from a bolt + ring
Possible games in the small pool with water movement
14 - abseil from a bolt + ring, left bank, 15m across 2 small pools
Exit of the canyon, right bank
Return (25 min):
Exit at beach, right bank, hike up to the little bridge and take the trail up, 25' to the car
Coordinates:
Canyon Start
Parking Entry and Exit
Canyon End
46.343372°, 12.893513°
↓↑
DMS: 46° 20" 36.14', 12° 53" 36.65'
DM: 46° 20.602", 12° 53.611"
Google Maps
DMS: 46° 20" 36.14', 12° 53" 36.65'
DM: 46° 20.602", 12° 53.611"
Google Maps
20.07.2025
Jason Walker
⭐
★★★★★
📖
★★★
⚓
★★★
💧
Low
Completed ✔
Other users were: Enya Schaefer
V3, probably. A3 - very very stiff. More aquatic than most around Friuli. At the flow we had it'd be A4 at least, and if it was higher it'd push into A5...
The bolting is sufficient. Singles the whole way down though, not ideal.
The canyon itself is actually super nice, and much more interesting than we were expecting. It was certainly very very cold water. Perhaps the coldest in the region at this time of year.
Certainly worth a look. If this is A3, the bottom section must be super rowdy!
Other users were: Enya Schaefer
12.05.2025
Jeroen Kirchner
⭐
★★★★★
📖
★★★
⚓
★★★
🌊
Crazy
Completed ✕
A bit too much water, but then again, it had rained heavily for days. Water colour and the pools looked really good. Plenty of light penetrating the forest this time of year.
07.06.2023
Jeroen Kirchner
⭐
★★★★★
📖
★★★
⚓
★★★
💧
High
Completed ✔
Removed some wood from the canyon and opened a new aquatic line half way through the canyon. Conditions were perfect, a bit lower than the opening year 2021 (but higher than in 2022), it would seem the source depends on melting water (hence: more snow, late in the year = bigger flow, throughout summer)
Hydrology:
Partially karstic, additionally some tributaries.