Travel-Climbing in the Boot

Driving a little ways to Cortina D’Ampezzo, near Passo Falzarego, you reach the Cinque Torri (7,500 feet): Torre Grande, Torre Seconda/del Barancio, Torre Latina, Torre Quarta and Torre Inglese.  Cinque Torri is one of the best sport-climbing areas in the Dolomites, that offer almost 200 routes from one to eight pitches. Most of the routes are bolted; however, if you decide to do some multi-pitch climbing bring a full trad rack and a 60-meter rope.  Torre Grande is the largest and the most popular of the five, divided into Cima Sud, large and flat-topped; Cima Nord, smaller with a wide chimney that cleaves the east face; and Cima Ovest, dihedral-faced and with a large broken chimney. Cima Sud is the most popular, with routes ranging from 5.8 to 5.13c. Cima Nord and Cima Ovest are definitely worth checking out as well; make sure, though, that you are comfortable warming-up on 5.10.

If you hanker for the Alps, but are not a diehard alpinist, try some vie ferrate – iron cables fixed to the mountain, linked by metal ladders and bridges connecting disjointed peaks.  Where best to find them if not in the Dolomites, where it all started, after WWI. The best are Monte Cristallo, Cortina D`ampezzo; Ferrata delle Mesules al Piz Selva (1912); Sas Rigas in Val Badia, the tallest peak of the Odles; Via Olivieri at Punta Anna on the Tofana di Rotzes; and Via Tomaselli on the Cima Fanis. 

How to get there: Coming from Rome, take highway A1 Nord to Modena, then the A22; exit at Chiusa, and then continue on the Strada delle Dolomiti.  

Cultural attractions: Tea and homemade desserts, from Shaker torte to spinach quiche, are an easy tick at Villa Frainela, Via Dantercepis, on the way back from your workout in the Vallunga. This is the kind of place you see in old movies: a family-owned wooden storage house that later became an après-ski tearoom. Definitely visit Bolzano, the main city down valley. It is very Innsbruck-like, with its portici and its numerous Austro-Hungarian churches. 

Where to Stay: The only way to go in the Alps is, unfortunately, renting an apartment, unless you want to dirtbag it in someone’s backyard -- not so cool. So, plan to spend a little money up here.

Suggested travel guide: Le piu`belle montagne e le piu` famose scalate, by Reinhold Messner. 

Tourist information: Associazione Guide Alpine Val Gardena
Via Meisules 144
(c/o Casa cultura Oswald von Wolkenstein)
39048 Selva di Val Gardena
Tel e fax: 0039 0471 794133
Cell. 0039 335 8377744
info@guidegardena.com 
or visit their website: val-gardena.net/Default_en.asp