Dolomites Trip August 2008
With just a weeks holiday available Max and myself decided to go to Cortina in the Dolomites for a weeks intensive climbing.
After a brief flight to Milan we were on our way in the hire car to Cortina.
For a warm up we decided to do the Torre Piccola and Torre Grande on the Torre di Falzarego. We just finished and were on the descent route when a storm kicked off, sheltering in a small Cave the hail had built up to 2-3" in a few minutes. The descent then became interesting in trainers, the last mud slope being negotiated on a rope to avoid the inevitable slide to the bottom.
By this time Graham and Yvonne had arrived at the campsite, so the next day we decided to climb the Dallago on the Cima Cason di Formin as a team of four. A bit of slog up a scree slope saw us gearing up at the bottom. The route is graded at V, but the bottom two pitches are a bit out of character with the route so most people avoid them and do the alternative pitches at III-IV. the route then follows a series of corners in excellent positions with bit belay stances all the way up, the crux being near the top on some slabs. A couple of easy pitches and we were on top, (Photos of Graham and Yvonne on top). One quick ab, a scramble and the inevitable scree gully saw us back at the bottom of the route.
Next day Max and I went up to do the South Rib on the Hexenstein, a nice steady route with very interesting fortifications on top.
The next of couple of days I lost to Deli belly - Max says this is because I started eating some vegetables halfway through the week. Whilst I was out of action Max, Graham and Yvonne managed to do the South Arrete of the Tofana di Rozes and another route off the Falzarego Pass.
We had a short day doing a bit of high level cragging at the Cinque Torri.
Myself and Max decided to finish off the week by doing the Fiames Arrete on the Punta Fiames at V.
The bottom pitches were difficult to follow and find, after having to abb back down one dead end we finally go back on route. Thereafter it was good climbing following the arrete all the way with a succession of technical pitches all with different aspects.
After a poor nights kip at Milan airport being moved around by the security it was back to Blighty - the South Face of the Tofana beckons for next year.
Some Pics for you to all have a look at below:
Andy Railton