Comments
No comments posted yet.
-
1741 Hits
-
75.81% Score
-
6 Votes
Page Type:
|
Album |
|---|---|
Image Type(s):
|
Rock Climbing, Hiking, Flora, Informational, Scenery, Panorama |
One of the best places in the Dolomites for a fine day (or more) of rock climbing is Cinque Torri. There are lots of routes, starting at UIAA grade III and up to a level far above what I'll ever climb.
The name Cinque Torri means five towers, but in reality it's a bit more complex than that. The biggest tower for example, Torre Grande, looks like one at first glance, but is actually three separate towers, touching each other. The gaps between them are often too wide to be of any use for a chimney climb.
Northeast of Torre Grande stands Torre Seconda, another complex of three separate spires touching and leaning on each other. These three are much closer together, and here some of the contact areas of contact provide fine routes. And although we didn't plan it, we ended up climbing nowhere else - on each of the three days that we visited, the weather turned on us after one or two routes. But despite the afternoon rains, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
![Clouds swirling around Tofane]()
Clouds swirling around Tofane (just north of Cinque Torri) - no more climbing for us today
Via Lusy Pompain ascends the north face and northeast corner of Torre Lusy. Grade IV-.
Via del diedro follows the obvious dihedral on the north face where Torre del Barrancio and Torre Romana are touching. Grade IV+.
Via Ignazio Dibona weaves its way up the sheer north face of Torre del Barrancio. Grade IV+.
Via del camino uses the south side chimney between Torre del Barrancio and Torre Romana. Grade III.
Names and grades vary a bit from one book to another. The ones used here are from the book "The Dolomites : Rock Climbs and Via Ferrata", by James Rushford, Rockfax 2014. ISBN 9781873341971.
The name Cinque Torri means five towers, but in reality it's a bit more complex than that. The biggest tower for example, Torre Grande, looks like one at first glance, but is actually three separate towers, touching each other. The gaps between them are often too wide to be of any use for a chimney climb.
Northeast of Torre Grande stands Torre Seconda, another complex of three separate spires touching and leaning on each other. These three are much closer together, and here some of the contact areas of contact provide fine routes. And although we didn't plan it, we ended up climbing nowhere else - on each of the three days that we visited, the weather turned on us after one or two routes. But despite the afternoon rains, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Clouds swirling around Tofane (just north of Cinque Torri) - no more climbing for us today
The most popular (and easiest) routes on Torre Seconda
Via Lusy Pompain ascends the north face and northeast corner of Torre Lusy. Grade IV-.
Via del diedro follows the obvious dihedral on the north face where Torre del Barrancio and Torre Romana are touching. Grade IV+.
Via Ignazio Dibona weaves its way up the sheer north face of Torre del Barrancio. Grade IV+.
Via del camino uses the south side chimney between Torre del Barrancio and Torre Romana. Grade III.
 Climbers on the first pitch of Torre Lusy |  Via del diedro. The green climber has just mastered the crux |  Rappelling Torre Seconda |
Names and grades vary a bit from one book to another. The ones used here are from the book "The Dolomites : Rock Climbs and Via Ferrata", by James Rushford, Rockfax 2014. ISBN 9781873341971.