Routes in Marmolada

Unless someone has bolted all 650m of it, the route was pitons(some ancient) and trad when I did it 9 years ago!

Starts at Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi, crosses a small glacier to Forcella de la Marmolada, then follows the Marmolada Cresta Ovest (Marmolada West Ridge) via ferrata from to the Punta Penia summit.

More info: https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/klettersteig/trincee-klettersteig/

Access:

From Rifugio Falier, follow the trail 660 towards Passo Ombretta until the path bends sharply to the left (~20mins from the Rifugio).

Leave the main trail and take a track that climbs diagonally to the right in the direction of a ramp that leads to the top of a yellowish block leaning against the wall. Shortly before reaching the corner at the end of the ramp, go up briefly and cross to the left, taking you under a chimney/couloir that goes up diagonally to the left.

The route:

1. Go up the initial chimney and continue on easier blocks until it is possible to exit to the left. Briefly walk along the grassy ramp reaching the belay (4 pitons, fixed cord & maillon). 30m, III.

2. Continue diagonally to the left until you reach the top of a small pillar leaning against the wall with an uncomfortable anchor (wedged boulder & cord). 25m, II.

3. Lower and traverse to the left. Go up the couloir, exiting to the left and reaching the anchor located at the base of a crack/chimney (1 piton and 1 fixed sling). 35m, II, III, 1 piton with sling.

4. Follow the crack/chimney; at its end continue up crumbly rocks and then up an easy slab to reach the belay (fixed slings). 40m, IV, III, IV, 1 fixed sling.

5. Diagonally slightly to the right to the slab, then take the dihedral/ascending couloir to the left. Anchor on a slender ledge on the right (3 pitons + 1 fixed sling). 50m, IV, III.

6. Move left and go up the couloir/chimney; at its end, traverse to the left until you reach a crack that you follow until the belay (2 pitons + fixed rope). 50m, IV, I, 1 piton with sling.

7. Follow the diagonal crack to the right until you come out at the base of a large slab. Traverse briefly to the left until the belay (3 pitons + ropes). 15m, IV +, III, 1 piton, 1 fixed rope on a chockstone.

8. Vertically until you reach the crack, which you follow to its end. Diagonal to the right until the anchor (fixed cordelette). 30m, V.

9. Climb the diagonal dihedral to the right until it becomes clearly more vertical and narrows like a chimney. Here exit to the right (delicate) ignoring the gear that can be seen higher up, reaching the belay (2 pitons). 45m, V, V+, VI-, 4 pitons (2 with cord), 1 intermediate anchor (2 fixed cordelette).

10. Go up the crack which then becomes a chimney until you come out onto the large ledge. The belay is located slightly to the left (2 fixed slings + lanyard). 55m, IV, III, II, I, 1 fixed sling, 1 intermediate anchor (2 pitons + cord).

11. Halfway ledge:

    Walk along the large terrace aiming for the base of the pillar that characterizes the line of ascent. Three large caves are clearly identifiable. Two almost overlapping and one more to the right. Go under the vertical part of the two overlapping ones and build a belay. 80m, I, II.

12. Diagonal to the right along a system of superficial cracks, right below the vertical section of the cave on the right, where you find the anchor (2 pitons + cord). 40m, III+.

13. Diagonal to the right and go up a small slot. Then continue up a short slab and the corner until you reach the small cave with the anchor (3 pitons + cord). 45m, IV +, 1 piton.

14. Go up the overhang to the right, then go diagonally to the left following the crack up to the belay (2 pitons). 35m, V +, VI-, V, 2 fixed cordelette, 4/5 pitons (1 with cord).

15. Move left and follow the gully which then becomes a dihedral. At its end, go diagonally to the left some easier blocks up to a comfortable ledge with the belay (2 fixed slings to connect). 45m, IV +, III, IV +, III, 1 intermediate anchor (2 pitons + cord), 1 piton.

16. Go up the easy rocks to the left and continue vertically following a vague edge to the belay (2 pitons + fixed rope). 45m, II, III, 1 piton.

17. Go up vertically until reaching the slab. Go around the most vertical part by moving diagonally to the left, then traverse to the right up to a small crack that leads to the belay (2 pitons). 40m, IV, IV +, 2 pitons.

18. Climb the dihedral & crack to its end, then a short slab. Anchor on the ledge above. (2 pitons + fixed rope; just to the left there is another anchor on 2 pitons). 35m, IV +.

19. Again vertically up the slab up to a slanting slit to the left. Anchor at the base of the dihedral (3 pitons). 35m, V +, 1 fixed cord, 2/3 pitons, 1 intermediate anchor (2 nails).

20. Follow the crack that bends to the right at the top and then returns vertically to the ledge, above which you find the belay (3 pitons + 1 fixed sling). 45m, VI + or VI and A0, 16/17 pitons, 1 intermediate stop (2 pitons + cordon). Original route: after having covered the slender crack for about 6 meters, exit to the left and climb a vertical slab up to the belay. Easier climbing but less fixed gear.

21. Diagonal to the left and go up to the base of the slab, which you cross diagonally to the left until you reach the belay (4 pitons). 30m, IV, VI, 6 nails.

22. Go up briefly, cross to the right for about 4 meters and climb the beautiful slab. Then go diagonally to the left until you are below the a vertical dihedral, where you find the belay (3 pitons). 40m, V +, 8/9 pitons, 1 intermediate anchor (3 pitons + cord).

23. Climb the dihedral and then keep to the right (ignore the pitons on the left). Follow easier rocks to reach a comfortable ledge and anchor under the final slab(2 hammered bolts). 30m, V, IV, III, 2 pitons.

24. Traverse to the right up to a black water streak. Go up to the overhang and go around it to the left, passing a small slab to reach the summit rocks. anchor on 2 bolts. 30m, IV, 1 piton.

Descent:

From the summit descend on the north side with 2 abseils:

1. (55m) go down to a terrace located in carved about between the towers. Continue past the anchor. A little further down, to the left (looking at the rock) is another anchor.

2. (60m) Down until you cross the terminal crevasse/bergschrund of the glacier.

Descent (cont.):

From here there are two possibilities:

1. Go up towards the top station of the cable car located at the top of Punta Rocca (3250m) or to the intermediate station located at Rifugio Serauta (2950m). The last ride is at 4/4:30pm and the cable car takes you back to Malga Ciapela.

2. Walk down towards the mid-station of the cable car. Just before reaching it, turn left onto the ski slopes. Follow them up to Passo Fedaia to the rifugio (2057m). From here return to Malga Ciapela (2 cars or hitchhike).

Incredibly beautiful, exposed climbing at Marmolada slab holes in closed compact, sometimes strongly overhanging, unstructured wall. Nerves of steel required. Extremely rewarding! One of the most beautiful test pieces in the Alps. In the Italian guidebook erroneously called "Terra ingognita". Read more on darshano.com in German or kletterblock.de

Incredibly beautiful, exposed climbing at Marmolada slab holes in closed compact, sometimes strongly overhanging, unstructured wall. Nerves of steel required. Extremely rewarding! One of the most beautiful test pieces in the Alps. In the Italian guidebook erroneously called "Terra ingognita". Read more on darshano.com in German or kletterblock.de

Gear:

double set bis 1, und cam 2 und cam 3

Small bonus ferrata ať Trincee, offering the option of exposed climbing on a rock tower with great views. After descending from Bech dá Mesdi to the pass, traverse right for 50 meters instead of following the ferrata path left

https://www.planetmountain.com/Rock/dolomiti/itinerari/scheda.php?lang=ita&id_itinerario=2470&id_tipologia=38