Rock Climbing in the Dolomites
Top three reasons to go rock climbing in the Dolomites
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In 2009, the Dolomites were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
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Catch breathtaking glimpses of neighboring peaks and summits
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A challenging and beautiful range of steep limestone peaks south of the Austrian-Italian border
Limestone, via ferrata, and enough routes to last a lifetime
The Dolomites are not your average, ordinary, everyday rock climbing spot. The area’s distinctive spires, needles, ledges, towers, plateaus, and crags — not least to mention its historical significance during the First World War and unique cultural history — stood out so much so that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 2009. And then there’s the climbing. Part of the Southern Limestone Alps and shared by the provinces of Bulluno, South Tyrol and Trentino, the Dolomites are home to three disciplines of climbing: traditional climbing, sport climbing and via ferrata.
Tackle a near-vertical climb along the east face, onto the southwest face and eventually on to the lofty southern arête of Punta Anna. At 2731m, choose between two directional options — either continue up the crest toward the Terza Torre Pomedes and the Doss de Tofana and on toward the summit, or head to the left, down from Bus de Tofana, and continue on the scree run to path 403 leading back to the ferrata’s starting point.
There are thousands of routes to climb, certainly enough to merit a return trip. We know when we first climbed the Dolomites, we couldn’t wait to get back.
SeasonMay through November |
Nearest cityInnsbruck, Austria, is 1.5 hours away |
Duration1 day |
Skill levelBeginner to advanced |