1870
3. 185 mt.
Edward R. Whitewell, Christian Lauener, Santo Siorpaes
CIMON DELLA PALA
Normal route (III+)
Südtirolalpin
Certified Mountain Guide
IFMGA - Mountain Guides Associations
Mail suedtirolalpin@gmail.com
Prices from
390,- €
THE MOUNTAIN
The Cimon della Pala takes its name from the Pala Monda below it – a steep grassy ridge at the foot of the southwest face. While it is not the highest peak in the Pale di San Martino Dolomites, it is certainly the second-highest. It is certainly the most famous and striking rock tower in the Pala. The fact that it is often called the Matterhorn of the Dolomites is primarily due to its appearance from the Passo Rolle. From there, the Cimon della Pala presents itself as a slender and bold horn. Definitely a peak worth climbing, if only for its breathtaking shape.
ABOUT THE TOUR
Cimon della Pala - Normal Route (III+): The tour to the Cimon della Pala is, overall, a long mountain tour. The climbing difficulty is not particularly high, reaching a maximum of UIAA grade III. However, many passages are grade II. Topped off with a challenging via ferrata (C), this is an all-around varied and beautiful mountain tour. The rock is very nice for climbing, except for the final ridge section, which is very exposed and somewhat brittle. The long approach is made even more enjoyable by the stunning scenery, and the normal route to the Cimon della Pala is sure to be an absolute highlight in the tour book of every mountaineer and lover of the classic and wild Dolomite normal routes.
INFO
Services
Included in the price:
- Entire organization and guidance by a state-certified mountain guide
Additional costs:
- Transfers to and from the meeting point
- Individual tips
* Rental equipment (€10 per piece of equipment)
Facts
Location:
Pale di San Martino
Best time of year:
July - September
Duration:
1 day
Meeting point:
Passo Rolle
What you need
Safety-relevant requirements
- Grade III climbing
- Surefootedness even on loose scree
Requirements for enjoyment
- No fear of heights
- Very good physical condition for a long day of climbing with strenuous ascent and descent
- 1,300 meters of elevation gain
PRICING
PROGRAM
The meeting point and starting point for the tour to Cimon de la Pala is the Rolle Pass above San Martino di Castrozza. After a brief gear check, we continue along the "Sentiero dei Finanzieri" (Finance Trail) to the "Bolver-Lugli" via ferrata (C). The approach to the via ferrata takes approximately 1.5 hours, and the climb itself approximately 3 hours.
We reach the Fiamme Gialle bivouac after about 5 hours. The actual climb to the summit begins shortly after the bivouac. Beautiful climbing passages in the finest Pala dolomite, almost entirely graded II (key section III+), lead past the Grohmann Tower to the notch to the left of the east tower, where we then continue over the somewhat more brittle "Terre Rosse" ridge section to the summit of Cimon della Pala.
From the summit, we enjoy the breathtaking panorama of this isolated peak and then begin the descent. This follows the ascent route, during which we will abseil several times back to the bivouac.
This is followed by a long descent over the Travignolo Pass, the Contoni Valley, and the Botega Pass, with a short climb. The total walking time from the bivouac back to the parking lot is approximately 3-4 hours.
*As a 2-day tour:
This tour can also be booked as a 2-day tour with an overnight stay at the bivouac (Fiamme Gialle). Price upon request.
The story of the first ascent
Paul Grohmann made the first attempt to climb Cimon della Pala via the east flank in 1869. The second attempt in 1870 by the Englishmen E. R. Whitwell and F. F. Tuckett also failed. Both at the same spot, where today a wire rope facilitates the ascent. Whitwell tried again that same year, this time together with Christian Lauener and Santo Siorpaes. They climbed several subsidiary peaks that day before finally locating the highest peak and securing the first ascent of Cimon della Pala.
