ALPINE CLASSICS
DOLOMITES
PATHS OF THE FIRST CLIMBERS
1857
Sir John Ball
MONTE PELMO
Normal route (II)
Monte Pelmo was the first major Dolomite peak to be reached by a human being. Thanks to a long rock ledge (climbing sections up to II-) now named after him, Sir John Ball reached the large, bowl-shaped cirque above the large rock ridge. His companion at the time, a chamois hunter, whom he had actually brought with him as a local guide, refused to ascend along this ledge. In his description, Ball speaks only negatively of his companion, who allegedly tried everything to jeopardize his summit victory. Thus, John Ball, who had started in the Boite Valley, reached the 3,168-meter-high summit alone via the Pelmo Glacier, which was still present at the time, and was to usher in a golden era of ascents of other Dolomite peaks in the years to follow.
1860
Simone de Silvestro
CIVETTA
Exceedance (C)
The hunter Simone de Silvestro, along with other hunting companions whose names are unknown, was the first person to deliberately reach the highest point of the Civetta in 1860. They reached the southeast flank of the mountain via the route now known as the Tivanweg, which has since become the normal route and thus the easiest ascent to the summit. Their starting point for their venture was the town of Val di Zoldo. In addition to the normal route, there are now several beautiful via ferratas that make climbing the Civetta accessible to many more people. Examples include the Ferrata degli Alleghesi and the Ferrata Tissi.
1863
Paul Grohmann
ANTELAO
Normal route (II)
After Paul Grohmann heard that a certain Matteo Ossi had supposedly reached the summit of Antelao in 1850, he promptly hired him as a guide to help him reach this beautiful peak. In his 1877 book "Wanderungen in den Dolomiten" (Walks in the Dolomites), he described the climb as follows: "Matteo Ossi agreed to join us, but at some point he began to reflect, sought excuses, and declared he had lost his way—in short, he couldn't find the way. But my brave Ampezzo guides immediately found the right path. We reached the summit of Antelao at 11:45 a.m., and I believe I can say that we stood on a peak that had never been climbed before."
1864
Paul Grohmann, Franceso Lacedelli, Angelo Dimai, Santo Siorpaes
TOFANA DI ROZES
crossing (C)
The first ascent was made on August 29, 1864, by Paul Grohmann with locals Francesco Lacedelli, Angelo Dimai, and Santo Siorpaes. Grohmann and Lacedelli had already made the first ascent of the Tofana di Mezzo the previous year. Similar to their exploration of the mountain, they chose the ascent from the Forcella Fontananegra via the northeast flank, today's standard route. Grohmann's description of the summit at the time: "I'm not a fan of counting countless mountain peaks to describe a view, and I'll refrain from doing so here, but one detail of the panoramic view remains unforgettable for me: the formidable crags of the other two Tofana peaks in close proximity, and between them, further back, looms the Gaisl, the Croda rossa of the Ampezzo region; only the uppermost part, but this one is blood red, a strange contrast against the gray limestone walls of the Tofana!"
1864
Paul Grohmann, Franceso Lacedelli, Angelo Dimai
PUNTA SORAPIS
Southeast flank (III)
After two failed attempts, which they had to abort due to weather conditions, Paul Grohmann, together with Franceso Lacedelli and Angelo Dimai, succeeded in making the first ascent of Punta Sorapis. They reached the summit on September 16, 1864, from the west via the Vallon del Banco and the Fopa di Matiak, crawling through a diagonal crack on the western flank of the Fopa di Matia. They then descended via the now-used normal route, abseiling for the first time in the Dolomites. According to local legend, upon reaching the summit and enjoying the breathtaking view of the surrounding Ampezzo Dolomites, Paul Gromann appointed Franceso Lacedelli as the first mountain guide in the area.
1864
Paul Grohmann, Angelo Dimai, Fulgenzio Dimai
MARMOLADA
Normal route (A)
As early as 1802, three priests (Don Giovanni Costadedòi, Don Giuseppe Terza, Don Tommaso Pezzei), a surgeon (Hauser), and an episcopal judge (Peristi) are said to have reached the ridge at Punta di Rocca from Passo Fedaia. Another group did so in 1852. However, neither of them reached the highest point. John Ball's alleged ascent in 1860 was also refuted by Paul Grohmann, who verifiably reached the highest point of Punta Rocca in 1862. Finally, on September 28, 1864, he, together with Angelo and Fulgenzio Dimai, made the first ascent of Punta Penia, 35 meters higher and thus the highest point of the Queen of the Dolomites.
1865
Paul Grohmann, Angelo Dimai, Santo Siorpaes
MONTE CRISTALLO
Normal route (II)
Not much can be found about the first ascent of Monte Cristallo. However, it is recorded that Paul Grohmann, along with Angelo Dimai and Santo Siorpaes, were the first to reach the summit on September 14, 1865. I haven't been able to determine which route they chose to climb the highest peak in the Cristallo group. However, it is likely that they followed roughly the current normal route on the southeast face and via the south ridge, which has a maximum climbing difficulty of UIAA grade II.
1865
Giuseppe Loss
CIMA TOSA
Normal route (II) - East Flank
The Cima Tosa was the first major peak to be climbed in the Brenta. On July 20, 1865, Giuseppe Loss from the village of Primiero in Trentino reached the summit with 5 other unidentified climbing companions. They approached the mountain from Val d'Ambiez and climbed to the foot of Cima Tosa via Malga Prato, Forcolotta di Noghera, Pozza Tramonana, and Vedretta della Tosa. They then climbed via the same chimney, which is still considered the easiest ascent to the (now) second-highest peak in the Brenta Dolomites. At the time, it was still the highest elevation in the Brenta (then 3,173 meters). After the ice cap melted, Cima Brenta is now slightly higher.
1869
Paul Grohmann, Franz Innerkofler, Peter Salcher
GROSSE ZINNE
Normal route (III+)
The year 1869 was to be Paul Grohmann's year. After he had already achieved the first ascents of the Sassolungo and the Dreischusterspitze that year, the highlight came on August 21st, the Great Cime di Lavaredo. Franz Innerkofler, who had already conducted some reconnaissance, led the group to the summit in less than three hours, following the route of the normal route, which is still the most frequently climbed today. Grohmann had previously circumnavigated the Three Peaks, and upon seeing the north face, he said: "Here, on these cliffs, on these truly vertical cliffs, only a bird could climb them."
1869
Paul Grohmann
LANGKOFEL
Normal route (III)
On August 13, 1869, the Viennese mountaineer Paul Grohmann successfully found a route to the summit of the Sassolungo. His route, which leads from the Cunfinböden into the Sassolungo cirque and from there over a gully prone to rockfall into the Amphitheater, is no longer climbed in the lower section. The upper section of the route, from the Amphitheater up to the summit, still follows roughly the original route. The lower section is climbed over the Fassaner Band, past the glacier and the ice gully.
1869
Paul Grohmann, Franz Innerkofler, Peter Salcher
DREISCHUSTERSPITZE
Normal route (III)
On July 18, 1869, the same year as the first ascent of the Sassolungo, Paul Grohmann, along with guides Franz Innerkofler and Peter Salcher, succeeded in "conquering" the Dreischusterspitze, about a month earlier. The three-man rope party bivouacked for about an hour and a half above Sesto and then reached the summit in about five hours. A remarkable feat, as the route still follows its traces today, and one must put in a lot of effort to avoid taking more time than the pioneers did over 100 years ago.
1870
Johann Baptist Vinatzer
FURCHETTA
Normal route (III-)
The first ascent took place in 1870, when Johann Baptist Vinatzer, a hunter from Val Gardena, climbed solo to the summit of the Grosse Furchetta. Vinatzer later became a mountain guide. The official first ascent was not made until 10 years later by Johann Santner on September 3, 1880. Also notorious are the attempts to climb the Furchetta North Face, where the two top climbers of the time, Hans Dülfer and Luis Trenker, initially failed in 1914. It wasn't until 1925 that Emil Solleder and Fritz Wiesner made the first ascent of this face.
1870
Edward Whitwell, Christian Lauener and Santo Siorpaes
PIZ POPENA
South Ridge (IV)
On June 16, 1870, the Englishman Edward R. Whitewell, along with the Swiss Christian Lauener and the local mountain guide Santo Siorpaes, made the first ascent of this peak. At that time, the summit of Piz Popena was even considered the highest peak in the Cristallo massif. The ascent via the south ridge (Via Inglese) was completed on August 4 by the British S. Phillimore and AGS Raynor, with their three guides Antonio Dimai, Michael Innerkofler Jr., and Zaccaria Pompanin.
1870
Edward Whitwell, Christian Lauener and Santo Siorpaes
HOHE GAISL
Innerkofler (IV)
As early as 1865, Paul Grohmann, along with Angelo Pizzo and Fulgentio Dimai, narrowly missed the summit via the northwest route. Although technically the easiest route, it runs through a steep and brittle basin of clay and reddish rock and is no longer used today. On June 20, 1870, Whitewell, along with mountain guides Siorpaes and Laneuer, succeeded in reaching the main summit. Today, the route by Michl Innerkofler, which he opened in 1882 along the east face with J. von Schlögel Ehrenkreuz, is considered the standard route.
1870
Edward Whitwell, Christian Lauener and Santo Siorpaes
CIMON DELLA PALA
Normal route (III+)
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 ER Whitwell and FF 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.
1874
Johann Innerkofler, Michel Innerkofler
ZWÖLFERKOFEL
Normal route (IV)
The first ascent of the Zwölferkofel was achieved by local mountain guides Johann and Michel Innerkofler on September 28, 1874, through the so-called ice gully between the Mittlerer and Hoher Zwölfer. Today's normal route no longer follows their tracks. The ice gully has largely melted away and is mostly just an unpleasant scree slope. Today, the rock climbing to the left of the gully is done. This route has a UIAA grade of difficulty III, first ascended by Johann and Michel Innerkofler with J. Reichl and M. Simon on September 6, 1887.
1874
Johann Grill, G. Hofmann, N. Winhart
TRIBULAUN
Normal route (III)
The first ascent attempts by English mountaineers with the help of Swiss guides date back to 1869. These failed without exception, and so the Pflersch Tribulaun was declared unclimbable. However, on September 21, 1872, Heinrich Waltzenbauer and his guide G. Pittracher reached the eastern summit. Finally, in 1874, Johann Grill and Munich tourists G. Hofmann and N. Winhart successfully climbed the main summit from Gschnitz via what is now the normal route, with Grill and Hofmann climbing barefoot. One year later, the mountain was first climbed from Pflersch, thus opening up what remains the most popular climb today.
1874
Charles Comyns Tucker, TH Carson, Francois Devouassoud
ROSENGARTENSPITZE
Normal route (III+)
There are various records regarding the exact date of the first ascent of the Rosengartenspitze. Officially, it was on August 31, 1874, although other sources mention the year 1873. However, it is more certain that it was the Englishmen Tucker and Carson, together with their mountain guide Devouassoud. Their ascent took the normal route, still in use today, from the "Gartl" via the west flank and then via the north ridge to the summit. Alpine history was made two more times on the Rosengartenspitze: firstly, Antonio Dimai and Luigi Rizzi in 1896 with their route up the 600-meter-high east face, and secondly, the direct route by Paula Wiesinger together with Hans Steger in 1929, starting from the lowest point of the east face and following the direct fall line to the summit. Their route ("Steger") is now one of the greatest classics in the Dolomites.
1875
Beacheroff, Tucker, Della Santa, Devouassoud
SASS MAOR
Normal route (IV)
The English climbers H. A. Beachcroft and Charles Comyns Tucker, along with Giovanni Battista Della Santa and François Devouassoud, reached the summit on the 4th. The first to reach the summit of Sass Maor was on September 1875. The first ascent was made on the northwest side into the notch between Sass Maor and Cima della Madonna and led on the upper course on the south side of this imposing rock formation to the highest point. Even today, this route is the first ascent (at least in the IV. Difficulty level: the easiest "normal route" to one of the most impressive and significant peaks of the Pala Group and the entire Dolomites.
1879
Michel Innerkofler, Georg Ploner
WESTLICHE ZINNE
Normal route (III+)
Due to its lower altitude, the Western Zinne was considered a less desirable destination than its taller neighbor. Consequently, it wasn't until 10 years after the first ascent of the Grosse Zinne that the two mountaineers Luigi Orsolina and Gustav Gröger attempted it. In August 1879, they reached a rocky outcrop on the southern flank, which, in the fog, they mistakenly mistook for the summit. A few days later, on August 21 of the same year, Michel Innerkofler, a cousin of Franz Innerkofler, and Georg Ploner, an innkeeper in Schluderbach, reached the highest point and cleared up their misconception. Today, the Western Zinne is a truly classic Dolomites peak.
1879
Loránd Eötvös, Michel Innerkofler, F. Happacher
EINSERKOFEL
Normal route (III-)
There isn't much information about the first ascent of the Einserkofel. The only fact is that the two mountain guides Michael Innerkofler and Franz Happacher, along with Loránd Eötvös, climbed on the 26th. They reached the summit via the southern flank in July 1879. Their route is still considered the normal and easiest ascent to this adventurous and daring peak of the Sextner Sonnenuhr. However, daring routes have also been written in the history of mountaineering on the north face of the Einserkofel.
1881
Michel Innerkofler, Hans Innerkofler
KLEINE ZINNE
Normal route (IV)
The Kleine Zinne was long considered impregnable due to its steep walls. Initial attempts by Dima and Ißler in 1878, and by Siorpaes and Grünwald in 1881, via the north face failed. On July 25, 1881, the guides Michel and Hans Innerkofler were supposed to lead Josef von Schlögel Ehrenburg from Vienna to the Kleine Zinne, but they left him at the entrance and reached the summit via the southwest face. They needed only one and a half hours to climb this alpine classic. Today, guidebooks estimate a time of two to three hours. The ascent was considered the most difficult climb to date and was a milestone in the development of climbing.
1899
Otto Ampferer, Wilhelm Hammer, Karl Berger
FIRST SELLA TOWER
Normal route (III)
Although one might think that these towers, just a few of the countless peaks and pinnacles in the vast Sella massif, would hardly stand out, they are in fact the most striking and popular climbing destinations in the entire range. Superb rock quality, easy accessibility thanks to a short approach from the Sella Pass, a sunny location that allows climbing on these south faces even in winter, and the breathtaking setting are just some of the reasons why. Definitely a worthwhile destination for anyone visiting the Dolomites. The standard route up the first Sella Tower is often combined with the second. The difficulties are similarly moderate, the climbing sections are engaging, and the terrain is varied.
