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Crag & Route Beta

Area	Location	Sub Location	Crag	Links
International	(General)	(General)	(General)

Topic Date User

Dolomites 30-Jul-2010 At 8:23:21 PM ianneilsen

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The dolomites is an amazing place. You wont want to leave.

Stay in Corvara in Badia or La Villa or San Cassiano, its cheaper, easier to get to the climbing and has some of the best walls east and west of it and has shoppping centers as opposed to tourist markets. (the markets are expensive) La Villa has loads of accomodation and is cheap, about 20 euro a night which includes breakfast. Most places include a good breakfast as part of your stay.

Definetly get a Y-lanyard for the days off climbing to do the via-ferratta. Do the Tofana di Rozes, guaranteed you will shit yourself. Definitely get a y-lanyard to get off the climbs by coming down the ferrata's. You will need one. Dont use your rope on a ferrata to lower off you will get dirty looks and hold people up. Expect to be hussled on climbs if your moving too slow. Most dont wait and will push past. Get used to sharing belays alot..!!!

Best places to climb - near rifugio lagazuoi - park at top of hill near old war museum, then take your pick. 40 to 90m sport climbs on right side of road looking down hill, 300 to 600m walls to left. Great climbs to the left, which are sport and trad. Walk back down tracks or climb to top and have lunch at Rugio Lagazuoi
Corvara - Take you pick. Surrounded by Piz Da Lech, Sassongher and others. Climbing shop at top of main street in Corvara, has all the books and info you will need.
Pian De Gralba - amazing big big walls. Quite a bit of sport also.

Learn Italian, they will love you for it , if only to ask for dinner or a beer. Most all speak english or german. Big mix. I found most spoke Italian and knew German.

Take a rain coat or softshell. It is still cold in the mountains, even during a hot sunny day. Storms blow in pretty quick, but also blow out pretty quick. You are pretty high up to start with, so treat it as apline not the Gramps.

Gear, long rope, lots of slings, and nuts of various types. Many many chicken heads, good weaknesses on major climbs. Cams yes, but you will always be extending the sling. Grades are average compared to australia, but are long. Not many climbs under 30m. Rock looks shitty, but is bomber. Its is secreted dolomite, basically coral cemented. Polished holds on popular areas, but friction is awesome.

Talk to the locals, they are always happy to help and particularly like Australians. If you are a pom or german then forget it.

Have fun, its a great place for big climbing or via-ferrata or long long walks into the alpine fields.