Dolomites Alpine
Rock Climbing
Cortina, Italy
July-September
From $500/day
We hear ourselves telling people all the time that the Dolomites are the friendliest mountains on Earth, but it’s true: Breathtaking vistas, dry rock, endless mountains, wildflowers, cappuccinos and streudel, and no crampons or ice axes in sight.
If you can imagine a sunny, green and lush alpine wonderland with fantastically shaped rock towers, deep valleys and picturesque views all around, that’s the Dolomites.
And make no mistake - the climbing is stellar.
Whereas the climbs of Chamonix and Zermatt are often serious, glaciated endeavors requiring early starts, snow and ice, the Dolomites instead offer a world-class climbing experience that’s focused a little less on suffering and more on unadulterated fun. Most Dolomite climbs are pure rock routes, but with an inarguably alpine feel. With light packs, sneakers and rock shoes, we can concentrate on the freedom of moving on stone. And Dolomite climbing is nothing if not exciting - big holds and big roofs characterize many of the classics, but the diversity of styles encountered is incredible. From ridges to faces and slabs, from casual to severe, and from one pitch to forty, the Dolomites have it all.
Outside of the climbing, the Dolomites are also are truly unique. Spanning the border of Italy and Austria, the Dolomites are a vast range rich with Tyrolian heritage, mountain culture and history, and home to some of most gorgeous huts, towns and villages in the Alps.
Getting There and Around
We like to base our trips out of Cortina d’Ampezzo, which makes a perfect hub for exploring the heart of the Dolomites. Getting to Cortina is easy too, as it’s only a few hours by car from the airport in Venice. Often we’ll pick our guests up and drop them back off, and sometimes they can rent a car if they’re keen to do some exploring on their own.
A picturesque Italian ski town, Cortina is located just below the most famous pass of the Alto Adige region, the Passo Falzarego. With a range of accommodations and fantastic bakeries and restaurants from pizzerias to wine bars and Michelin-starred fine dining, Cortina also provides easy access to many of the area’s most classic routes. Our morning drives are usually a half an hour or less, and approaches generally range from ten to twenty minutes on the shorter end, and an hour to an hour and a half for the long ones.
From Cortina we also have the opportunity to drive a little farther to some of the area’s other climbing hot-spots like the Passo Sella, Cinque Torri and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Often we’ll chose to stay in one of many gorgeous alpine refuges for a night or two along the way, sleeping right underneath the next day’s climb. Calling them huts doesn’t do these places justice though - many of our favorites like the Rifugio Scoiattoli are more like alpine hotels than simple cabins, complete with showers, private rooms, comfy beds and delicious food.
Most of our guests come for a week and wish they could stay forever. Of all the places we guide, this is one everyone, including us, wants to come back to again and again. Come join us and we promise you’ll love it just as much as we do.
