PRINT: Rock Climb North West Arete - Kasnapoff, Dolomites

North West Arete - Kasnapoff

5.8, Trad, Alpine, 820 ft (248 m), 9 pitches, Grade III,

Avg: 3.3 from 22 votes
FA: Anton Zelger, Frau Baronin von Kasnapoff. 1913
International > Europe > Italy > Dolomites > Sella Group > Passo Sella Area > Second Sella Tower

Description

Good, fun route on steep face and corner climbing.

Pitch 1 - Climb up and to the right to reach a small niche above a crack. (40m)

Pitch 2 - Start up face and continue up through a corner/chimney. Then move to the right to gain a small ledge. (50m)

Pitch 3 - Climb up the loose-looking, black chimney to gain a ramp. Follow the slightly chossy ramp up and slightly left. (45m)

Pitch 4 - Follow the chimney up to below some yellow overhangs. Move right under the overhangs to just left of the arete. (35m)

Pitch 5 - Move around to the right side of the arete and face climb up to a large ledge. (25m)

Pitch 6 - From the ledge, climb up the crack then move back to the left side of the arete and continue up a groove and crack to below a small overhang. (50m)

Pitch 7 - Move right under the overhang and back to the right side of the arete to a ledge. Continue up the crack and groove to a stance on the shoulder of the arete. (50m)

Pitch 8 - Continue up easy face just to the left of some cracks to get to a notch with some blocks. (45m)

Pitch 9 - Face climb up easy terrain to the top of the formation. (50m)

Descent - Follow a climbers trail east into the gully leading south between Second Sella Tower and Piz Ciavazes. Follow the gully to the base of the face and Sella Pass.

Location

The route ascends the north-west arete of the Second Sella Tower.

Protection

There are a number of pins in place. A rack of nuts and some slings are also useful.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Looking up the first pitch

My buddy Philip following up the 5th pitch. I linked the 4th and 5th for a full 60m length pitch (was my favorite of the whole route!)

Near the top

Unknown climbers on the Kasnakoff route on the Second Sella Tower. Taken from high on Vinatzer of Third Sella (Aug. 2008).

Route Topo.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

RKM
Alpine, Utah and Almo, ID

5.8

The Kasnakoff is a great shorter day climb with an easy approach. Better and longer than the Messner North Face and with the exception of Messner's first pitch, about the same in difficulty. Stay close to the arete and make sure to move around to the right-west side at the right place. Upper pitches are fantastic. Mar 21, 2011

Rodger Raubach
Billings, MT

5.8

This was a pretty popular route, even in 1964 when I climbed it. Nov 27, 2011

Emmett Lyman
Stoneham, MA (Boston burbs)

Easy to accidentally go too high on Pitch 4, avoiding the crux V+ pitch altogether (you actually cut a pitch - getting to the Pitch 5 belay at the end of Pitch 4). Still, pitches 6 and 7 are fantastic. Great climb and well worth it, but try to hit it on a warm day as it follows the left (north) side of the arete most of the way.

Per RKM's comment - make sure you hit up the super exposed dihedral on the right to start pitch 7 - spectacular! Sep 28, 2015

Rodger Raubach
Billings, MT

5.8

There seems to be some issue regarding the correct name of the Route: Kasnapoff OR Kasnakoff? The current guidebooks produced by Mauro Bernardi of Wolkenstein/Selva Gardena have it as KASNAPOFF! The Guideook publishe back in the 1990s by Koehler and Memmel have it as KASNAKOFF. Common use in the local area should prevail, which is Kasnapoff. When I climbed the route in 1964, even then it was Kasnapoff.

Either way you spell it or pronounce it--this is a steep and spectacular climb. One of the most worthwhile I've done in the Dolomites. Feb 10, 2017

Cherie Yoon

It was fun and casual day with great weather (luckily). It took us about 4 hours to climb even with some waiting.
Amazing view at the summit. Easy approach, easy descent - 1 rap and easy scramble down.

Btw, this is very popular route. But there are some variations in higher pitches, so we were able to pass a couple of parties ahead. (We asked politely if it's okay to pass). While we were enjoying out sandwich at 2pm at the summit, there was a train of parties arriving and leaving the summit. Although there were so many people on the route that day, people were chill and friendly. Belay spots were comfortable, and we are not on top of each other. :-) Jul 19, 2024

Chris Michalowski
Granby, CO

Incredible route and summit. We didn't have anyone to follow and so the route finding was often tedious, mostly because some sections are blank faces and the gear is not obvious. Maybe it's a half day climb if you know the route or it's way below your limit but I'd plan on a full day if you're a 5.8 alpine climber like we are. We ended up bypassing the crux pitch by staying in the dirty gully/ramp a little bit longer and then climbing out right to a thread at the base of a crack/flake. This pitch was great and had good gear. It puts you on the large ledge where it's easy to regroup and get back on route. The next few pitches from the large ledge are exhilarating. Aug 9, 2024