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Via delle Guide

5.6, Trad, 300 ft (91 m), 4 pitches,  Avg: 2.7 from 30 votes
FA: Pietro Dallamano, Renato Ghirardini. July 15, 1930.
International > Europe > Italy > Dolomites > Cinque Torri Group > Torre Grande W Summit

Description

This is the easiest of the multipitch classic routes in the Cinque Torri and is very Hollywood in that hikers and diners at Rif. Scoiattoli have a perfect view of climbers on the route. The climbing is never difficult, the rock is decent and the summit is nice, flat rock summit.

Pitch 1 (30m): Start up easy ground and head slightly right to clip a piton below the roof. Move more to the right of the roof to clip another piton and take the easiest-looking line through the small roof. Continue up and slightly right on easier ground and look for a big ring belay. We didn't find it but I found a nice horizontal crack for medium cams from which to belay.

Pitches 2 and 3 (58m): With a 60m rope these two pitches can be combined easily. Climb up and pretty well right of the small buttress and loose corner system on scrambling ground. The rock you climb on these pitches is solid but small rocks on the ledges should be treaded upon lightly to avoid knocking them down on the hikers below. I felt a bit nerve-wrecked on this pitch as I tried very hard to not knock anything down. The climbing, however, is easy. Clip the occasional piton to a big ring belay on a good ledge. Route-finding isn't very obvious but it's hard to find terrain harder than 5.6 so no worries.

Pitch 4 (20m): A short, easy pitch to the top where you may find a piton or two. Bolts just over the top of the summit serve for a fine belay anchor. The summit is a sloping but smooth rock summit that again offers great views of the surrounding mountains. Be sure to wave for the cameras of the hikers at the Rif. Scoiattoli.

Location

Hike downhill from the Rif. Scoiattoli for a few minutes and then hike up the short trail to the top of the grassy ridge that leads to the base of the route.

Protection

8 to 10 runners with some double-lengths for threads. A very light rack of small to medium camalots to supplement in-situ pitons. Belays are bolted with rings.

Descent

Three 25m rappels down the north side with a short hike back around the tower's west side to the base of the route. Bring your hiking shoes for the descent. Locate a big rap ring on a small ledge on the north side of the tower. Do NOT use the rings up on top of the summit as pulling your rope will likely result in a stuck rope. Rap down 25m to a good ledge and a big rap ring and crazy-looking rappel snake rod on climber's left.

A second 25m rappel gets you into the notch between Torre Grande West and Torre Grande North. Scramble down 20 feet to another big rap ring and do one more 25m rappel down to the ground.

Hike back around the tower's west side to the base of the route. A short 5 minute hike back up to the Rif. Scoiattoli for a beer is the classic finish that should not be missed. You might even get to dole out a few autographs to the patrons that watched you climb the route.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Little Joe "Pete" Miller watching his dad solo the Via delle Guide
[Hide Photo] Little Joe "Pete" Miller watching his dad solo the Via delle Guide
Route sketch with good illumination and shadow contrast.
[Hide Photo] Route sketch with good illumination and shadow contrast.
Matt starting the first pitch of Via delle Guide on Torre Grande Cima Ovest
[Hide Photo] Matt starting the first pitch of Via delle Guide on Torre Grande Cima Ovest
Pitch 4 of Via delle Guide.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 4 of Via delle Guide.
Start of the first pitch. The leader is approaching the exit through the roof on right. On weekends, expect to have several parties lined up waiting for their turn.
[Hide Photo] Start of the first pitch. The leader is approaching the exit through the roof on right. On weekends, expect to have several parties lined up waiting for their turn.
Kim & Vickie nearing the summit
[Hide Photo] Kim & Vickie nearing the summit
Can't beat the view from the summit
[Hide Photo] Can't beat the view from the summit
We did Via delle Guide in three pitches as drawn by the yellow line.
[Hide Photo] We did Via delle Guide in three pitches as drawn by the yellow line.
Climbers low on the route.
[Hide Photo] Climbers low on the route.
Climbers on pitch 3.
[Hide Photo] Climbers on pitch 3.
Typical belay anchor in the Cinque Torri.  This one on Via delle Guide.
[Hide Photo] Typical belay anchor in the Cinque Torri. This one on Via delle Guide.
Pitch 3 of Via delle Guide.
[Hide Photo] Pitch 3 of Via delle Guide.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Bruce Hildenbrand
Silicon Valley/Boulder
[Hide Comment] This route has seen so much traffic over the years that the crux roof on the first pitch is extremely polished. Not a very tough move, but expect it to be very slippery. Dec 20, 2012
Rodger Raubach
Billings, MT
  5.7
[Hide Comment] The "definitive" guidebook by Mauro Bernardi shows the route broken into 5 short leads. These are also the points at which to expect the big ring bolt anchors. Aug 9, 2013
Eriks Rozners
Binghamton, NY
  5.4 PG13
[Hide Comment] This route is super popular because of the spectacular location and easy access. The first pitch is nice and involves thoughtful traverse and interesting roof moves that felt like old school Gunks 5.4. After that climbing is super easy (5.2) but the rock quality is somewhat disappointing. I was in runout situations a few times because the loose rock offered little reliable protection. This was my first climb in Dolomites, so perhaps I was missing placements due to unfamiliar rock. Overall, it is a nice climb, but less enjoyable than Northwest Corner on Torre Barancio, which we did next. Aug 29, 2016
Rodger Raubach
Billings, MT
  5.7
[Hide Comment] As a downer comment re: this route; the initial roof move difficulty depends on the height and reach of the climber. Shorter climbers will find this tougher than tall climbers. The rock quality isn't that great when compared to the other towers and routes.
I actually found this climb to be somewhat unpleasant in comparison to others in the immediate area.
Could have been that, as this was the first climb back after a June myocardial infarction, it seemed more difficult than expected? Sep 3, 2017
Floyd Hayes
  5.6 PG13
[Hide Comment] Finding the third rappel is tricky. Several parties were scrambling all over searching for it until one climber came along and knew where it was. After the second rappel you arrive in a big notch. Scramble skiers left (not right!) downhill to where it looks like there are three options to scramble lower: (1) along the wall on the left; (2) blocks in the middle; and (3) along the far wall. Take the second option, downclimbing class 3 until you reach the edge of the cliff. The anchor is hidden behind a block and isn't visible until you reach the edge of the cliff. Oct 5, 2018
Ryan Nevius
Perchtoldsdorf, AT
  5.6 PG13
[Hide Comment] Good info from Floyd on the descent. Here's how it can go with a 70m rope, if you don't want to do any scrambling:

(1) Rappel from the big ring on the north side of the tower. Look left after ~20m and you'll see another obvious rap station consisting of a snake-like metal hook, rappel rings like you used on the summit, and a standard single-ring anchor.

2) Rappel into the gully and stay on rappel when your feet hit dirt. Continue walking/rappelling backward and aim for the middle of the gully/boulder field (don't stay against the tower on your right and don't aim for the tower on your left...just stay in the big boulders) and continue rappelling through 3rd/4th class terrain until you come to a standard rappel station at about 30m. This is hidden from view from above, so aim for the middle of the boulders/blocks in this notch.

3) One more rappel to the ground.

Like on many other climbs in this area, be prepared for old, single-ring glue-in anchors and rappel stations. Leave the cordelette at home for this one. Nov 8, 2020