Southwest Face (Alvera)

The first two pitches are pretty forgettable, but the last five pitches, off the big ledge, are worth the approach. The crux is probably the fourth pitch, Alvera Traverse. Don't forget to sign the register can in the hole at the end of the pitch.

P1, 30m, 5.6: Climb the chimney/crack past some fixed gear to a piton/thread belay on a ledge out right.

P2, 30m, 5.6: Climb up and left on easy terrain towards a block/tower. Climb this feature past a piton to an anchor on its top. This puts you on the big ledge which bisects the face.

P3, 25m, 5.5: Traverse left along the ledge to a crack. Climb the crack to an anchor.

P4, 15m, 5.6: Traverse right on a fun and airy traverse(Alvera Traverse) with fixed gear to a ring belay in an alcove.

P5, 32m, 5.6: Leave the alcove on the right past a piton, then climb left and up on steep rock with good holds but limited gear to a thread belay on a ledge.

P6, 30m, 5.6: Climb up the gully/chimney up and left on good rock, then back right on poor rock to a belay on a ledge.

P7, 30m, 5.5: Climb up and left. Belay by the summit cross.

The last two pitches are pretty loose in places. Try not to knock anything down on the climbers below.

There are three options to get to Rifugio Avereau.  Probably the easiest is to take the chairlift which is found on the south side of the Passo Giau about 2km from the top of the pass.  The next easiest is to come up from the north from either the Rifugio Cinque Torre or the Rifugio Scolattoli.  Undoubtedly, the most difficult approach is from the top of the Passo Giau.

To access the route, take trail 442 from Rifugio Averau around the left side of the peak. After about 100m you'll come across a faint climbers trail that leads up towards the peak. This trail leads to a broken chimney/gully. Climb this 4th class gully for about 25m to reach another trail that meanders through the grassy scree to the main wall and the beginning of the first pitch. Total time for the approach from Rifugio Averau is about 10-15 minutes.

For the descent, head north toward the east edge of the formation and find a Via Ferrata which leads down through the cliff band to the bottom of the formation.