Excursions and via Ferrata
The Tofane Group gloriously rises above the Ampezzo Valley and offers a vast variety of itineraries both to hikers and climbers alike.
The heart of it are the three soaring limestone towers: Tofana di Dentro (aka Tofana Terza – 3238 mt), Tofana di Rozes (3225 mt) and Tofana di Mezzo (3244 mt).
Most of this area in anclosed within the boundaries of the National Park named “Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d’Ampezzo”. The Alta Via n.1 route crosses the Tofana, connecting Refuge Lagazuoi to Refuge Giussani and Refuge Pomedes as well as Refuge Nuvolau.
You will find hereafter a brief description of the most famous trails and climbs.
Excursions and Crosswalks
To Falzarego Pass
Through Sotecordes and Ospedaletti Torri del Falzarego.
Rating difficulty: very easy.
Descend towards Refuge Dibona to encounter the base of an aerial rope-way suppling the Giussani, where the path n.412 starts. Keep going up the shingled trail cresting the base of Col dei Bos until you reach the bottom of the Falzarego Towers. Here the WWI Hospitals ruins are visible (the Italian War Line). From here there is a conspicuous path that leads to Falzarego Pass.
Time: 3 h 30 min ca.
To Refuge Lagazuoi through the Col dei Bos col.
Difficulty: easy.
Descend towards Refuge Dibona to meet with path n. 404 that rounds the imposing Tofana di Rozes South Face until Col dei Bos Fork. Hence follow paths n. 402 and 401.
Time: 4 h ca.
To Peace Bivouac
Difficulty: medium.
From Giussani going north trough trail n. 403, down crossing the Majariè allows to reach Malga (Hut) Travenanzes. Not too far starts trail n.17, a very steep hike up to the Peace Bivouac. Time: 5 h ca.
To Refuge Ra Valles across the Bus de Tofana.
Difficulty: medium.
A long a well marked – but NOT numbered – path. Time: 3 h ca.
To Fiames along the Cengia Paolina (Paolina Ledge) and Valon de ra Ola.
Difficulty: for experts.
Amazing mixed hike along ledges and ridges of the Val Travenanzes and Tofana di Dentro versant.
A magnificent route in a highly evocative landscape; linking the majority of the Austrian/Italian War Lines all the way to Masarjè and the Orti di Tofana.
From Refuge Giussani, circle the ridge of Punta Giovannina until the Sabelli Ledge and then follow the ledge rounding the “Nemesis”.
The ledge here is 700 mt high above the Val Travenanzes and although it is gut-wrenchingly exposed it is easily traveled. It keeps going down some screes to reach the foot of the almost-melted Potofana Glacier. Descending along another ledge you can finally reach the Orte de Tofana. Along the way are visible the remains of some Austrian war barracks. From here onward one can walk to Val Travenanzes leisurely or alternatively descend along the steep and rather long Canalon de Ra Ola (Ra Ola Couloir) and finally arrive at Fiames. Time: 8 h ca.
The Tofana di Rozes circuit and the Minighel ladder
Difficulty: medium.
It is a beautiful outing, I believe, not too long but requiring a good level of fitness all the same. It is a circuit route which starts from Rifugio Dibona which you can get to by car. Read the full description on GuideDolomiti website. Time: 5 h ca.
Ascensions
Tofana di Rozes: Alpinistic trail of medium difficulty. From Rifugio Giussani follow the well outlined trail highlighted by blue postmarks. Time 2 h 30 min ca.
Tofana di Mezzo: Alpinistic trail of medium difficulty. It starts from the gully that leads to Forcella Vallon (red postmarks highlighting). Time 3 h ca.
Tofana di Dentro: Alpinistic trail of medium difficulty. Same itinerary as per Tofana di Mezzo till the Jaze de Tofana and then take the via-ferrata that bridges the two Tofana Towers. Time 3 h ca.
Via ferrata
Tofana di Rozes
Ferrata Lipella. Difficulty: medium.
Grotta di Tofana. Difficulty: medium.
Tofana di Mezzo
Via ferrata Maria e Andrea Ferrari – Ra Bujela. Difficulty: medium.
Via ferrata Ra Pegna. Difficulty: easy.
Sentiero ferrato Olivieri. Difficulty: easy.
Ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri. Difficulty: difficult.
Ferrata Gianni Aglio. Difficulty: difficult.
Tofana Terza
Ferrata Formenton. Difficulty: medium.
Sentiero Astaldi
Difficulty: easy.
Go down towards the Dibona refuge, until you meet on the road the signs for the Astaldi ferrato path. About 1h 30 min. to the Duca d’Aosta refuge. Read here the description of the Astaldi path.
Scala del Minighel
Difficulty: medium, but very expose.
The Minighel ladder, Ra Šàra del Minighèl Ladin, is a truly unusual ferrata both in its history and the special way it was made which marks it out from all the ferratas which I have climbed in many years of mountain walks and climbs. Read more here.
Cima Fanis Sud
Ferrata Tomaselli. Difficulty: very difficult.
Col dei Bos
Ferrata degli Alpini. Difficulty: medium.
Rock climbing
The Tofane especially The Tofana di Rozes are renouned and highly appreciatede by climbers all around the world. Along its massif face many routes have been opened, routes that contributed to write the history of Alpinism on the Dolomites. We will relate a brief summary of the most famous and outstanding ones.
All around the area there are many more and a detailed information can be found in specialized bibliography.
Recommended climbs on Tofana di Rozes
First Ridge – via A. Alverà e U. Pompanin.
Pillar – via E. Costantini e R. Apollonio.
Pillar – via “Sognando l’aurora” di M. Da Pozzo e Marcello Menardi.
Second Ridge – via E. Costantini e L. Ghedina.
Second Ridge – via “Spigolo Sam” di M. Da Pozzo, N. Alexander e S. Majoni
Third Ridge – via A. Alverà e U.Pompanin.
South Face (via “classica”) – via A. Dimai, A. Verzi, G. Siorpaes e R. Eotvos.
West Face – via “Quel calcare nell’anima” di M. Sterni, M. Kraus, M. Giuffrida e S. Bonin.
