Cima alle Coste : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

Cima alle Coste

A sun ray lights up The Shield

Cima alle Coste - also called Gran Diedro di Dro (Dro Great Corner) – is a mighty 700 meters high wall situated in the middle mountain’s area named Sarca Valley, a world famous climbing area and truly an earthly paradise both for trad and sportive climbing, due to limestone’s quality and climate’s mildness. This mountain shows a peculiar shape, looking like a huge corner well shaped by two tremendous faces: South face, steep and very high, and East face, sloping and more accessible, named “Lo Scudo” (The Shield). Below East Ridge is situated a 300 meter high pillar named Guglia Solidarnosch.
Cima alle Coste has three different sectors:

- CENTRAL WALL
- LO SCUDO (THE SHIELD)
- SOUTH FACE
- GUGLIA SOLIDARNOSCH

While rock’s quality on South Face may be sometimes no good, “The Shield” shows an extra quality limestone; for this reason, together with scenery’s amenities, several classic and sportive climbing routes had been realized on these beautiful grey and compact slabs in last years and they’re very frequently climbed.

Getting there

The best starting point is the little town of Dro, 6 km. from Arco di Trento.

Road access

From A22 Brennero Motorway exit “Rovereto Sud – Lago di Garda Nord” follow the road 240 towards Riva del Garda, Nago and Arco. Once getting to Arco first round-about turn to right following
the road entering Sarca Valley towards
Dro and Trento. Once getting to Dro continue on the main for about 3 km., reaching on your left-hand side a narrow road towards Lago Bagattoli. Turn to left following this road and reaching at once a parking area near the small lake (28 km. from Rovereto Sud exit).

A pines' wood below Cima alle Coste

Walking access

From Lago Bagattoli a forestal track towards left enters the pine’s little wood. Once getting the first fork, follow the path on the left, then rise along a steep trail on the right leading towards the wall and reaching a wide and characteristic rocky slope. Scramble on along a ledge crossing these slabs and leading to the base of the wall (0,45 minutes from Lago Bagattoli).

Cima alle Coste - Nuvole Bianche (White Clouds)

The Shield - Lo Scudo Nuvole Bianche

Cima alle Coste Climbing Martini-Tranquillini Route

Central Wall, Martini-Tranquillini classic route: a challenging crack under the great roof

Routes overview

Cima alle Coste and Scudo routes: A Oasi di Pace B Martini-Tranquillini 1 Ummagumma 2 Nuvole Bianche 3 Transeamus 4 Mariposa Libre 5 Zilinder Weg

Cima alle Coste Central Wall routes: A Oasi di pace B Sole nascente C Destinazione Paradiso D La luna e i falò E Martini-Tranquillini F Via della Rinascita G Sodoma e Gomorrah Z Clessidre S Steinkotter

CENTRAL WALL routes overview from left to right

- Oasi di pace (Oasis of Peace) VII, A1, 650 m. – Trad route
- Specchio di Osiride (The Mirror of Osiride) VII, A1, 600 m. – Trad route
- Sole Nascente (Sunrise) VI+, A1, 600 m. – Pegs
- Destinazione Paradiso (Heaven Destination) VII, A1, 600 m. Mixed equipment (bolts and pegs)
- La Luna e i Falò (The Moon and the Bonfires) VII, A1, 750 m. Mixed equipment (bolts and pegs)
- Martini-Tranquillini Route V+, VI, 500 m. – Trad route
- Clessidra V+, VI+, 500 mt. – Trad route

LO SCUDO (THE SHIELD) routes overview from left to right

- Mas que Nada 6b, 300 m. - Bolts
- Profondo Bush 6b, 6c, 300 m. – Bolts
- Passeggiata di Pasqua (Easter Day’s Walk) IV+, V+, 300 m. – Trad route
- Dino Sottovia V+, 300 m. – Trad route
- Ummagumma 7a (6a), 280 m. – Bolts
- Direttissima VI+, VII, 300 m. – Trad route
- Nuvole Bianche (White Clouds) 6c (5c obbl.), 300 m. – Bolts
- Transeamus 6a, 6b, 280 m. – Bolts
- Sesto Grado 6a (5c obbl.) , 300 m. – Bolts
- Mariposa Libre (Free Butterfly) 6a, 280 m. - Bolts
- Zilinder Weg V+, VI, 280 m. – Trad route
- Via della Mezza Luna (Half-Moon) VI+, A1, 250 m. – Trad route

SOUTH FACE routes overview from left to right

- Steinkotter – Holzer - Messner V+, VI, 700 m. – Trad route
- Via della Rinascita (Revival Route) VI+, VII, 650 m. – Trad route
- Sodoma e Gomorrah VI+, VII, 650 – Trad route

GUGLIA SOLIDARNOSCH

- Via dei Tipografi (Typographers’ Route) IV, V+, 300 mt. – Trad route
- Marina IV, V+, 250 m. – Trad route

Descent from Central and South faces: cross the summit wood heading towards West and reaching a flat path. Follow it towards South, then follow towards SW a forestal road for about 600 meters leading to a fork on a hill. Descent left reaching the path n. 425 towards Dro leading to the bottom of Sarca valley.

Descent from The Shield: abseiling the routes

History

Cima alle Coste, Martini-Tranquillini central corner

Central Wall, Martini-Tranquillini Route

The Shield - Nuvole Bianche

The wall’s first ascent was realized by Heinz Steinkotter, Heini Holzer and Reinhold Messner in 1966, climbing an explorative 700 meter high route having an enormous historic worth, but today rarely climbed.

The Shield - Mariposa Libre

Grades and Scales

According to Italian climbing areas habit, trad routes grades are expressed in UIAA Scale, while modern ones are in French Scale

Red Tape

There are no restrictions in climbing and hiking.

Climate and nature

Due to the Garda Lake’s propitious influence and the area’s limited altitude, the climate is very mild and it’s possible to climb in all seasons. Nature is magnificent, showing a pleasant marriage of Mediterranean flora and alpine one.

When to climb

All year round.

Lo Scudo - Mariposa Libre

Where to stay

This area is a primary touristic destination, offering several hotels, agriturismo and bed and breakfast, renting rooms and apartments in Arco, Dro, Pietramurata and Ceniga.
Campings in Arco and Pietramurata.