Torre Trieste

Overview

Geographical classification: Eastern Alps > Dolomites > Civetta Group > Torre Trieste


 

Torre Trieste in spring

Torre Trieste 2458 m


Torre Trieste is quite a gigantic tower 700 meters drop, lying nearby the Rifugio Vazzoler in the Eastern Dolomites, Civetta Group. The Tower of Towers, so climbers call this superb summit rising up with a tremendous rush on the head of Val Corpassa, is just the kingdom of the sixth grade. Its fascinating outline is one of the best symbol of the Dolomites, and the tower is both powerful and slender at the same time.
Lying in the last Southern limit of Civetta South branch (Cantoni della Busazza) of Civetta Group, Torre Trieste is joined to Castello della Busazza by a short ridge arriving to the "Forcella Cozzi" (Napoleone Cozzi was the first climber of this summit in 1910).

Two deep gorges are the boundaries of the tower.

I think that nobody can feel at ease on this giant rocky structure (rising for 700 m over the screes). Just approaching it or simply giving a look you can understand that getting the summit will be a fight: it is, I think, one of the most difficult and challenging summit of the Dolomites (not only for technical difficulties). It's just the sixth grade's kingdom.

No easy route to gain the summit: first climbers arrived there descending from Castello della Busazza to Forcella Cozzi and then climbing the last section on dangerous and difficult rock.

The descent from Torre Trieste involves a long series of rappels.

Getting There

Road Approach

Starting from Belluno, follow the valle Agordina towards Agordo and Listolade.vIn Listolade a route on the right can bring you to Capanna Trieste, where you must start walking. Parking.

Walking approach

From Capanna Trieste a wide path leads in about 1,45 hour to Rifugio Mario Vazzoler , from where all climbs are better reached.

History

Raffaele Carlesso

Riccardo Cassin

***The first summiters of Torre Trieste were Napoleone Cozzi and Alberto Zanutti on july 16th 1910.

***Some of the best exponents of the Sixth Grade's Age, like Raffele Carlesso and Riccardo Cassin, climbed on "The Tower of Towers" in the Thirties, realizing some of the hardest routes of the Dolomites in their age.

***In the Seventies Jerzy Kukuczka with his Poland team measured himself with Torre Trieste opening a mixed route on the South face, Via dei Polacchi.

***In the last two decades the late generation of very strong climbers, like Gigi Dal Pozzo, Christoph Hainz, Mauro "Bubu" Bole, Roberto Mazzilis realized some incredible challenging new routes grading UIAA VII, VIII and even IX. In september 2003 Mauro "Bubu" Bole opened maybe the hardest route of Torre Trieste and dedicated it in memory of the great French climber and mountaineer Patrick Berhault.

Routes overview

Routes overview (UIAA Scale)

There are not easy routes getting to the summit. The Normal route climbs Busazza from Van delle Sasse; from here it needs to downclimb and rappel to Forcella Cozzi m. 2373, dividing Torre Trieste from Castello della Busazza, then climb up to the summit.

- Normal route from Van delle Sasse
Difficulty: III, IV, V
Length: 350 m. drop, 800 m. develope
First ascent: Napoleone Cozzi and Alberto Zanetti in 1910

The summit of Torre Trieste is reached via “Castello della Busazza ridge”. It’s the route of the first summiters, but it’s rarely repeated nowadays, being long and quite complex and involving not a simple climb: it’s necessary to get a notch on Castello della Busazza East ridge, rappelling to gain a ledge, traverse to Forcella Cozzi, dividing Torre Trieste from Castello della Busazza, climb the ridge connecting the two peaks, downclimb to another notch, then climb the difficult Cozzi chimney leading to the summit. There are two variants to the original route.
Another not extreme route along the West gorges, the route Castiglioni-Kahn, allows to reach the Forcella Cozzi. IV, V, 500 m. Rarely climbed today, because of not safe for rock quality and falling stones during storms.

The best classic extreme routes

On Carlesso-Sandri

A dizzy view of Torre Trieste from Moiazza

South-East edge - Via Cassin-Ratti ED, VI, VI+, a few short moves grading A0 and A1 (or VII and VIII-), 21 pitches, 600 m. A challenging climb of great class, perhaps the "best seller" here - 600 m drop from the lower ledge
here a fine page (in italian)
here a good page in French


South Wall - Via Carlesso-Sandri ED, VI, VI+, a few short moves grading A0 and A1 (or VII and VIII- in free climb). An oustanding classic extreme route, solving the problem of the South face - 750 m drop - 1100 m develope - 37 pitches
here a fine page (in italian) about the route (with a good photo)



West Edge - Via Tissi-Andrich-Rudatis TD, IV, V, V+, 20 pitches, 650 m. An interesting and serious climb, the easier of the classic routes (more difficult than Via delle Guide to Crozzon di Brenta)
Using the upper variant by Couzy-Schatz the routes become more direct and harder (V+, VI-, a single move grading VI)

Other classic routes

- South Wall - Via dei Polacchi VI, VI+, A1 and A2, 21 pitches, 700 m., Mixed route

- South Wall - Via Piussi-Redaelli VI, VI+, A1, A2, A3 (or VIII and VIII+), 21 pitches, 750 m., Mixed climb

- South Wall - Via Boga (Dell'Oro-Giudici-Longoni) V, VI, a single move grading A1, 700 m. Rarely climbed, put in the shade by the close Carlesso and Cassin, definitely more favourite

South Wall last Routes

- Donna Fugata explored by famous Italian climber Christoph Hainz with Swiss Roger Schaeli, finished after 8 days of work during summer on September 8th 2004.
UIAA VIII- and A2 (or XI+), 23 pitches, 700 m.

- Via Patrick Berhault explored by the famous "Bubu" Bole with Stefano Figliolia, Beppe Ballico, Aldo Michelini and Gianmario Meneghin on September 2003
UIAA VII, VIII, XI- and IX+, 20 pitches, 700 m.

- Via Strega realized by Roberto Mazzilis and Marialisa Maraldo on July 22nd and 23th 2001 with a bivy
UIAA VI, VII and VIII, 21 pitches, 700 m.
 

A traverse on Torre Trieste

Looking for the rappel's anchors

East Face

Other shortest but very hard routes on the East face

- Via Dal Pozzo-Fontana VII, VII+, a move grading IX, 12 pitches, 350 m.
- Zigaraga V+, VI, a move grading VI+, 350 m.
- Via Scarabelli-Giordano V, a move grading VI+, A1 and A2, 12 pitches, 350 m.
- Bel tempo e denaro VII+, VIII+ (or VII+ and A1), 10 pitches, 350 m.


Descent: coming down is 600 m drop, 900 m develope - requires 9-10 rappels - along the Western gorge/wall. Another descent is possible on the East face, by a series of dizzy rappels on the route Bel Tempo e Denaro. This option is advisable in early summer or late spring, when the classic descent is in snow.

Red Tape

No fees no permits required. The whole group is a mountain system included among the nine ones acknowledged as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. More info about Dolomiti Unesco World Heritage can be found here:

- on Summitpost in the article by Silvia Mazzani: Dolomites living mountains
- on the Unesco Official web-site: Unesco
- on the Fondazione Dolomiti Unesco web-site: Fondazione Dolomiti Unesco

Hut

Rifugio Mario Vazzoler
m. 1714 on Col Negro di Pelsa, C.A.I. Conegliano - 52 beds. The hut is lying in a charming situation. Open from 15-06 to 20-09 - email vazzoler@email.it - Phone +390437660008

Approach

- From Capanna Trieste m. 1135 (getting there from Listolade, on the road following Val Corpassa, cars allowed until Capanna Trieste) - 1,45 hour by walk

- From Listolade m. 680 - 3 hours walk

When To Climb

From June to October with good conditions of rock and, of course, of weather!
Sometimes it happens that a bivouac gets necessary...

Camping

No need, Rifugio Vazzoler can host you ...
But if you don't want to spend money you can carry a small tent and put it in the meadows along the path or nearby the hut.

Meteo

ARPAV Dolomiti Meteo
Dolomiti Meteo - Veneto
DOLOMITI METEO Phone +390436780007 fax +390436780008
CENTRO VALANGHE DI ARABBA Phone +390436755711 fax 043679319 e-mail cva@arpa.veneto.it

Guidebooks and maps

“Civetta” by Ivo Rabanser – Collana CAI-TCI Guide dei Monti d’Italia, June 2012