Soldà NE Pillar

Overview

Baffelan NE Pillar - Route Soldà

A superb climb amongst the ancient reminiscences of the WWI

The Soldà NE Pillar on the majestic NE face of Baffelan, together with the Carlesso route on the same face, is an awesome classic route climbing a system of steep corners, cracks and chimneys and leading straightly to the magnificent summit of the peak. Due to the logic of the route, the quality of the rock and the beauty of the climbing, Soldà Route is a superb itinerary which cant’ be missed among the numberless routes situated in the prealpine group of Little Dolomites. 

This route was climbed by the great guide Gino Soldà from Recoaro with his pal Franco Bertoldi.

Getting There

Road access

Two different possibilities:

1 – From the SE side (Vicenza province)

Follow A4 Motorway, exit Montecchio Maggiore and take the road to Valdagno, Recoaro and Passo di Campogrosso (47 km. from Montecchio Maggiore); some hundred meters before getting to Campogrosso Pass follow the King’s Road on the right and park the car near the bar closing the road. The walking approach, if coming from SE by road, is faster than the next one.

2 – From the NW side (Trento province)

Follow A22 Autobrennero Motoway, exit Rovereto and take the SS46 rising inside Vallarsa; after the interesting Eremo di San Colombano, the road is rising across some small villages like Valmorbia, Anghebeni and Raoxi and at least is reaching Pian delle Fugazze m. 1162 (km. 27 from Rovereto). From the pass, situated on the border between Trento and Vicenza provinces, follow for a few meters the road towards Vicenza and sudden leave it, turning to right on the King’s Road (Strada del Re, an old road suitable for vehicles only for some kilometers) leading to Malga Cornetto; at the fork with the road to Pasubio Military Sanctuary carry on along the main road and park the car at a parking lot in front of Malga Cornetto.

Soldà NE Pillar

Soldà-Bertoldi NE Pillar

Soldà NE Pillar (UIAA Scale)

Summit altitude: m. 1793
Difficulty: D, UIAA IV, IV+ and V- (a short crux move)
Climbing length: 250 m.
Equipment: pegs along the pitches, equipped belays
Exposure: E
First ascent: Gino Soldà – Franco Bertoldi 1932, september 1th
Starting point: Campogrosso Col (Veneto side) or Malga Cornetto (Trentino side)

A magnificent classic route on steep “dolomia” leading to a superb and panoramic summit.

From Campogrosso Pass follow the King’s Road, skirting the East faces of the Sengio Alto, for few hundreds of meters and park the car near the bar which closes the road. After reaching Malga Baffelan follow the trail toward the E face (20 min.)

From Pian delle Fugazze - From the little pull-out near the bar which closes the King’s road, follow the road by walking; where the road is destroyed a steep trail crosses the old landslide and leads to the final section of the road. Follow it to a hairpin below the peak: a short trail starting from the hairpin leads below the East face (50 min). Climb the ramp-gully (I and II), leading towards a yellow steep face. Skirt it slanting to right along a ledge and reach the route’s first belay. Rope up.

L1 - Traverse towards right along easy rocks and grass reaching the ridge. Climb it and belay at a small terrace with one peg. II, III, 30 m., 1 peg
L2 - Climb the rounded edge slants to right and catch a cracks’ system cutting the ridge and leading to a wide terrace. IV+, IV, 30 m., 2 pegs.
L3 – From the terrace head to right to catch the obvious chimney-crack; climb it – an athletic move – and reach a ramp rising to another good stance. IV, III, 45 m., 3 pegs.
L4 – Climb the impending and magnificent steep crack on the right leading to a very exposed and little terrace overlooking the Boale of Baffelan. IV+, 20 m. 1 peg.
L5 – From the belay climb all the steep crack slanting from right to left, traverse slant to left on easy rocks leading to a steep slab cut by a crack. Climb it, then climb a steep wall leading to a stance on the left. IV, V-, 30 m., 7 pegs.

L6 - Climb slants to right for a few meters, then catch a thin rocky frame. Follow it towards a peg, then climb the impending and slanting corner to a little gully. Follow it reaching a scree terrace. III+, 40 m., 2 pegs
L7 - Climb the beautiful corner overlooking the stance, leading to an exposed belay on the left face of the corner. III+, IV, 20 m.
L8 - From the belay descent 1 meter along the corner and now climb its right face; enter the upper deep chimney and climb it. Exit it 1 meter before its end, traversing toward right and reaching a little wall. Climb it and reach the easy summit ridge and the summit cross. III+, III-, II, 40 m. 3 pegs

Descent: from the summit cross scramble down along the easy rocky gully (I, II, red marks and cairns) leading to the Baffelan notch and then to the Baffelan Col (Junction, signs). Head to right and enter the Boale of Baffelan. Follow the scree steep trail leading to the summit of a stones’ wall. An iron’s chain allows to descent the rocky step on the right of the wall (facing out). From the bottom of the wall follow toward right the trail leading to Malga Baffelan.

Essential Gear

Rope 2x50 m, helmet, quickdraws.

Red tape

No particulary restrictions in climbing and hiking.

When to climb

Best season goes from May to the end of October.

Where to stay

On CAMPOGROSSO:

- Rifugio Toni Giuriolo m. 1456 - Passo Campogrosso m. 1456, Recoaro (Vicenza) - Phone +39044575030
- Rifugio Alla Guardia - loc. La Guardia di Campogrosso, Recoaro (Vicenza) Phone +39044575257

On PIAN DELLE FUGAZZE:

- Alberghi Pian delle Fugazze m. 1163 s.l.m. - Passo Pian delle Fugazze, Vallarsa (Trento)
- Rifugio Balasso m. 983 - Valli del Pasubio (Vicenza)

Guidebooks and maps

Guidebooks

"Piccole Dolomiti e dintorni - Arrampicate scelte" by Guido Casarotto - An updated and complete selection of the best climbing routes in Little Dolomites, Ed. Cierre 2015
“Piccole Dolomiti – Pasubio” by Gianni Pieropan - Collana Guide dei Monti d’Italia, CAI TCI
“Arrampicate nelle Piccole Dolomiti” by Guido Casarotto

Maps

Pasubio-Carega 1:25.000

Meteo

Meteo Trentino
Dolomiti