Torre Latina

Overview

 Geographical classification: Eastern Alps > Dolomites > Cinque Torri Group > Torre Latina 

The Cinque Torri ( Five Towers) area is a fine group of small towers - seeming to be only five when seen from the Ampezzo basin, but actually more than five - belonging to the Averau-Nuvolau group and located between the Croda da Lago group to the East and the impressive South face of the Tofana di Rozes to the West. The area offers a multitude of easy sport climbs as well as many classic multipitch trad routes, getting to the airy summits of the towers, from 40 to 170 meters of length.  Torre Latina 2280 m,  also named Torre Terza, is a destination attainable with low difficulty. The standard route,  probably the easiest route in the Cinque Torri group,  is short but pleasant and it's situated on the SE side of the tower.

Getting there

The closest town is Cortina d’Ampezzo. Two different road approachs are possible depending if you're coming from Bolzano and Trento or Belluno.

Road access

- From Trento and Bolzano: take the Brennero Highway, exit Bressanone and take the Val Pusteria, getting Brunico and Dobbiaco; here turn to right to Val di Landro, reaching Carbonin and then Cortina d’Ampezzo. In Cortina take the road SS48 to Passo Falzarego.

- From Belluno: follow the road SS 51 towards North, pass Longarone and reach Pieve di Cadore;  here turn to left  to Borca, San Vito di Cadore and Cortina d’Ampezzo. From Cortina follow the road SS48 to Passo Falzarego as for the previous point.

Approaching

Three possibilities ( the starting point of the three different approachs to Cinque Torri is the road Cortina – Falzarego) :

- by the Cinque Torri chair lift to Rifugio Scoiattoli 2255 m.  The chair-lift station is situated along the main Falzarego road 3 km East of Passo Falzarego 

- by foot to Rifugio Scoiattoli m. 2255 along the path rising from the chair-lift station

- by car to Rifugio Cinque Torri 2137 m. This narrow paved road starts in Cianzopè, on the Passo Falzarego road at the km 112,200 and leads in a small parking lot near the refuge

From Rifugio Scoiattoli Torre Latina is clearly visible, on the left of Torre Grande. Take the trail leading towards Torre Grande Cima Ovest. Before you come too close to the towers, turn on your left and go down on a trail crossing the meadows toward Torre Latina. In about 10 minutes from Rifugio Scoiattoli you reach the start of the route (the start is at about the middle of the east face, where the grass goes a bit higher.)

From Rifugio Cinque Torri follow the good path starting here and climb up, then ignore the branch rising towards Torre Grande and take on the right the horizontal path getting briefly below Torre Lusy, Quarta Alta and Quarta Bassa. Pass a cave below Torre Quarta Alta, then briefly to the left to Torre Latina.

Camino Ovest

Camino Ovest (West Face)

L1 : 30 m, IV UIAA
L2 : 28 m, IV+ UIAA

The route follows a natural line, exploiting two couloirs/chimneys. The difficulties are medium, with possibility of a nice variant more demanding in the exit of the route (IV+/V- UIAA). The rock is good in the pitch 2, but quite bad in the middle part of pitch 1. The lenght is about 70m.

L1: climb up a vertical couloir/chimney until you reach a peg, then go up, turning a little on your left; now, climb up in a dihedral/chimney on yellow rock (attention, quite bad rock!), then exit on a wide ledge covered in gravel, where you can belay on a rock (25m, IV on bad rock). 

L2: enter in a clearly visible chimney on the left; follow the chimney (1 peg on the left after about 10/15m), until you are near to the exit on the summit: from here you can climb a vertical slab (5/10m, IV+/V-) or follow the chimney until you reach the summit (35m, IV+ - IV obligatory -, 1 piton, possibility to protect with medium nuts and friends, belay on rock).

Normal route on East face

L1: 40 m, II+ UIAA
L2: 30 m, II+ UIAA 

The Normal route to summit Torre Latina is an easy climb on good rock, suitable for beginners and useful for learning to position some mobile protection. 

The starting point is 3 meters to the left of a notch located below the ridge thar separates the North face from the East face.

L1: a few meters to the left of the notch up the wall with funny climb and stop on one of the two existing belays as you will, II+, 40 m
L2: to the right a very easy 1st grade climbing leads to the summit. Instead it is advisable to go to the left and climb a very pleasant wall of II/ II+ which leads to the summit

Descent

Head to North to reach an anchor for the first rappel. From here descend with a 20 meters rappel to the intermediate belay, from here with a second rappel of 20 meters reach the base of the tower. The anchor on the right (south west) on a mugo pine with cords.

Essential Gear

Helmet and a small climbing rack (a few nuts, medium sized friends, cords, slings)

Red Tape

No particulary restrictions in climbing and hiking. Be aware that cars on the road to Rifugio Cinque Torri are not allowed between 9 a.m. to 16 p.m. during the summer months.

When to climb

Best season to climb: from May to October.

Accomodation

 - Rifugio Scoiattoli 2255 m

- Rifugio Cinque Torri 2125 m

Meteo

Weather condition:

Dolomiti Meteo (a cura del Dipartimento per la Sicurezza del Territorio Centro Valanghe di Arabba)

Guidebooks and maps

“Dolomiti. Arrampicare a Cortina e dintorni”, M. Bernardi Athesia, 2005 “Cortina d’Ampezzo e Dolomiti ampezzane”, Tabacco, foglio 03.