Croz dell'Altissimo

Croz dell'Altissimo

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 46.16940°N / 10.94150°E
Activities Activities: Hiking, Trad Climbing, Big Wall
Seasons Season: Summer, Fall
Additional Information Elevation: 7670 ft / 2338 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

The summit of Croz...The backside of the Croz. A bit lofty on top but otherwise easy.


Croz dell'Altissimo is a rather easy mountain within the Brenta Dolomites. It stands out high above Lago Molveno on the eastern ranges of the Brenta. Though you can reach the summit rather easily the crowds seem to stay awy from it. This might be due to the fact that hiking maps don't show the path to the summit.
What stands out about this mountain is not it's height or the lofty paths aound it but the sights and vistas that you have from up there. On a fine day you have perfect views towards the peaks of the centra Brenta, the Lago Molveno as well as the Dolomites proper. Moreover there is a near vertical drop of roughly 1000m towards its base which makes you wish you could fly.

Summit panorama

Dos di Dalum (2689m)Monte Daino (2685m)Cima di CedaOrientale (2757m)Occidentale (2767m)Croz del Rifugio (2615m)Cima Brenta Alta (2960m)Crozzon di Brenta (3135m)Campanile Basso (2883m)Campanile Alto (2936m)C. del Sfulmini (2910m)Torre di Brenta (3013m)Cima degli Armi (2951m)Castello Alto dei Massodi (2430m)Cima Molveno (2917m)Cima Mandron (3040m)Cima Brenta (3150m)Cima Sella (2946m)Rocca di Val Perse (2760m)Cima Roma (2837m)Cima della Vallazza (2810m)Campanili degli ArmiC. degli Armi Bassa (2749m)Castello (2528m)Naso dei Massodi (2647m)Spallone dei Massodi (2999m)Cima Baratieri / Punta Iolanda (2784m)Cima delle Val Perse (2811m)

Summit view Croz dell'Altissimo. Central Brenta seen across Val delle Seghe.  Hide / Show Annotations


2000m across, 1500m deep, the view into Val delle Seghe would be impressive enough. It is eclipsed, however, by the full view Brenta panorama as shown above.

Getting There

Take the Brenner Motorway A22 to the exit Mezzolombardo/San Michele all'Adige. Get on S43 through Mezzolombardo and after Rocchetta turn left onto S421 which leads through Andalao to Molveno. Molveno is pittorequely situated at the shore of the lake that carries the same name (868m). To get to the trailhead take the telecabina (a two person standup lift) to Rifugio La Montanara.

The first stage ends at the Rifugio Pradel from where you can take the long ascent route through the Valle delle Seghe and Passo dell Clamer. If you decided on the shorter but steeper ascent via Passo dei Camosci you should take the second stage of the lift which takes you up to the Rifugio la Montanara at 1525m of altitude (the area around the refuge is very crowded but 15 min on the trail will leave you alone).

The two ascent routes can be combined to form a neat circle. For the whole trip you must calculate 6 to 8h (depending on whether you can ignore the vistas or whether you have to stop at each viewpoint to take your photos).

Climbing the big wall

Gabriele Roth provided me with the following information on the climbing routes of the big wall of Croz dell'Altissimo (compare the routes with the routes on the pictures):

S wall of the shoulder
- Loss-Destefani - 650m - V,VI (200b)
- Laritti-Giogno-Rainis - 650m - IV,VI, A2 (200ba)

SW pillar of the shoulder
- Stenico - 650m - V (200c)

SW diedre
- Armani-Fedrizzi (the finest) - 650m - V+,VI (200d)

South wall
- Oppio-Colnaghi-Guidi - 650m - V+,A2 (200e)

W wall
- Dibona-Mayer-Rizzi - 800m - IV+,V+ (200f)

S wall variants (joins to Dibona 300-400m under the summit)
- variant Fedrizzi - 400m - V+ (200fa)
- variant Steger - 350m - V+ (200fb)
- variant Detassis - 450m - IV,V+ (200fc)

SSW wall to NW summit
- Pilati-Chini - 800m - V+,A2 (200g)
- Detassis-Giordani (looks like Solleder to Civetta) - 820m - V+ (200h)

SW wall
- Pianta-Mazzoleni - 850m - IV,V (200i)


Red Tape

There are no limitations. You have to remember, though, that Croz dell'Altissimo is situated in the Parco Adamallo Brenta and thus you should behave as required within any natural park. Camping is allowed only in the vicinity of the refuges but you should ask the proprietors first.

When To Climb

You can climb Croz dell'Altissimo all year round the best season should be May through October though. Both hiking routes are open for tour skiing in winter.

Accommodation

  • Camping
    There is a campground in Molveno near the lake.

  • Hotel rooms and Apartments
    You can chose among a variety of accomodations (hotels/rooms/B&B) in Molveno.

  • Tourist office:
    Azienda di Promozione Turistica
    Piazza Marconi, 1
    38018 - MOLVENO (TN)
    Tel: 0461 586924

  • Web Site Molveno:
    www.molveno.it

  • Refuges:
    At the base of Croz dell'Altissimo you find the Rifugio Croz dell'Altissimo:
    Altitude 1430m
    Beds 19
    Tel.: 0368 989242
    Open: 01 July – 30 September

    Weather Conditions

    Weather and avalanche conditions in Trentino: www.meteotrentino.it

    Maps 'n' Books

    Maps
    An excellent map is:
    • Gruppo di Brenta
      Kompass Map WK 688
      1:25000
      Kompass Verlag
      ISBN: 3-85491-770-8
    • Brentagruppe
      Alpenvereinskarte No. 51
      1:25000

    Books
    • Hiking
      Brentagruppe (German)
      Kompass Hiking Guide 957
      Dr. G. Wagner
      Kompass Verlag
      ISBN: 3-85491-410-5
    • Vie Ferrate
      Klettersteige Dolomiten / Via Ferrata Dolomites
      W. Höfler
      Rother Verlag
      ISBN:
      3-7633-3096-8 (German)
      3-7633-4815-8 (English)
    • Climbing
      Dolomiti di Brenta (Italian)
      Gino Buscaini
      CAI-TCI


    External Links



  • Children

    Children

    Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children.