Piccolo Dain

Overview

Piccolo Dain 967 m

Piccolo Dain, also called Monte Garzole, is a stunning peak originating from Piani di Ranzo and overlooking with its vertical walls the superb Lake of Toblino, the River Sarca gorges and the village of Sarche, from where it assumes the shape of a slender pillar. The sunny and attractive South and South-East walls have a great historic value and dominate Sarche; the wild and suggestive West Face is a stand-alone wall named Parete del Limarò, overlooking the deep Gorge of Limarò like a gigantic open book. Piccolo Dain is undoubtedly one the finest summits of the whole Sarca Valley, a wonderful kingdom, made of steep limestone walls and beautiful hard rock climbs, both classic and modern. This climbing paradise is also named Valle della Luce or Light’s Valley, an evocative name due to the pleasant climatic location of the valley, highly propitious for climbing, hiking and biking all round year.

The peaceful Lake of Toblino and its castles surrounding Piccolo Dain add a surplus of beauty to this limestone tower and create a poetic and bucolic place. The great alpinist Bruno Detassis, one of the outstanding climbers of the Dolomites in the Sixth Grade Age, noticed this stunning peak in the year 1938 and climbed it along a great and challenging route, still today very rarely climbed, running on the great corner cutting the superb main wall in two sectors: the left wall, facing South and the right wall, facing South-East.

Getting There

The starting point to climb Piccolo Dain is the village of Sarche, located just below the peak, at the crossing of the Sarca Valley road (S 240) with the road 45/bis toward Tione.

Road access

- From A22 Brennero Motorway - coming from South (Verona) - exit “Rovereto Sud – Lago di Garda Nord” and follow the road 240 towards Riva del Garda, Nago and Arco, reaching Arco. Once getting to Arco first roundabout, turn to right following the road towards Dro and Trento, entering Sarca Valley. Cross the little nice village of Dro and carry on along the main road, reching Pietramurata and Le Sarche. (41 km. from Rovereto Sud exit).

- From A22 Brennero Motorway - coming from North (Brennero or Bolzano) - exit “Trento Centro” and follow the road 45 bis towards Riva del Garda and Tione, reaching Vezzano and Sarche (22 km. from Trento exit).

Approach

From Sarche take the path leading to the "Ferrata R. Pisetta" and enter the wood; leave the path and take on the left a steep track (red marks) reaching the fork to Ranzo. Take the path to Ranzo and after an iron chains equipped section reach the South wall.

History

Bruno Detassis

The first route on Piccolo Dain was the "Canna d'Organo", realized by the great Alpine Guide Bruno Detassis in the year 1938. After this climb, on this stunning peak had been written some of the best pages of Sarca Valley climb, since 1970, the year of the first ascent of one of the most classic and beautiful routes of the valley, the "Direttissima Loss". Afterwards, high level climbers alternated each others, realizing many other very hard modern routes with difficulties up to 8a (5.13).

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

Piccolo Dain routes overview

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

All the routes of Piccolo Dain

South Wall, from left to right:

1- Le strane voglie di Amelie 5b, 5c 250 m. - A. Zanetti and D. Filippi 2005 - Modern route, bolts
2- Mister Magoo 7c (7a obbl.), 120 m. –G. Canale and A. Mazzotti 2008 - Modern route, bolts
3- John Coffey 7b+ (7a obbl) 140 m – E. Salvaterra and F. Cavallaro 2001 – Modern route, bolts
4- Dudaev 7c (7b obbl) , 180 m – D. Bonvecchio, D. Hall and R. Pedrotti 1995 – Modern route, bolts

Luce del primo mattino, Piccolo Dain

Luce del Primo Mattino (First Morning Light)

5- Scirocco 7a, 7c (7b obbl.), 200 m – R. Larcher and friends 1988 – Modern route, bolts
6- Valerio Fontana V+, A2 (or VIII), 180 m – A. Ursella, A. Andreotti, M. Rossi, T. Pedrotti 1970 – Trad route
7- Direttissima Loss VI+, A1, 250 m. – B. Loss, V. Degasperi, M. Pilati, V. Chini 1970 – Trad route
8- La Rosa dei Venti 7c+ (7b+ obbl.) 250 m – R. Larcher, M. Cagol, E. Svab 1998 - Modern route, bolts
9- Ultima Fiamma 7c+, 8a (7b obbl.), 300 m – G. Vergoni, T. Buccella and R. Larcher 2007 – Modern route, bolts
10- Senza chiedere permesso VI+, A1, 300 m – E. Boldrin, G. Damian, M. Peretto 1996 – Trad route
11- Luce del primo mattino VII, A2 400 m – A. Andreotti and M. Furlani 1991 – Trad route

12- Bepi Mazzotti A1, A2, VI, 400 m. – U. Marampon, L. Zulian 1985 – Trad route
13- Le Vrai Plaisir 8a+ (7c obbl.), 400 m. – G. Canale, A. Mazzotti, F. Cavallaro 2011 – Modern route

14- Superdirettissima Mauro Rostagno A1, A2, 500 m. – D. Filippi 2009
15- Canna d’Organo V+, VI, A0, 350 m. – B. Detassis, R. Costazza 1938 – Trad route

South-East Wall, from left to right:

16- Elia VI+, A2, 400 m. - F. Milani, D. Lunel, U. Helfer 2008 - Trad route
17- Vecioti e Zovenoti VI+, A1, A2, 450 m. - M. Furlani, I. Rabanser, A. Andreotti, F. Bretoni 1993 - Trad route
18- Freccia nel cielo VI+, A0, A1, 450 m - I. Rabanser, S. Comploi, P. Mazzotti, M. Scarpellini 1992 - Trad route
19- Pilastro Massud 6a, 6c (6a obbl), 200 m - R. Galvagni, D. Filippi 2003 - Modern route

Admiring the wall from the descent path

Breathtaking view from Amelie

Along the right edge of South East wall runs the Via Ferrata “R. Pisetta”, an exposed and athletic via ferrata, getting to the summit of the peak.

Descent from Piccolo Dain - Descent carefully to the left between vegetation and rocky steps until you find a clear track that runs down the West side. Some sections are very exposed and equipped with fixed ropes. Reach the main path which returns to Sarche.

Other climbing sectors

Limarò Wall and Centrale Wall are two other important climbing sectors with several routes, located close to Piccolo Dain. Avancorpo Wall is another smaller sector, located below Piccolo Dain main wall. 

The Limarò Wall takes its name from the gorge, a deep cleft carved by the Sarca River. Along the large and spectacular dihedral cutting the wall runs with great logic the spectacular and historic Diedro Maestri. On both the sides of this corner are located vertiginous walls on which we find various trad and sport climbing routes, all very severe.

Red Tape

There are no restrictions in climbing, hiking, biking and other open air sport activities in Sarca Valley. No fees and no permits required.

Where to stay

This area is a primary touristic destination, offering several hotels, agriturismo, bed and breakfast, renting rooms and apartments in Sarche and Pietramurata, the closest villages, and in the others centers as Arco, Dro and Ceniga. Campings in Arco and Pietramurata.

Climate and nature and when to climb

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

Meteo

METEO TRENTINO

DOLOMITI METEO - TRENTINO

Guidebooks and maps

- Guidebooks

“Pareti del Sarca” by Diego Filippi – Edizioni Versante Sud "Arco Pareti" by Diego Filippi - Edizioni Versante Sud 2013

- Maps

“Valle del Sarca” – Map 1.25.000 - Edizioni Meridiani Montagne

External links

Useful informations here: DRO TOURISM

GARDA TRENTINO INFORMATIONS