Torre Quarta Alta

Overview

Torre Quarta Alta 2240 m

Cinque Torri group in the Cortina Dolomites is a small and fine area of towers and spires - seeming to be five, but truly more than five - located between Nuvolau-Averau mountains to the South and Tofana di Rozes to the North. The area offers several sport climbs as well as many classic multipitch routes, getting to the airy summits of the spires.

Torre Quarta Alta forms together with Torre Quarta Bassa, situated very close, and Torre Inglese a small group of spires rising to the North of Torre Grande, the most imposing structure of the Cinque Torri Group, and in front of the Lusy - Barancio - Romana tryad. They are an ideal ground for the first steps in multipitch climbing in the Dolomites and offer, besides some classic routes, also various sport routes.

Getting There

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

- From Bolzano: take the Brennero Highway, exit to 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 to Longarone and Pieve di Cadore; in Pieve turn to left, getting to Cortina d’Ampezzo, and here take the road SS48 to Passo Falzarego as for the previous point.

The starting point of the three different possible approachs to Cinque Torri is the road Cortina – Falzarego.

Approachs to Cinque Torri

Three possibilities:

- by the Cinque Torri chair lift near to Rifugio Scoiattoli m 2255; the chair-lift station is situated along the main Falzarego road near the Rif. Bàin de Dònes 1889 m, about 3 km before (east) of Passo Falzarego if coming from Cortina d'Ampezzo.

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

- by car to Rifugio Cinque Torri m. 2137; coming from Cortina d'Ampezzo take the road Cortina - Passo Falzarego, pass the locality of Pocol and after about 2 km turn to left on the road to Rifugio Scoiattoli

Normal Route

Torre Quarta Alta Normal Route

Difficulty: IV (UIAA scale)
Length: 95 m
Pitches: 4
Exposure: SE

An excellent little classic climb sharing the first two pitches with Via Normale of Torre Quarta Bassa. The routes can also be easily combined, completing Via Normale Quarta Bassa, then descending directly to join the Via Normale Quarta Alta.

Approach - Torre Romana, as well as the other spires of Cinque Torri group, can be reached either from Rifugio Scoiattoli and Rifugio Cinque Torri.

- From Rifugio Scoiattoli head towards the towers and leftwards follow a path leading to the base of Torre Quarta Alta and Torre Quarta Bassa (10 min.).

- From Rifugio Cinque Torri follow the good path starting and climbing up, then ignore the branch rising towards Torre Grande and take on the right the horizontal path getting briefly below Torre Quarta Alta and Torre Quarta Bassa.

Route description

The first two pitches are common with the Normal Route of Torre Quarta Bassa.

Pitch 1 - Two possibilities for the first pitch, joining at the first belay. Climb just to the left of the SE ridge by following a bolted line until you reach a small pillar (IV and IV+), then move 8 meters to the left until you find an equipped belay, 25 m. The original route follow instead a sloping slab on the right of the SE ridge, III+, 20 m., a most difficult variant, IV+, starting on the left of the SE ridge climbs up a nice grey wall (bolts). Equipped belay under a triangular roof.

Pitch 2 - From the belay move vertically slightly to the left where the difficulties are smaller up to another equipped belay, III, 25

Pitch 3 - While the Normal Route of Quarta Bassa climbs up directly, our route descends a little from the belay to keep the wall of the Quarta Alta nearby a chimney formed by the two spires. After the first meters in the chimney the route climbs a nice steep slab, then a ramp to an equipped belay, IV-, 20 m

Pitch 4 - From the belay up directly on the steep wall, then up a short chimney to the last belay situated 1 meter below the summit.

Two possibilities for the descent:

- from the last belay three abseils (20m + 20m +18 m) along the same route entering the hole between the Torre Quarta Alta and the Torre Quarta Bassa.

- traverse the flat summit in the N direction and enter a short chimney, downclimb easily a few meters until you find an anchor from which a 50 meters abseil leads to the base of the N side of the spire

Red Tape

No fees no permits needed to climb or hike. Be aware that during the summer months the road to Rifugio Scoiattoli is subject to regulation (usually it's open to private cars only before 9 a.m. and after 16 p.m.

When to Climb

Best months are June, July, August, September, October

Huts an other accomodation

- Rifugio Scoiattoli

- Rifugio Cinque Torri

There are many other possibilities of accomodation near Giau and Falzarego cols, in Cortina and surrounding: hotel, b&b, apartments, huts, camping

Bibliography

“Arrampicare a Cortina d’Ampezzo e dintorni – Le vie più belle nelle Dolomiti” by Mauro Bernardi Ed. Athesia
“Dolomiti Orientali Vol. I – Parte I” by Antonio Berti - Collana Guide dei Monti d’Italia, CAI TCI

"Dolomiti Ampezzane" - TABACCO N. 03 1:25000

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