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best base for Dolomites, mostly sport climbing , July?

Original Post
Sergey Shelukhin · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 14

We are going to the Dolomites in July for a 2-week trip and were wondering about the best town to base of off. We are going to rent an apartment and a car, so camping and transit are not a concern. We are driving from Munchen.
We are mostly interested in moderate bolted climbing, esp. multi-pitch, as well as hiking/maybe VF. We may go on a trad route with a guide, but that won't be an every-day occasion.
Should we stay in Cortina or is there a better place? Any places where climbers hang out? :)

pierref · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 0

you're right with Cortina, it's a nice small city. There are other possibilities west of Cortina, (san cassiano, corvara). The climbing routes you are looking for are mainly around Falzarego pass

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, UT · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 22,419

Cortina is a bigger city in the Dolomites...the climbers hang mostly at the huts (Cinque Terre especially, etc etc etc) and dispersed in the various bars and restaurants in the smaller towns.

dolomitiwebcam.com/webcam-c…

We stayed in Cortina and Canazei. Both great locations for climbing.

The VF on the Tofana di Rozes is fantastic. The "Lipella".

I'd take a look at Corvara too.

Lots of options!

Fun day trip is to see Ozti (the frozen mummy dude) in Bolzano. As well, its a fun town to hang out in.

Messner has mountain museums nearby as well.

kenr · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 16,608

. . (leaving aside the question of, "Why connect Sport climbing with the Dolomites?")

Something to be prepared for in a trip to the Dolomites is ...
Rain (or snow).

Cortina is a nice base when it's dry, but after seeing how it works when it's not, Sharon and I have switched to being based on the NorthWest side of the Dolomites.
because:

  • easy access to newer mountain Sport crags on the NW side (e.g. Freia) - (get the new guidebooks).
  • more and better single-pitch Sport crags down at low altitude in the valley that are sometimes dry when the high-mountain crags are wet.
  • way better indoor climbing gyms down in the valley in Bozen and Brixen.
  • things are set up for demanding German visitors who want better-organized facilities (for climbing as well as other things).
  • Sharon likes the chance to practice speaking German (the main language of the NW Dolomites).

also ...
  • much quicker access to the truly famous Sport climbing south toward Arco (on cool days).
  • quicker access to some great valley via ferrata routes down toward Arco.
  • closer to MUC Munich airport (both driving and train service).
  • closer to fast interstate highways that go to a wider range of potentially dry-er regions (in case we want to "retreat" from the rain for several days).
e.g. Como / Ticino / Lecco area, or
sometimes it's dry on the north side of the high Austria/Italy border mountains, with a quick drive over the Brenner Pass.

Ken
Bruce Hildenbrand · · Silicon Valley/Boulder · Joined Apr 2003 · Points: 4,446

There is some sport climbing at the base of the Cima Grande at the Cinque Torre. There is also a guidebook "Arrampicate in Dolomiti" that is focused more on the sport climbs.

Be sure to visit the new Messner Mountain Museum at the Plan de Corones.

Nick Votto · · CO, CT, IT · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 320

This place is great: campingvidor.it/en/

Cortina can be expensive, be sure to stop in Verona, one of the most beautiful cities there is.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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