RODA DE VAEL - Via Rizzi, east-face

Rock climb opened by G. Rizzi, R. Finker, F. Pederiva, August 13rd 1947.

A rock climb still less known than it deserves, has been discovered by mountaineers in the past 15 years and has become a classic route.

It is one of the most beautiful climbs of medium difficulty on good rock, far better than the most famous "Red Wall" (West).

After the difficult shoot, the wall can be traversed at several points, but the path normally followed and equipped (often red on the stops) is shown;

Difficulty: D+ (4th with one 5th sustained shot, rarely less).

Times: to the start from the hut 30 minutes; climbs in hours 3.30-4.00; return to refuge in 45 minutes.

Material: if you intend to stay on the real route, the climb is well-equipped; useful (not essential) cams on the 5th stich; six quickdraws are enough, max 8.

Report: from the Roda di Vael hut (m 2283) go along the trail no. 541 heading to the Cigolade pass, until it reaches the vertical of the summit; you can avoid the last bad shot by going to the right.

How to escape the dihedral: if the difficult dihedral of the 3rd shot frightens a bit, it is advisable to move around it to the left, joining the "Schroffenegger" and getting to an homogeneous 4th degree route.

Descent: reach the summit through the meadows, follow the path of the via ferrata on the south side. You arrive at the large fork that separates from the S. Giuliana Croz, continue down the marked path to the east until you reach the Roda de Vael hut (1 hour). 

Alternatively, from the big fork, you continue to follow the ferrata that goes back to the base of the Torre Finestra and leads along a path to a crossing: one of the path leads to the Masarè via ferrata (right), the other head s down to the refuge by using a set of equipped canals.