🌏 中文版
Catinaccio (Rosengarten in German, "rose garden") is the dolomite massif between Val di Fassa and Val di Tires in South Tyrol. At its centre stand the Vajolet Towers, which UKC calls "one of the most famous rock formations in the Dolomites"; the opening scene of Cliffhanger was filmed here.
This post helps you decide what level the Vajolet classics need, which months to go, how to fit together the lifts and huts, and where to look for longer or harder routes. For seasons and regions across Italy, see the series overview; for a single-pitch sport fallback in the same valley, see Pian Schiavaneis.
What kind of crag is it
The towers. Local guide site Bergführer Dolomiten counts ten summits in the Vajolet group: six massive, little-climbed northern towers and four slender southern spires. The three big ones, Delago, Stabeler and Winkler, each carry routes from III to IV+, mostly 120–150 m long (about four pitches); the smaller Piaz Tower has two 60 m routes. Rifugio Re Alberto (2,621 m) sits at their foot.
Rock and history. Dolomite. Mountain Project says Georg Winkler free-soloed Torre Winkler up and down in 1887; CAI Lo Scarpone dates the Spigolo Piaz on Torre Delago to 8 August 1911, by Tita Piaz, F. Jori and I. Glaser.
The Catinaccio east face. South of the towers, the big wall above the Gardeccia meadows. SummitPost gives the 1929 Steger Direct as UIAA V+, 500 m of climbing plus 150 m of ridge, to a 2,981 m summit.
Size. This is alpine multi-pitch terrain, so there is no meaningful total route count. UKC lists 11 routes on the Vajolet Towers page and 12 on Cima Catinaccio (only the commonly logged classics); Planetmountain's Catinaccio route list adds modern routes on Punta Emma, Torre Est, Roda di Vael and other walls.
Who it suits. Climbers who can already build belays and abseil, and want their first classic Dolomite towers. Lo Scarpone calls the Vajolet routes "breve e spesso affollata" (short and often crowded), with cemented anchors at every belay; Bergführer Dolomiten says that on the Spigolo Piaz "on summer days every stance is occupied". For fewer people or harder lines, look at the Catinaccio east face or the north face of Punta Emma.
When to go
The huts and lifts set the season, roughly mid-June to late September (checked October 2026):
| Facility | 2026 dates | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rifugio Re Alberto | 17 June–3 October | Hut website; Rifugi del Catinaccio says 17 June–4 October, normally "from the second weekend of June until the first Sunday of October" |
| Rifugio Vajolet (2,243 m) | 5 June–5 October | Rifugi del Catinaccio |
| Rifugio Gardeccia (1,949 m) | 5 June–4 October | Rifugi del Catinaccio |
| Vigo–Ciampedie cable car | 30 May–4 October | Val di Fassa Lift |
| Vajolet 1, Vajolet 2 and Pian Pecei chairlifts (Pera) | 20 June–13 September | Same |
UKC lists the Vajolet Towers as south-facing. From mid-September the Pera chairlifts stop and only the Vigo cable car runs; after the first week of October the huts and lifts close.
Getting there
| Public transport | Driving | |
|---|---|---|
| To Vigo or Pera | Trentino Trasporti line 101 (Trento–Moena–Canazei), stops at Vigo and Pera | SS48 up Val di Fassa |
| Up the mountain | Vigo–Ciampedie cable car, or three chairlifts from Pera | Same; park at the lift stations |
| To the towers | Gardeccia → Rifugio Vajolet → Rifugio Re Alberto, about 3 hours | Same |
Public transport
The Val di Fassa tourist board lists line 101 Canazei–Moena–Cavalese–Trento as running all year, with stops in the valley including Pera, Pozza and Vigo; timetables are on the same page.
Lifts and the walk in
From Rifugio Re Alberto's access page:
- Pera di Fassa: ride the Vajolet 1, Vajolet 2 and Pian Pecei chairlifts, then follow the "path of the legends" to Gardeccia (45 minutes).
- Vigo di Fassa: ride the Catinaccio cable car (Vigo–Ciampedie), then path 540 to Gardeccia (45 minutes). The hut says the two are similar, but the cable car opens earlier, closes later and runs continuously.
- Gardeccia to the towers: gravel road 546 to Rifugio Vajolet (1 hour), then path 542 to Re Alberto (1 hour); the steeper sections have a fixed cable, and no via ferrata kit is needed.
In 2026 the Vigo–Ciampedie cable car ran continuously 8:00–18:30 in July and August, with a one-hour lunch break in June and from mid-September; the Pera chairlifts all stop at midday (Val di Fassa Lift). Plan to make the last lift down, or stay at Re Alberto.
Driving and parking
The road to Gardeccia is closed to private cars. vielunghe.com says the Mazzin–Muncion–Gardeccia road is "soggetta a restrittive limitazioni" and that there was no shuttle as of July 2025 (secondary: a climbing website; no original notice found), while the Rifugio Vajolet page still mentions a shuttle from Pera to Gardeccia. Ask the Val di Fassa tourist board whether a shuttle runs in the year you go.
Park at the lift stations. The Catinaccio Buffaure lift company lists the Vajolet 1, Catinaccio and other car parks, some paid; in July and August a free shuttle runs from the more distant car parks to the lifts.
Rules to know before you go
Nature park. The Associazione Rifugi del Trentino places Re Alberto inside the Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park (Parco Naturale dello Sciliar-Catinaccio). The sources checked show no climbing ban or registration requirement (October 2026).
Belays and gear. Lo Scarpone: the Spigolo Piaz has a few pegs on the harder moves and cemented anchors at every belay; descend with three abseils (60 m ropes, can be split) into the notch between Delago and Stabeler; bring slings and one medium cam. Bergführer Dolomiten notes that the original Winkler crack is V, harder than the usual variation.
Crowds and rockfall. The classics queue in high season and there may be parties above and below you on the descent; wear a helmet and don't linger under the abseil lines.
Rescue. Soccorso Alpino Trentino: call 112 and give the exact location, the activity, the number of people and their condition, the weather and the number you are calling from.
Routes by level
YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.
The Vajolet and Catinaccio classics are nearly all graded UIAA and sit in the trad table at the end. The four French-grade bands only include the modern routes on Planetmountain's list (mostly bolted belays, with natural gear mixed in between). The grade shown is the hardest pitch.
Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)
The sources list no French-graded routes. The IV to V classics on the Vajolet Towers (about 5.4–5.7) are in the trad table below, and they are what most people come for.
Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batteria Volante | 6c+/7a (6c obligatory) | 5.11c | 250 m | Punta Kafmann west face | Planetmountain: opened by Todesco and Torresani in 2025 |
Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)
The north face of Punta Emma rises above Rifugio Vajolet, opposite the Vajolet Towers.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giupponi-Larcher | 7b+ (7a obligatory) | 5.12c | 200 m, 6 pitches | Punta Emma north face | Planetmountain: Giupponi and Larcher, 2023 |
| Sto imparando a volare | 7c/7c+ (7b obligatory) | 5.12d | 230 m | Punta Emma north face | Planetmountain: 2024, parallel to and left of Giupponi-Larcher |
| Tokyo 2021 | 7c+ (IX+, 7a obligatory) | 5.13a | Not given | Torre Est | Planetmountain: the overhanging tower opposite Rifugio Vajolet; notes the rock needs care |
Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)
The sources list no French-graded routes. Zwergenkönig on Roda di Vael is UIAA IX on Planetmountain's list; see the table below.
Trad and multi-pitch (UIAA grades)
| Route | Original grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Wall | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal Route | IV- | 5.4 | Not given | Torre Stabeler | 57 logs on UKC |
| Spigolo Piaz (Delagokante) | IV+ | 5.5 | 156–160 m, 4–6 pitches | Torre Delago SW arête | 343 logs on UKC, the most here; theCrag: 160 m, 5 pitches, three stars; first climbed 1911 |
| Winkler Crack | IV+ (original crack V) | 5.5 | 169 m, 7 pitches | Torre Winkler | 76 logs on UKC; Bergführer Dolomiten |
| Fehrmann/Vinatzer | IV+ (direct start V) | 5.5 | 155 m + 10 m to the summit, 6 pitches | Torre Stabeler south face | 61 logs on UKC; Bergführer Dolomiten gives III–IV with one section of IV+ |
| South West Ridge | IV+ | 5.5 | About 60 m | Torre Piaz | 15 logs on UKC |
| Rossi | V+ | 5.7 | About 60 m | Torre Piaz SE face | 3 logs on UKC |
| Steger Direct | VI | 5.9 | Not given | Torre Winkler | 27 logs on UKC |
| Emmerich | VI (UKC also gives 5c) | 5.9 | Not given | Torre Stabeler | 6 logs on UKC |
| Steger Direct (Diretta Steger) | V+ | 5.7 | 500 m + 150 m ridge, 17 pitches | Catinaccio east face | SummitPost: Steger, Paula Wiesenger and others, 1929; Mountain Project gives VI and 19 pitches |
| Dos Cervezas | VII | 5.10c | 470 m | Torre Delago NE face | Planetmountain: Egger and others, 2019 |
| Zwergenkönig | IX | 5.12d | Not given | Roda di Vael | Planetmountain route list: the Riegler brothers, through a big roof |
Where to look things up
- UKC Logbook: Vajolet Towers: routes on each tower with log counts.
- Planetmountain: Catinaccio route list: topos and first-ascent details for modern routes.
- Bergführer Dolomiten: Vajolet Towers: lengths and pitch counts for the classics on the three big towers.
- Guidebooks: Grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority.
- The Dolomites: Rock Climbs and Via Ferrata (James Rushforth, Rockfax, 2nd edition 2019, English, ISBN 978-1-873341-97-1): the Catinaccio chapter covers Cima Catinaccio, Punta Emma, the Vajolet Towers and more. Rockfax lists it as out of stock, with a reprint due in autumn and a new edition in preparation; the full guide is on Rockfax Digital.
- IV Grado Dolomiti Occidentali vol. 1 (Emiliano Zorzi, Idea Montagna, 3rd edition, Italian, 400 pages, ISBN 978-88-85468-86-3): 86 classics around grade IV; the table of contents preview lists Catinaccio, Torre Delago and Torre Winkler.
- Rifugio Re Alberto, Rifugi del Catinaccio: the year's opening dates and bookings.
- Val di Fassa Lift: dates and hours for the Vigo and Pera lifts.
References
- UKC Logbook: Vajolet Towers
- Bergführer Dolomiten: Vajolet Towers
- Mountain Project: Vajolet Towers
- Mountain Project: Cima Catinaccio East Face (Steger Route)
- CAI Lo Scarpone: Torre Delago. Spigolo Piaz
- theCrag: Spigolo Piaz
- SummitPost: Catinaccio East Wall Steger Direct
- Planetmountain: Catinaccio route list
- Planetmountain: Batteria Volante
- Planetmountain: Giupponi-Larcher, Punta Emma
- Planetmountain: Sto imparando a volare
- Planetmountain: Tokyo 2021, Torre Est
- Planetmountain: Dos Cervezas, Torre Delago
- Rifugio Re Alberto website
- Rifugio Re Alberto: How to get there
- Rifugi del Catinaccio: Re Alberto
- Rifugi del Catinaccio: Rifugio Vajolet
- Rifugi del Catinaccio: Rifugio Gardeccia
- Associazione Rifugi del Trentino: Re Alberto 1°
- Val di Fassa Lift: summer lifts
- Catinaccio Buffaure: Informazioni
- vielunghe.com: Torri del Vajolet – Torre Delago – Spigolo Piaz
- Val di Fassa tourist board: Autobus Trentino Trasporti
- Soccorso Alpino Trentino: Prevention
- Rockfax: The Dolomites: Rock Climbs and Via Ferrata
- Idea Montagna: IV Grado Dolomiti Occidentali vol.1 (3rd ed.)
- Idea Montagna: IV Grado Dolomiti Occidentali 1 preview (PDF)