In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:
> Comici-Dimai on Cima Grande
Fantastic route. Not to be missed, unique (in dolomitic terms at least) smooth curve of the face gives incredible view of all the other routes/parties and a massive "out there" feeling. Probably about E2/3 5c. Crux will probably be the first hard pitch because it'll be early and cold and it's got a short hard bit with small holds for hands and feet. The upper hard section is more sustained but perhaps easier and you are well warmed up by then. It can be busy, start early or risk being held up for hours. Route finding is very easy.
The descent is long and complex, especially in the dark and there are a few fairly dodgy downclimbing bits, especially in the wet. Read the topo closely though and don't rush it and you should find the way.
> Cassin Route on Cima Piccolissma
Climbed this in intermittant snow showers. Bitterly cold. E2 5c but the crux pitch has so many pitons it's really E1 5b with a 6a+ or so sport pitch. Top (not recommended) section was dripping with icicles when we were there, we followed the guidebook advice, swallowed the british ethics and finished with the leftwards traverse before the summit.
Descent is easy abseil.
> Yellow Edge on Cima Piccola
For no good reason I went the wrong way, make better use of the topo than I did though and you should be fine. Others I know think it was great.
> Messner Route on Sella Towers
straight forward but pretty bold. Thoroughly enjoyed this. I don't remember so much about the difficulty but I think maybe it was like E1 5a. I remember it being quite an open face but with careful topo use the route finding was ok.
Descent is easy and straightforward.
> Don Quixote on Marmolda S Face or Vinatzer with Messner Finish. Marmolds S Face. Anyone done both? Which is best?
Dunno about Don Quixote, not done it.
Tried the Vinatzer Messner. Vinatzer part is easy to follow but Messner is a route finding nightmare. We ended up abbing the whole face from about 50m from the top when totally off route and faced with a blank headwall. I've since spoken to at least two other people who (separately) had to bail because of route loss in the Messner finish.
I enjoyed the Gogna route, the final pitches in particular are in a pretty cool situation. It also has only one pitch at about E2 5c with loads of easier ground and we didn't have much trouble route finding.
Don't underestimate the Marmolada. Two out of two of my impromptu bivies have been on its South face. I find it's rock more technical and time consuming than the rest of the dolomites (massive generalisation!) and it has less easy-scramble interludes than many other dolomitic big faces.
> Steger route on Rosengartenspitze.
Did this many years ago. My abiding memory was of the crux pitch with so many pitons I couldn't clip them all! Great route, think the route finding was easy. I don't remember the descent, only that it is a long walk back round to the starting point vicinity. Think it was about HVS.
> Can anyone who has done suggest UK grades for them and maybe suggest a few more classics.
Pretty much everything in the "classic climbs in the dolomites" book is a classic I think. Literal grade translation shouldn't lead you into things you can't handle really as long as you remember to factor in how long some of the routes are. (If doing other routes, always remember that Heinz Mariacher is the biggest sandbagger in the entire universe!)
> As usual I've got a few geeky gear queries...
> What's the minimum amount of kit two relatively competent alpinists would need to descend down the Glacier off the back of the Marmolada. Just studded fell running shoes? Fell shoes and micro spikes?
Minimum kit: a one gram piece of paper with "50" written on it (from which you will get plenty of change).
When I did the Via Classica I walked to the hut and West down the via ferrata and back up over the pass to get back to the vicinity of the bottom of the routes. This is easy and obvious but long, what I don't know is how the summit ridge of the Marmolada is if you are walking it from further east (top of Messner or Quixote). If you could walk down this way, it saves the need for any extra glacier kit.
> There is a fair chance that we'll miss the last cable car down. Is there any shelter at the lift station? I presume it's a good idea to take a warm jacket in case of a night out?
I stumbled into the lift station in a grim way last summer after getting caught in a storm. I didn't stop to look at how one might break in but I would be astonished if you couldn't use your climbing skills and the maintenance ladders to get inside the station even if they lock the door (which they may or may not do). You should certainly be able to get into the big where the cable car comes, if not the center of the station.
> If the weather comes in it can get very, very wet very quickly. With this in mind I presume it is a good idea to a lightweight waterproof on most long routes?
NO! You will take a lightweight waterproof on ALL long routes!
I would consider the following indispensible on all long routes in the dolomites:
Waterproof, head torch (get a good one and make sure your batteries are well charged), water, energy food.
I habitually carry a down jacket which works ok with a waterproof so long as you are not still in the up part of the climbing day when the rain arrives. Without an extra insulating layer you get cold very quicky when the proverbial hits the fan.
> Do most folk use half ropes? Was considering taking a skinny single paired with a half so I can haul the bag on the harder pitches on the Comici? Or does this just sound like a total faff? Quicker and easier to second on a tight rope pulling on the odd runner?
I use two halves.
I recently tried a bag approach where the second hitches the (light) bag in 3 metres above them on one half rope. This way, the leader hauls it while belaying (in guide mode) but the second is still on two ropes. The second frees the bag from rock or gear placements periodically but does not have to bear its weight. It's far from ideal and bad on traverses but it's one option. Another is for the leader to trail a 4mm cord and put the pack on that to haul it... Every system has its ups and downs.
tbc...