UKC

I am off to the Dolomites in a few weeks.
Staying in Arabba.

Can anyone suggest some decent Multi Pitch routes (Near'ish Arabba) up to about 10 pitches with Cemented/Bolted belays.
Happy to climb on trad gear but ideally want something with fixed belays.

I have the Rockfax guide but doesn't always have information on belays.

Cheers,
Ben

In reply to Ben_Climber:
It may be different on the harder routes, but the stuff I've done in the IV-VI grades out there had lots of pegs but no bolts. Pegs were pretty variable, occasionally we'd back them up with trad gear at the belays and usually place a fair few pieces as pro on the pitches. "Trad lite" was the vibe overall. Where abseil descents are equipped, these tend to be excellent, using the large bolt with ring set-up common in other areas.

I can recommend the Vinatzer on 3rd Sella Tower, and the Messner* on the 2nd (if it's dry).

Fissure Dimai on the Cinque Torri is a good shorter route, and although it's well above your 10 pitch limit, the Steger on the Cima Catinaccio was brilliant.

* but only if you're feeling bold. Not hard, but pretty spicy

In reply to Ben_Climber:

I've always said this is a good into South Arête (IV+).

This is another one Via Demetz (VS 4c)

The problem, or at least one of them, I found was that the routes could be very runout between belays, which made you worried that you were off route until you found the next belay. Particularly if you had a tendency of going off route. But generally the belays were good once you found them.

In reply to Ben_Climber:

If you can reach the Cortina area have a look at The Alvera route on Col dei Bos and Via del Buco Direct (or maybe the more sustained M Speziale, tho' I haven't done it?) on The Piccola Lagazuoi. Both have short approaches and quick descents and are near Passo Falzarego so not too far from Arabba - I was staying there when I did 'em. An easier option in the same area is Via Comici on The Torre Piccola di Falzarego. The Jori Arete on Punta Fiames is a bit further away being N of Cortina but a brilliant route once past the easy start.

Going the other way from Arabba maybe the E Face of Punta Emma in the Cattinaccio group would fit the bill, or if heading for Sella Pass the Tissi and Rossi routes on Tower 1 might do. (I did 'em in the seventies but I bet by now they have bolted stances) or maybe the "Little Micheluzzi" on Piz Ciavazes near Pordoi Pass?

Have a great trip.

In reply to Ben_Climber:

Via Ibex (5) on picolo lagazuoi; Torre Falzarego, Guide & Dibona;

In reply to Ben_Climber:



Might I ask why? As has been mentioned above the anchors in situ on dolomites routes tends to be very variable; it's just good policy to be able to create your own with trad gear.

In reply to Andy Say:
Are you asking why he would only want to climb routes with bolted (not pegged) belays because you wonder why some people may want that from a safety perspective or why because the information will be hard to get and will limit route choice?

Personally I'm nearly always happy with trad belays and expect guide books to say if they are not of good quality , but I can understand when pushing your grade why some people prefer a bolted belay that (almost ?) can't fail to reduce the risk the lead climber has of falling, leading to serious injury for both parties.

In reply to CurlyStevo:

Perhaps Ben's preference for bolts at stances is to facilitate multi abseil retreats without it costing half a rack?

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Maybe that also. Although most the routes in the dollies I did it would have just been the cost of some 6mm cord at each pegged belay station, plus there does tend to be a lot of threads.

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Yes.


Does not compute. A bolted belay does not reduce the risk of a leader falling. Sure; a factor two fall on to a crap belay may well have bad results for the team but the idea that a bolted belay mitigates risk if 'pushing your grade' doesn't work for me.

In reply to Andy Say:
Trad belays vary, some of them have failed in the past killing both parties when the leader fell off. This is not always the fault of the person that constructed the belay. Sometimes rock that looks good breaks or perhaps there isn't a good belay to construct in the first place. Well bolted belays tend to be more reliable.

There is also user error to consider here. User error in constructing a belay can be catastrophic for both parties, user error in placing gear on a pitch less so.

If that is necessary or not is a matter of opinion

In reply to Martin Bennett:


But that also is strange. 'I want to do multi-pitch routes in the Dolomites but only with the option of a fully bolted 'bale-out' at every stance'.

Anyway Martin and Steve, this is all second guessing which I why I asked the question of the OP in the first place

In reply to Andy Say:
you haven't explained why you want to know, you obviously think it's a bit odd.

In reply to Andy Say:

I'm guessing just to speed things up?

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Yup. The Dolomites as a general rule is not known for bolted up sport multi-pitch routes. And the OP said that 'he' was happy to climb on trad gear. So I was interested. But I won't loose sleep over it

In reply to Andy Say:

Although if you close your eyes and pretend that all the pegs are bomber it feels like...

In reply to Andy Say:
OK yeah when I went to the dolomites I didn't see a real bolt on any of the routes we did. There were some sport climbs though.

I don't know how common bolted belays are, perhaps the OP will not find enough routes for a trip, however if he can that's his prerogative to decide if that's the style he is after climbing or not right.

Some other areas of the alps the bolted belays with some bolts on pitch style is much more common right enough.

In reply to Ben_Climber:

Most of the belays on any of the classic routes in the Dolomites are good. Low grade uber classics are generally cemented rings. Higher grade routes generally 3 equalised pegs. I'm certainly happy to abseil on them.

Lots of multi pitch sport routes around as well.

A few ideas of the hundreds of possibilities near Arabba:

Via Maria - Sass Pordoi - Cemented belay rings
Rossi / Little Micheluzzi / Schubert - Piz Ciavazes - Belay rings
Roberto - Piz Ciavazes - Multi pitch sport
Icterus / Delanda Carthago - 1st Sella tower - Multi pitch sport
Via Cinquantenario GAM - Sass Ciampac - Multi pitch sport

Have fun.

In reply to AdamCB:

Or you know you are "on route" (doesn't matter which one). I've done one that even had the gear placements marked.

In reply to James Rushforth:



But the odd one turns up in true Dollies style, even now. Did one last week out of the Classic Climbs book that, being low lying, low graded and easy of access, must be popular but was very short on pegs - only one stance had more than one peg belay. Right enough other options were there, but these days, as opposed to the seventies when I did most of my Dolomite climbing, I've found that, like other Euro climbing areas, bolted stances are proliferating, presumably to speed things up for the guides.

In reply to Martin Bennett:

I only climbed around sella around 2 years ago, did about 5 routes, but didn't see one cemented ring or bolt belay. Only did classics!

In reply to Andy Say:

Cheers for this information everyone!
I have a few reasons behind looking for some routes with bolted belays.
Firstly, as mentioned, its to speed things up a little. I have not done a great deal of big multi pitch climbing.

Secondly, there is 11 people coming on the trip. Some have done a bit of leading in the peak but are not 100% on setting up belays and this may seem even more daunting on a big multi pitch. An in-situ belay gives them the option to lead a few pitches rather than having to second everything.

Cheers,
Ben

In reply to James Rushforth:

Cheers for the information James!

In reply to CurlyStevo:


Very pleased to hear that, being a died-in-the-wool traditionalist, i.e. old fart!

In reply to Ben_Climber:
Ben,

Cheers for the reply; better to get your thinking from you direct!

Cinque Torre would give you the opportunity to start on shorter stuff and build up to long multi-pitch routes.

Obviously the sort of grade you are after will also affect the gear that is in it; in (very!) general the easier the route the less fixed gear. Can't remember the state of the gear but the S ridge of the Piccola Torre on the Torre di Falzarego gives eight delightful pitches at IV max. and could be combined with the Piccola Lagazuoi as mentioned above.

Though, to establish my old fart credentials, the twentieth anniversary of my ascent is next Tuesday. Memory is a funny thing


Andy

In reply to danm:


No kidding...