UKC

Any recommendations for climbers campsite in the dolomites ? 

Ideally cheap, near lots of climbing and a sociable atmosphere? 

Thanks 

You'll be lucky!! There are very limited camping options, & nothing cheap. The Dolomite region is the wealthiest and most expensive in Italy, & they want to keep it that way  - no cheapskate camping climbers required!! Camping Colfosco just outside Corvara has been my favourite, but cheap it is not. Cheapest way was hiring a van & sleeping in it. Great location with excellent climbing & via ferrata

When I was there a few years ago people were bivvying/camping discretely on some of the passes in the woods. We found it to be one of the most expensive places we went on a 6 month trip of Europe, camping especially so.

I camped in Colfosco about 7 years ago and it was free! That it was snowing like mad (Whitsun) and completely empty meant they couldn't be bothered to open the office.

Yeah I went to Colfosco too about 8 years ago, also found it expensive. Don't remember there being much of a climbing vibe on the campsite though. Loads of good climbing not too far away and very nice views.

We were there at the end of the season so it wasn't too busy,

Stayed at Olympic Camping, just outside Cortina, many years ago and that was great, but I can't remember anything about prices.

I do remember most of the other people staying there were Dutch and in HUGE campervans.

There isn't really a "climbers campsite". The  climbing is spread across a vast area so people tend to move around a bit. Campsites in the Dolomites tend to be built for campers, I.e. Hard and stoney, often with very little shade. Like others have said, discretely pitching your tent in the woods can work. For example many do this at the base of civazes by Pian Schiavenais. This gives you easy access to Civazes and the sella pass which has masses of climbing with easy access. There is a restaurant and a hotel up there too if you want easy food or a beer. But like others have said, campers are a really nice way to do it so you can just park up near your next objective...

Not been there climbing only VF and cycling but we always stay at Camping Rocchetta just outside Cortina, always found it OK, cant remember the prices but it has some nice grass pitches for tents.

The most expensive campsites I've ever stayed on anywhere are in the Dolomites. One was £36 (pounds not Euros) for the two of us per night and that was seven years ago, so will be more now.

Being Italy however you can 'wild' camp within plain sight of roads and nobody will care.

Er yeah apart from the Carabineri who carry great big guns. Maybe don't do it RIGHT next to the road... 

I've not camped there, but have stayed in an AirBNB nearby, but this place in Misurina (just up from Cortina) looked vaguely reasonable when I walked past it a few times and doesn't seem too expensive.  Not a climber's campsite specifically, though, and closed until June next year so depends when you're going.

https://campingallabaitamisurina.com/en/prices/

Its not unusual to see a camper van or tent in every layby on the way up to the Sella Pass because there aren't enough campsites in Canazei.

Though personally I'd be a bit more discreet.

Campervans are a bit different - I know its illogical but tents seem to be for dirtbags in Italy. Whenever I've pitched up off piste, I've always made sure I can't be seen from the road. Italians love a bit of bureaucracy, especially the uniformed ones... seeing as it's illegal and all you don't have much recourse to argue...

We also camped at Colfosco outside Corvara, in 2014. Yes it was expensive but it was well run and the shower/washing up block was amazing, as were the views.

Mike; is that campsite at Malga Ciapela still there, along the lane behind the cablecar station where the path to the Falier Hut and Passo Ombretta starts? Stayed there briefly in 2003. Nice setting and the people couldn't have been more helpful; I recall barely getting the word "Wettervorbericht" out before the lady had cranked up the computer and printed me off a copy! In addition, three nights there cost us about the same as one night in that large and crowded site right next to the main road in Canazei.

If this is the site I’m thinking of (with a clear view of the Punta Fiames), it was a very long time ago but I clearly remember it being expensive enough that we checked out and discreetly camped in the woods.  

It is still there but I don't know what's going on with it. It had changed hands a few times since 2003 as its actually a concession owned by the Comun and is periodically leased. The last lease was to a Slovakian couple who appeared, jacked the prices up, and then disappeared having not paid the lease or their staff, so no idea what's going on this summer. It's a nice campsite for sure, but last time a friends stayed there he said the prices were exorbitant. He shifted to a site in Val Fiorentina call Camping Cadore which he said was very nice. But it's a bit further from well known climbing. That said, you're close to Civetta and Pelmo, 20 minutes drive from Passo Giau (where you can access lastoni di formin), and various other spots...

Ah - thanks. Sounds like a lot of water has passed under that particular bridge in the interim; a pity.

I organised a climbing club meet based here. It's a very good location with VFs and good climbing (eg Fiames Arete) in walking distance. We were all in tents and there were plenty of grass pitches. Although it was years ago and I can't remember prices, I don't think they could have been exorbitant given our typical climbers' miserliness.

Camping Dolomiti, cortiba. £30 odd quid a night for two in a van. Pretty cheap to be in climbing heaven. 

We walked up to one area that had a Refugio - closed (as we expected) but could stay in the winter room - only ones there, did some great climbing, short approaches (!) - left a few euros in the box after - worked out pretty well 

Some of those campsites don't let you out the gates till after 0800 in the morning - a bit of a nuisance if you want to take off for a big route.  And the other campers are just there for late night parties, so you're kept awake late.

After initially using campsites and parking our vehicle outside the locked gates, years ago we gave up and just turned to dusk-dawn bivvy camping in the woods.  Then later in the back of the vehicle.  That is harder to do these days -- particularly with all the new summer restrictions around the Sella area.