UKC

Will be in the Brenta Dolomites in summer to do a bit of Hut to Hut VF, and want to summit Cima Tosa on our way round our planned route.

Most information online seems to recommend a rope for a small 20m section of grade II climbing, but the rope is required more for the descent afterwards. Some websites seem to suggest its doable without but would be better to bring one.

Really don't want to lug a rope around for 5 days for one short stretch of scrambling if its not required - does anyone have any experience or knowledge regarding this? Referring to the 'normal route'.

Cheers

Haven't done it so can't comment. Just another source of info to throw into your mix: this tends to be the "go-to" on normal routes. It's in Italian I'm afraid. Have found it pretty reliable. They're recommending a rope, a few slings, and perhaps the odd nut and friend! They say it's often wet and very polished. https://www.vienormali.it/montagna/cima_scheda.asp?cod=1591

Out of curiosity, I read a few other trip reports in Italian. Every one of the authors used a rope.

I did this quite a time ago... my fussy memory says that it was perhaps 10 or 15m step (read the topo, my memory is shot), of perhaps french 3 climbing. And there is (or was) a fixed anchor, from where you can rappel down.

Climbing is pretty straight forwards face climb... don't do like I did and bail to a corner/crack on the climbers left... while the climbing felt more secure there, I did had a lot of trouble due my hiking poles on my rucksack getting myself partly stuck (not fun). Down climb from the anchor was just fine (I would also assume, also up, if you know where to head) if the exposure is not an issue.

So I did it without a rope, but would perhaps valued it on the way down.

Btw. it's a long day from Madonna di Campiglio to the top and back... luckily there are two proper refuges, and one perhaps more like tavern closer to Madonna.