Monte Cristallo

From Passo Tre Croci (1,805 m) between Cortina and Misurina, follow the road towards Rifugio Son Forca for a few minutes and turn right onto path 221, a military path, signed Col de Varda / Passo del Cristallo. It climbs easily through dwarf pine onto the shoulder of Col da Varda under the south buttresses of the Cristallo, crosses a loose gully and enters the steep scree of the Grava de Cerigeres, where the path becomes a faint trace. Keep to the left (true right) below the walls of Piz Popena, where larger blocks give better footing. The last 50 m below the pass are very steep and loose; without snow, trend left onto debris-covered rock to reach the broad, cold Passo del Cristallo (2,808 m), with First World War ruins nearby. Allow about 3 hours, less on a good line. From the pass a ledge leads left across the south-east face. Almost at once it crosses a gap on an old wooden plank, now secured with bolts and a fixed rope. Short chimneys (II) and gravelly ledges lead past a distinctive rock head to a panoramic terrace on a shoulder of the south ridge. Then come a chimney (II), an exposed traverse left across a crack (delicate II), a spur and a further chimney with a sling at the top (III- in places) to a second shoulder. A final 20 m wall reaches the summit ridge, and short, exposed steps (II+/III-) lead along it to the summit with its small cairn and summit book. Allow about 2 hours from the pass. Descend by the same route. There are three 30 m abseils from slings on threads and spikes (a 60 m rope, or 50 m by some accounts). Route-finding is the main difficulty: the cairns do not always take the easiest line, and the upper scree is hard work in both directions. Many confident parties climb unroped; others rope up for the chimneys and the ridge.