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Traverse of the Brenta

Traverse of the Brenta


Postby past my sell by date » Fri Jan 07, 2022 2:14 pm

Date walked: 21/07/2001

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In 2001 I set out for the Alps with David and Bill on July 16th. David is another climber and while Bill is essentially a walker and skier, he's happy to be a bit more adventurous as long as he has experienced companions.
We headed first to the Ecrins, walked up to a pleasant hut - the Refuge Font Turbat where we had an excellent evening meal, but as there was no obvious continuation next day we retraced our steps, drove over the Montgenevre pass into Italy and landed up at Madonna di Campiglio in the Brenta Dolomites.
Be01.jpg
Overall view of the Brenta
By chance we stumbled on a hotel owned by a Finn - who raced Americas cup type yachts in his spare time :shock: and as he had very few guests - It was the post dotcom-boom recession - , gave us a very good deal on a triple room and was generally very helpful
On the first day, we headed up the hills on the other side (North) of the village taking the Telecabin ( free as we were staying in the village) to Rifugio Pracalago - 2119m. We climbed up a ridge with a few cable aids - to M. Zeledria and on to Bocca dei Tre Laghi 2515m and M Nambino 2678m. From there David and I climbed the 2770m Cima di Laste and descended via Lagos Serodoli, Nero & di Nambino. We got good views of the Brenta - opposite

Here are the photos we came up this way again after the Brenta traverse so they are taken on more than one day
BE02.jpg
Top: The whole range of the Brenta from above Palon: The Lago di Nambino and Madonna di Campiglio nestle in the valley below
Bottom: The Southern part of the Brenta from near the Lago Lambino.
BE03.jpg
Bill studies the map and the Brenta from Monte Nambini. the Bocca di Brenta at the head of the Val Brenta Alta is right in the centre
Be08.jpg
Top: The Lago Serodoli with 2693m Monte Serodoli far L. At the back the
3539m Adamello and the 3556m Presanella - far R - the two highest peaks in the "Trento

Bottom: Beside the beautiful Lago di Serodoli
Be07.jpg
Top: The Cima Presanello from near the Lago Gelato
Bottom: Near the top of the Cima di Lasti
Footnote
David and I returned to climb the Presanello a couple of years later. The route sounded exciting: climb a glacier to a col: descend to another glacier: climb it and the snow ridge above to the summit :D It turned out to be almost entirely boulders. Such is the fate of so many of Europe's mountains :( :( :(


the Brenta day 1
Next day our host was happy for us to leave stuff in our room and also gave us a ride to our lift station :D as we took the Telecabin to the 2442m Passo di Grosti at the beginning of the Via Bochette - the traverse of this part of the Brenta, sarcastically called by the Germans - "the upper bicycle route" - on account I imagine of the large sections of flat ledges cut out of the cliff face: it is much more of a protected walk than a serious Via Ferrata
BR00.jpg
The first section is the Sentiero Alfredo Benini starting at the Passo di Grosti (top R) and continiuing to the Rifugio Tuckett - named after Francis Fox Tuckett - maybe the greatest of the Victorian alpinists
BR02---Starting-the-Sentiero-Alfredo-Benini.jpg
Top At the Passo dii Grosti - start of the Sentiero Benini.
Bottom: Near the start - looking South to the Cima della Valazza and the Cima Roma

BR03---Sentiero-Alfredo-Benini_--Bocchetta-degli-Camosci.jpg
At the Bocchetta degli Camoschi
BR05---Bill-follows-the-way-through-the-Bergschrund.jpg
Bill following the way through a bergschrund
BR06---Looking--to-the-Lago-di-Molveno-with-the-Cima-Roma-on-t.jpg
Looking down Sourth East to the Lago di Molveno with the Cima Roma on the L
The problem with Italian Via Ferraras is that occasionally bits are "missing" - though not normally in serious places. We had to make at least one 10m descent unprotected. It wasn't difficult but there were thousands of feet of space below :(
Another problem was the considerable amounts of snow that filled the gullies burying the cables. :( it was quite soft and it was easy to kick steps but we went across singly,
BR07---A-typical-flat-section-on-the-Sentiero-Alfredo-Benini.jpg
L: A typical flat section:
R: crossing a snowfield

BR09---Descending-an-exposed-section.jpg
L: Descending a steep section
R: Descending an exposed section

BR11---The-Cima-Sella-from-near-the-Bocca-Alta-di-Valsinella.jpg
The Cima Sella from the Bocca Alta di Valsinella
BR12----Descent-towards-the-Rifugio-Tuckett.jpg
The path to the Tuckett descends between the towers of the Castelletto Superiore (L) and the Castelletto Inferiore (R)
BR13---Descent-to-the-Rif.-Tuckett-below-the-Castelletto-Supe.jpg
Descent path to the Tuckett below the Castelletto Superiore: the snowy col - centre R is the Bocca di Tuckett
BR15---Evening-sunlight--around-the-Bocca-del-Tuckett.jpg
From the hut - Evening sunlight on the cliffs around the Bocca di Tuckett
BR16c-----Sunset-from-the-Rifugio-Tuckett.jpg
Sunset from the hut

Day 2

Br16a.jpg
Our routes Red Day 2:- from the Tuckett to the Pedrotti Rifugios
Yellow Day 3 from the Pedrotti back to Madonna via the Maria e Alberto:
Blue The section we missed out :
Red/Green the end of day 1

From the Tuckett we took the Senterio SOSAT which is mostly a walking path with occasional ladders
BR17---Early-morning-on-the-Sentiero-SOSAT.jpg
Early morning on the Senterio SOSAT with the 3135m Crozzon di Brenta in the background
BR18---Looking-up--the--Val-Brenta-Alta-to-the-Bocca-di-Brent.jpg
Looking up tthe Val Brenta Alta to the Bocca di Brenta - centre R. The route goes up to the Bocca degli Armi -Top L - From there, the central section of the Sentiero delle Bochette threads its way through the Pinnacles to the Bocca di Brenta: the triangular peak right beside the col is the Brenta Bassa
BR19----Crozzon-di-Brenta-from-above-the-rifugio-Alimonta.jpg
The Cima Tosa (L) and the Crozzon di Brenta from above the Rifugio Alimonta:
BR20---Sentiero-SOSAT_--Looking-up-to-the-Cima-degli-Armi.jpg
Looking up to the Cima degli Armi with the Bocca degli Armi on its R
BR21----Looking-back-to-the-Rifugio-Alimonta.jpg
Looking back to the Rifugio Alimonta
BR22----Sentiero-SOSAT_--Final-slopes-to-the-Bocca-degli-Armi.jpg
Final snow slopes to the Bocca degli Armi
BR23-----Looking-back-to-the-Rif.-Alimonta-from-the-Bocca-deg.jpg
From the Bocca - again looking back to the Rifugio
BR26-----Campanile-Basso-in-Close-up.jpg
On the central section: L first view of the Campanile Basso: on the L is the Cima Brenta Alta: the route passes beteween them to the Bochetta Campanile Basso
R: Campanile Basso close up:

BR29---Beneath-the-towers-of-the-Campanile-Alto.jpg
Two pictures on the complex section beneath the towers of the Campanile Alto
BR28--Looking-back-N-along-the-Sentiero-Bocchette.jpg
Looking back North along the Bochette (the path is along the ledge - upper L) to the Cima degli Sfulmini
BR31---Before-the-descent-to-Bocchetta-del-Campanile-Basso.jpg
L: a small tower:
R: Resting befotre the descent to the Bochetta Campagnile Basso

BR32---Looking-down-the-Val-Brenta-Alta.jpg
L: Bill hitching a lift somewhere on the "upper bicycle route" :lol: :lol: :lol:
R: looking down the Val Brenta Alta from the traverse beneath the Campagnile Alta

BR34.jpg
L: The Campagnile Basso again
R:
The Fehrmann route - which David and I went back to climb a couple of years later - starts bottom L climbs diagonally R into the vee groove and follows it to the big ledge on the L ( looks like a peak) where it joins the "ordinary" route. It's nothing like as steep as it looks : the grade is around MVS. :D
BR35---The-way-to-the-Bocca-di-Brenta.jpg
L: The route continues across this snow gully and up the ramp
R: at the top of the ramp it levels off

BR37---Approaching-Bocca-di-Brenta_--a-ladder-leads-on-down.jpg
Approaching the Bocca di Brenta - a ladder leads down on to the snowfield
BR38---Looking-from-the-Bocca-di-Brenta-to--Pedrotti-&-Tosa-.jpg
At the Bocca di Brenta looking down to the Rifugio Pedrotti et Tosa - our home for the night - with the 2615m Cros di Rifugio behind
BR39b----Evening-storm-clouds-from-the-Rifugio-Pedrotti.jpg
Evening storm clouds from the Pedrotti
BR40---Evening-sky-at-the-Rifugio-Pedrotti.jpg
Evening sky from the Pedrotti

Day 3
We reurned to the Bocca, descended the stunning valley to the Rifugio Maria e Alberto al Brenei and continued back to Madoona
BR41---Early-morning_--looking-down-from-the-Bocca-di-Brenta.jpg
Early morning - looking down the Val Brenta Alta from the Bocca
BR42----trial.jpg
A mountain chapel in the valley below the cliffs: Behind are the Brenta Bassa, Cima Margherita, and Cima Tosa
BR43.jpg
A wider view from the Rifugio: the 50 degree snow/ice gully between the Tosa and tthe Crozzon is the Canalone Neri - first climbed in July 1929 by Virgilion Neri but now also the haunt of extreme skiers :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:
BE06.jpg
The guys - nearly back at Madonna

Postscript
Back at the hotel, after a rest day our host suggested that we join him , his sidekick and a group of three German guests on a visit to a restaurant in the neighbouring village. The owner travels to the coast every couple of weeks to buy (mainly) shellfish and on returning presents a special 24 course dinner :shock: :shock: for a remararkaby reasonable price - equal to ca. £18.
We all piled into his landrover and drove the few miles there. It was very good, and undoubtedly the most memorable meal I think any of us had ever eaten. We washed it down with a local (light) white wine that came in 5 litre bottles. We drank three of them :shock: :shock: - so I don't remember a lot about the later courses :lol: :lol:
However our host happily drove us back at the end - tough guys these Finns - and we slept particularly well :lol:
Next day we headed off to Austria and the Lechtaler
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Re: Traverse of the Brenta

Postby gaffr » Sat Jan 08, 2022 11:10 am

A fine, interesting tour. :) although, I guess, scanned from the Diapositives still fine images.
My only visit to these fine mountains was to the so called Dolomiti super ski area where by the use of buses we could be in a different area on each of six days.
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Re: Traverse of the Brenta

Postby Pointless Parasite » Sat Jan 08, 2022 2:20 pm

gaffr wrote:A fine, interesting tour. :) although, I guess, scanned from the Diapositives still fine images.


:lol: The "all colours turned up to 11" photos are Past my sell by date's signature look. I guess it's from a UV filter. Incredible photos though, especially the one inside the Bergschrund. Great route as well. I prefer these protected scramble via ferratas to the 'sports' VFs that are very popular in Europe at the moment, although I'm not sure about the missing sections :crazy:

Thanks for sharing :D
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Re: Traverse of the Brenta

Postby past my sell by date » Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:35 pm

gaffr wrote:A fine, interesting tour. :) although, I guess, scanned from the Diapositives still fine images.
My only visit to these fine mountains was to the so called Dolomiti super ski area where by the use of buses we could be in a different area on each of six days.

Yes been to the super ski area a few times - Corvara, Araba Cortina San Cassiano.. some fierce superblack runs there :)
But it's not very snow -sure - well it wasn't when i went. If you' did the Sella Ronda you'll remember the (now long lamented) moonwalk. huge fun :lol: :lol:
by the way the Brenta is a small isolated area quite a long way from the main area of the Dolomites
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Re: Traverse of the Brenta

Postby past my sell by date » Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:27 pm

Pointless Parasite wrote::lol: The "all colours turned up to 11" photos are Past my sell by date's signature look. I guess it's from a UV filter. Incredible photos though, especially the one inside the Bergschrund. Great route as well. I prefer these protected scramble via ferratas to the 'sports' VFs that are very popular in Europe at the moment, although I'm not sure about the missing sections :crazy:

Thanks for sharing :D

I do use a UV filter but that's not the reason - more Photoshop. In pre-digital days I used Kodachrome X but I did find it oversaturated the primary colours particularly blue - my Alpine skies were always a very unrealistic dark royal blue that I found difficult to change effectively.
The outside world is a colourful place, and I find the problem with digital - all digital cameras as far as I can see - is that in anything but bright sunlight they are apt to produce deadly dull grey undersaturated images. :( :( These can be much improved with Photoshop - even a one click Autotone has quite an effect. But most peoople don't have Photoshop and I feel annoyed that camera makers don't include simple software wwith their product which a least allows you to adjust saturation and play around with the Gamma
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Re: Traverse of the Brenta

Postby Pointless Parasite » Sat Feb 05, 2022 2:45 pm

past my sell by date wrote: These can be much improved with Photoshop - even a one click Autotone has quite an effect. But most peoople don't have Photoshop and I feel annoyed that camera makers don't include simple software wwith their product which a least allows you to adjust saturation and play around with the Gamma


Yes I know what you mean. I used to love the software that was bundled with early Olympus digital cameras. One option is ImageJ, which was developed by the National Institutes of Health in the US, mainly for looking at things like microscope images of cells. It's free (public domain) and has a load of advanced functions for photo editing.
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