Nice, fun line on the sunny side of Ra Valles, you can recognise this colouir by a small rocky tower (the candle) which sticks out in the middle of the couloir.

Statistics

196

m

828

m

38

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

From the top of the cable car station in Ra Valles ("Freccia del Cielo”), follow the "Forcella Rossa" piste.

As the piste turns right down to Forcella Rossa, pull over underneath a steep slope on the skier's left.

Start to side step with skis on or boot pack with your skis on your backpack in order to get on top of this steep slope so you can reach the top balcony (Tip: take care in case of an avalanche, as you're hiking up above a ski slope) so you can reach the top balcony and head to the summit called Cima Ra Zestes at 2420m.

Keep walking north and get to the entrance of the couloir (on the skier's right), there are usually some cornices.

You can clearly see the big rocky tower (the "candle") on the summit plateau, just before the drop in.

It is around a 30 minute approach, depending on snow conditions.

Drop in carefully to the first section as it is steep, the couloir is pretty wide and offers great skiing with corn snow (the timing is key).

Once you leave the couloir, there are three options: A) Keep skiing down, keeping to the skier's right towards a narrow couloir (use some pitons for abseiling if there is not so much snow; 30 metres of rope should be plenty) which takes you to the end of the steep section of the ski slope "Forcella Rossa" (you can check the snow conditions and coverage into this little couloir from the cable car "Freccia del Cielo"). B) Once you're out of the couloir, start skiing across the steep balcony, on the skier's left (this is only possible with safe snow conditions) in order to join the "Comate" off-piste, all the way down to the camping site in Fiames.

This is only with good snow cover, especially for the lower part. C) After skiing across the steep balcony on the skier's left (see option B) turn left to ski a nice slope facing south towards Lago Ghedina.

Keep going on the flat trail (dirt road on summer time) and get back on the slopes in Ru Merlo/ Pié Tofana.