One of the most challenging routes in Cortina d'Ampezzo, it requires very good alpine skills as you have to climb up the challenging via ferrata to the top of mountain and be ready to ski down a very technical, steep and exposed descent. Needless to say, you need a safe snowpack.

Statistics

1,169

m

920

m

53

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Severe

Description

From the top of the Bus de Tofana chairlift, climb up the steep slope with the avalanche barrier.

Put your skis on your backpack, and reach the rock band at the top, where you will follow the via ferrata "Tofana di Mezzo" to the top - there are some steel cable sections, although they could be buried under the snow.

You can also climb up to the saddle above the "Bus de Tofana", the hole in the rock.

Once you are on the ridge (there are usually some ski tracks that go down to Bus de Tofana) descend with your skis on your backpack for 50 metres and on your right you should see some red signs, bolts and some steel cables - the new connection to the ferrata "Tofana di Mezzo".

Follow the ferrata and join the old route. From the top of Tofana di Mezzo, ski down the west facing slope, staying close to the rocks on your left.

At the end of the ski slope look for a narrow ledge on your left, there should be some red signs on the rock that you need to follow (skis should be on your backpack for the first section) in order to reach a steep traverse under the peak that you should follow to reach the pass, Forcella del Vallon, then you will need to side step across the last part.

From here ski down the wide and steep couloir, which is south facing and reach the tracks coming down the "Bus de Tofana" route.

You can get back to resort by taking this route.

Equipment needed: Crampons, a 40 metre rope, a harness, slings and an ice axe.