Global Summit Guide · Eastern Dolomites · Veneto, Italy
Civetta — Italy
Complete guide: Normal Route via Rifugio Coldai & Torrani, the Solleder-Lettenbauer NW Face & the Alta Via N. 1 traverse — home to the parete delle pareti (Wall of Walls), the first Grade VI climb in the Alps, and a limestone face 4 km wide and 1,200 m high above the lake at Alleghe.
Global Summit Guide · Parent Page
Ultimate Civetta Guide: Normal Route, Solleder-Lettenbauer & Full Logistics
Monte Civetta (3,220 m / 10,564 ft) dominates the Agordino valley of the Eastern Dolomites above the village of Alleghe with a face of such scale and severity that climbers have named it simply la parete delle pareti — the Wall of Walls. The northwest face of Civetta is approximately 4 kilometres wide and 1,200 metres high — the largest rock face in the entire Dolomites. It is pale Dolomite limestone in an almost vertical arc above the lake, so enormous that it creates its own microclimate, catching thunderstorms and afternoon shadow that the surrounding valleys do not feel. It is the defining landmark of the eastern Dolomites: seen from the Agordino valley, from the Alta Via N. 1 hiking path that crosses beneath it, and from the balconies of Alleghe across the lake, this wall is simply extraordinary.
On August 7, 1925, two Munich climbers — Emil Solleder and Gustav Lettenbauer — climbed the northwest face in a single 15-hour day. They carried twenty pitons, a bivouac tent they did not use, and a 38-metre rope. When they descended, the mountaineering world had to confront a new fact: they had climbed at a standard that no rating system yet described. The route was eventually graded UIAA VI — the first Grade VI climb in the entire Alps. Before the Solleder-Lettenbauer, UIAA V was considered the absolute limit of what was possible. After it, the ceiling of difficulty had been permanently raised.
The mountain is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites (designated 2009), and the northwest face hosts the Alta Via N. 1 approach trail — one of the most famous long-distance hiking routes in the Alps. For hikers, Civetta is a landscape of almost supernatural beauty to traverse below. For climbers, it is a wall of history: the Solleder (1925), the Comici (1931), the Philipp-Flamm (1957), the Messner-Mayerl (1967), and dozens of routes up to 1,200 m. For moderate mountaineers, the Normal Route on the gentler east side provides a surprisingly accessible summit with one of the finest Dolomite panoramas.
At a Glance
Civetta Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 3,220 m / 10,564 ft |
| Location | Eastern Dolomites, Belluno Province, Veneto, Italy — between Agordino valley (west) and Val di Zoldo (east) |
| The Wall of Walls | La parete delle pareti — NW face: ~4 km wide, 1,200 m high — the largest rock face in the Dolomites |
| The 1925 Revolution | Solleder-Lettenbauer, August 7, 1925 — first Grade VI climb in the entire Alps — raised the ceiling of alpine difficulty permanently |
| UNESCO Status | Within the UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites (designated 2009) |
| Alta Via N. 1 | The classic Dolomite high route traverses directly beneath the NW face via Rifugi Coldai, Tissi, and Vazzoler |
| Normal Route | East face via Sentiero Tivan (F / PD) — from Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) or Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) — via ferrata descent available |
| NW Face Classic | Solleder-Lettenbauer (TD sup / UIAA V+–VI) — 970–1,200 m — 15 hours on first ascent in 1925 |
| First Ascent | ~1855 — chamois hunter Simeone De Silvestro “Piovanél” — from Val di Zoldo |
| Tuckett’s Error | Francis Fox Tuckett (also of the Aletschhorn first ascent) thought he was first to the summit in May 1867 — told by Piovanél himself he was third |
| Paul Grohmann | Great Dolomite pioneer — fourth ascent August 1867 (with Piovanél as guide) |
| Alleghe | The principal base village below the Wall of Walls — lake formed by a 1771 landslide — cable car access to Rifugio Coldai |
| Key Huts | Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) · Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) · Rifugio Tissi (2,281 m) · Rifugio Vazzoler |
| Geology | Dolomite limestone — Dolomia Principale — pale grey rock characterising the Dolomites |
| Best Season | July – September |
History
The Chamois Hunter, the English Pioneer & the Wall That Changed the World
Simeone De Silvestro “Piovanél” — First Ascent, c.1855
The first ascent of Monte Civetta is among the least documented in the Dolomites. Around 1855, a chamois hunter named Simeone De Silvestro (1833–1905), known locally as Piovanél, from Pécol in the Val di Zoldo, climbed Civetta — not for mountaineering glory but in pursuit of chamois. The exact companions who made the ascent with him are not recorded; even the precise date is uncertain. De Silvestro himself made the second ascent as well, equally undocumented. The story of Piovanél establishes an important pattern in Dolomite climbing history: the local huntsmen and shepherds often reached summits decades before the great British and German pioneers, simply because the summits lay within the terrain they worked every season. Mountains that would later be celebrated as “first climbed” by distinguished alpinists had frequently been visited by men who saw them only as terrain.
Francis Fox Tuckett — Third Ascent, May 1867 (He Thought He Was First)
Francis Fox Tuckett (1834–1913) was a Bristol Quaker and prolific alpinist — the same man who made the first ascent of the Aletschhorn with J.J. Bennen in 1859. When Tuckett arrived at Civetta in May 1867 with the renowned Swiss guides Melchior Anderegg and Jakob Anderegg, he was confident he was making the first ascent. He was wrong. It was precisely Piovanél who told him so — informing Tuckett directly that the summit had been reached at least twice already, both times by himself. Tuckett’s intended first ascent became the third ascent. The same year, in August 1867, the great Dolomite pioneer Paul Grohmann — one of the most important figures in early Dolomite exploration — made the fourth ascent, again accompanied by Piovanél as guide.
The NW Face — The Target Nobody Could Reach Before 1925
From the moment the mountain was known to climbers, the northwest face was the defining challenge. Seen from the Agordino valley and the village of Alleghe, the 1,200 m wall presents a face of intimidating scale: pale limestone in an apparently unbroken vertical sweep, the characteristic Dolomite architecture of towers and ledges that made routes possible but not obvious. Between 1895 and 1925, a series of British, Italian, and German parties succeeded in climbing the northwest face via various lines to the subsidiary summits — the Inglesi route (1895), the Agordini route (1906), the Stewart route (1907), the Italiani route (1911), the Tedeschi route (1910) — all great achievements in their era, reaching UIAA IV to V standards. None, however, had found a line that reached the main summit via the NW face. That remained for Solleder and Lettenbauer.
Reinhold Messner — The NW Face, 1967
The Civetta’s NW face was also part of Reinhold Messner’s early formation as a climber. In 1967, Messner with Sepp Mayerl, Renato Reali, and Heini Holzer climbed the “Weg der Freunde” (Direttissima) on the NW face — 820 m, TD sup / UIAA VI−. This climb, made when Messner was 23, was part of the sequence of increasingly bold Dolomite routes that established him as the defining mountaineer of the next generation. By the time Messner made the first ascent of Everest without oxygen in 1978, his formation on walls like Civetta’s was foundational.
The 2013 Collapse at Cima Su Alto
On November 16, 2013, a massive rockfall from the northwest corner of Cima Su Alto — one of the “Magnificent Triad” summits on the NW face — swept away a substantial section of the wall. The collapse destroyed several classic routes including the Piussi and Livanos routes, erasing chapters of Dolomite climbing history. The rockfall was approximately 400 m high, 50 m deep, and 100 m wide. Fortunately, no climbers were on the wall or trails below at the time. The event demonstrates the dynamic geological nature of the Dolomites: these mountains continue to change, sometimes dramatically, as the limestone erodes and fractures. The Solleder-Lettenbauer route on Civetta’s main summit was not directly affected, but climbers should always be aware that recent rock quality assessments may differ from historical guidebook descriptions.
The 1925 Revolution
Solleder-Lettenbauer — The First Grade VI Climb in the Alps
△ August 7, 1925 — Emil Solleder & Gustav Lettenbauer — 15 Hours — Twenty Pitons — A New World
Emil Solleder and Gustav Lettenbauer were two young Munich climbers in the extraordinary flowering of German technical rock climbing in the early 1920s. The era had already produced remarkable routes on the Dolomites — routes at UIAA V that had been thought impossible — but the northwest face of Civetta remained the great unclimbed problem. Its scale was simply beyond anything that had been attempted directly to the main summit.
- The equipment in 1925: One 38-metre rope. A bivouac tent/bag they ended up not needing. Approximately twenty pitons. A few wooden chocks for the first crack. Their skill and their hands. They left 15 pitons in the wall. Today, by contrast, the route has bolted belays at most stances and is considered “reasonably well equipped.” In 1925, each piton they placed was an improvisation in a style of climbing that barely had a vocabulary.
- The 15-hour ascent: Solleder and Lettenbauer climbed the 1,200 m face in a single day of 15 hours — extraordinary speed for a route of this scale and difficulty. The route finds the “only weakness” in the northwest face, a line of cracks, corners, and gullies that links the lower face to the “Cristallo” plateau at mid-height, then continues on the upper face via the famous “Lettenbauer Crack” and the “waterfall pitch” (almost always wet) to the summit. Patrick Berhault later described the route as “demanding because of the large number of pitches with loose rock and poor protection” — and this was decades after the first ascent, when modern gear was available.
- UIAA Grade VI — the impossible made possible: When Solleder and Lettenbauer descended, the existing grading system had no category for what they had done. UIAA V was considered the practical limit of what was achievable in the Alps. The Solleder-Lettenbauer was eventually graded UIAA VI — meaning a new ceiling of difficulty had to be invented to describe it. The route is now credited as the first Grade VI climb in the entire Alps — a moment comparable to the breaking of the four-minute mile in athletics. Before August 7, 1925, VI was theoretical. After it, it was real.
- The subsequent ascents: 1st repeat: Willi Reiner and Leo Rittler, September 5–6, 1928. 1st solo: Cesare Maestri, September 4, 1952. 1st winter ascent: Toni Hiebeler, Ignazio Piussi, and Giorgio Redaelli, February 28–March 7, 1963 (8 days in winter conditions). The names on the Solleder repeat list form a catalogue of post-war Italian and European alpinism. Every significant climber of the Dolomite era eventually made the pilgrimage to this route.
- The Centennial, 2025: On August 7, 2025 — exactly 100 years after Solleder and Lettenbauer — the route celebrated its centenary. A new comprehensive guidebook to the Civetta NW face by Alessandro Baù and Luca Vallata (Idea Montagna, 2025) was published to mark the occasion, covering 78 routes on the northwest face.
Getting There
Alleghe — The Lake Village Below the Wall of Walls
Alleghe is the natural base for Civetta. The village sits on the shore of Lago di Alleghe — a lake formed in 1771 when a massive landslide from Monte Pelmetto dammed the Cordevole river, flooding the original village below. The new Alleghe built on the landslide deposit is now the dominant viewpoint for the Civetta NW face — the Wall of Walls reflected in the lake below it.
🚌 Getting to Alleghe & Civetta
- By car from Venice: Alleghe is approximately 120 km north of Venice via the A27 motorway to Belluno, then the SR203 Agordina road north through Agordo to Alleghe. Approximately 2–2.5 hours from Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE). The Dolomites road network is scenic and well-maintained; summer traffic can be heavy.
- By car from Cortina d’Ampezzo: Approximately 50 km south via the SS51 and SR203. 1–1.5 hours depending on traffic.
- By public transport: Buses from Belluno to Agordo and Alleghe (Dolomiti Bus) — check current timetables at dolomitibus.it. Belluno is on the Trenitalia rail network from Venice (~1.5 hours) and the Veneto Dolomiti Express seasonal service.
- Cable car to Rifugio Coldai (recommended): From Alleghe village, a two-stage cable car system lifts you to Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) — the principal base for Civetta routes and the NW face traverse. The cable car opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 4:30–5:00 PM. A return ticket costs approximately €9–13. Without the cable car, the ascent on foot takes 3–4 hours. Parties planning to climb NW face routes need to ascend the afternoon before to the Coldai hut to make an early start.
- East side access via Val di Zoldo: The east side (Normal Route) is accessed from Palafavera (1,505 m) in the Val di Zoldo — the best campsite in the area is Camping Palafavera. From Palafavera, a gravel road leads to Malga Pioda and onward to the Normal Route approach. Alternative from Forcella Staulanza (accessible by car from the Val di Zoldo side).
All Routes
Routes on Civetta — From Chamois Path to Historic Grade VI
Civetta offers the complete spectrum of Dolomite climbing: an accessible Normal Route on the eastern side; a via ferrata summit approach for secured hikers; and the extraordinary northwest face with routes from AD to ED, all on classic Dolomite limestone.
| # | Route | Grade | Character & Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Normal Route — Sentiero Tivan / East Face | F / PD | Piovanél’s 1855 first ascent route on the eastern (Val di Zoldo) side. From Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) via the Sentiero Tivan. Modest difficulty; 1,000+ m gain from Coldai; 4–5 hrs round trip. Also used as descent route from all NW face routes. Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) at mid-height on the route. Via ferrata on the summit access provides secured alternative. The only easy route on the mountain. |
| 2 | Via degli Inglesi (Phillimore-Dimai-Siorpaes 1895) | AD · IV | First serious NW face route to a subsidiary summit. 1,020 m drop; 3,000 m length. AD grade with UIAA IV. Historic route; the first successful breach of the NW face. |
| 3 | Solleder-Lettenbauer (1925) — NW Face to Main Summit | TD sup · V+–VI | The first Grade VI climb in the Alps. 970–1,200 m; TD superior; UIAA V+ to VI. Lettenbauer Crack; the “waterfall pitch” (almost always wet); the Cristallo mid-height plateau; summit via upper face. Bolted belays at stances; old intermediate protection. Descent via south face to Rifugio Torrani. 100th anniversary 2025. |
| 4 | Comici (Comici-Benedetti 1931) | ED inf · VI | Even harder than the Solleder. Emilio Comici’s signature on the Wall of Walls. 1,050 m; ED inferior; UIAA VI. Comici was the master of overhangs and artificial technique in the Dolomites. One of the great prestige routes on the face. |
| 5 | Philipp-Flamm (Punta Tissi, 1957) | TD · VI–A1 | On Punta Tissi (2,992 m), the northeast outlier. 1957 route; UIAA VI to A1. Considered one of the great routes on the Civetta group. Accessed from Rifugio Tissi. |
| 6 | Weg der Freunde / Direttissima (Messner-Mayerl-Reali-Holzer, 1967) | TD sup · VI− | Reinhold Messner’s 1967 NW face route with Sepp Mayerl, Renato Reali, and Heini Holzer. 820 m; TD superior; UIAA VI−. One of Messner’s early great Dolomite ascents before his 8,000 m career. |
| 7 | Alta Via N. 1 Traverse (Hiking) | T3–T4 | The most famous long-distance hiking route in the Dolomites traverses directly beneath the Wall of Walls from Rifugio Coldai to Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Vazzoler. No technical climbing; stunning views of the entire NW face. Part of the Dolomites UNESCO heritage experience. |
Route Detail
Normal Route & Solleder-Lettenbauer — Full Descriptions
Normal Route — Sentiero Tivan (East Face)
- Approaching from Alleghe via cable car (recommended): From Alleghe, the cable car system rises to near Rifugio Coldai at 2,135 m. The cable car opens at 9:00 AM and closes late afternoon — parties climbing the Normal Route should take the cable car up the afternoon before and sleep at the Rifugio Coldai (booking essential) to allow an early summit morning. From the Coldai hut, the Sentiero Tivan traverses east along the base of the mountain before ascending the east face via switchbacks and ledge systems to Rifugio Torrani.
- Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) — the high camp: The Rifugio Torrani sits at approximately 2,984 m on the east side of Civetta — a small hut that provides the ideal springboard for the summit push. From Torrani, the summit is only 236 m above and a short, relatively simple scramble in dry conditions. The hut’s position is remarkable: looking east over the Val di Zoldo with the gentler face of Civetta above, it feels like a completely different mountain from the terrifying Wall of Walls on the western side.
- The summit section: From Rifugio Torrani, the Normal Route ascends the east face of Monte Civetta. The scrambling is easy (F/PD grade) in dry conditions and follows a track through the limestone ledges and gullies of the eastern side. A via ferrata provides a secured alternative for the summit section and is the standard descent for many parties. The summit provides one of the finest panoramas in the Eastern Dolomites: Pelmo, Marmolada, Antelao, Sorapiss, and the full sweep of the Civetta NW face below.
- Approach variants: Three different paths converge at the Normal Route start. From Alleghe/Coldai: most popular. From Forcella Staulanza (Val di Zoldo side): 1.45 hours via path 561 to Forcella d’Alleghe and path 556 to the Coldai hut. From Palafavera (1,505 m, Val di Zoldo): via gravel road and trail — better approach from the eastern side.
Solleder-Lettenbauer — NW Face
- The approach from Rifugio Coldai (60–90 minutes): From the Coldai hut, the approach traverses 60–90 minutes around to the front of the NW face. This itself is a walk beneath the Wall of Walls on the Alta Via N. 1 path — one of the most dramatic mountain approaches in the Dolomites. The base of the Solleder route is at approximately 2,050 m on the NW face.
- The two-part structure: The Solleder-Lettenbauer is organised in two distinct sections. Part one ends at the “Cristallo” — a mid-height plateau at approximately 2,900 m where parties frequently bivouac on a “scree-strewn pulpit” that provides a perfect natural campsite. Part two continues from the Cristallo to the main summit. Many parties complete Part 1 on Day 1 and summit on Day 2 — though Solleder and Lettenbauer did the whole thing in 15 hours on their first ascent, in 1925.
- The Lettenbauer Crack: The most characteristic pitch of the first section of the route is the Lettenbauer Crack — encountered almost immediately after the initial base section. It is the crux of the lower face and the pitch that gives the route its essential character: steep, thin, and on rock that is sound in the crack itself but can be friable on the surrounding face.
- The waterfall pitch: In the second section above the Cristallo, the famous “waterfall pitch” is encountered — described as “almost always wet.” This is one of the route’s significant objective hazards: regardless of weather conditions in the days before the climb, water seeping through the limestone above usually keeps this pitch dripping or streaming. Plan for it; wet rock on steep limestone at UIAA V+ is a significant commitment.
- Rockfall risk: Planet Mountain’s description of the route notes that “if there are several parties on the route it’s worth assessing the rock fall risk before embarking” and that the rock “can be rather friable, especially in the easier sections.” Helmet mandatory; assess the face before starting if other parties are already on route above.
- Descent: From the summit, descend 20 minutes to the Rifugio Torrani huts on the obvious track, then continue via the Normal Route / Sentiero Tivan back to Rifugio Coldai and the cable car to Alleghe. The descent from summit to Coldai via the Normal Route is approximately 3–4 hours.
Alta Via N. 1 Traverse — The Hiker’s Civetta
- For hikers who want Civetta without the climbing: The Alta Via N. 1 (High Route No. 1) is one of the most famous long-distance hiking routes in the entire Alps, crossing the Dolomites from Lago di Braies to Belluno over approximately 120 km. The section that traverses beneath the NW face of Civetta — from Rifugio Coldai to Rifugio Tissi and then to Rifugio Vazzoler — is arguably the route’s most dramatic passage.
- The view from below: Walking the Alta Via beneath the Wall of Walls gives a completely different perspective from any summit: you are looking across at the face at approximately its mid-height, close enough to see the individual crack systems and route lines, far enough to comprehend the full 4 km width. The Solleder-Lettenbauer and Comici routes are visible as lines on the face above you. The magnitude of what Solleder, Lettenbauer, and Comici climbed is viscerally apparent at this scale.
- The section: Coldai to Tissi to Vazzoler: From Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m), the Alta Via traverses west beneath the NW face to Rifugio Tissi (2,281 m) — a particularly dramatic passage with the full wall above. Continuing south, the route reaches Rifugio Vazzoler, which serves the Torre Trieste and southern Civetta group climbs. The complete traverse can be done in a single long day or split over two days with a night at Rifugio Tissi.
Sample Itinerary
Classic Two-Day Normal Route Program
Day 1 Afternoon — Alleghe to Rifugio Coldai by Cable Car
Day 2, Early Morning — Summit via Sentiero Tivan & Rifugio Torrani
Huts & Access
Dolomite Rifugi & No Permits Required
| Resource | Details | Cost / Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Climbing Permit | No permit required. No park entry fee. UNESCO designation does not restrict access. | Free |
| Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) | Principal base for Normal Route & NW face climbs. Accessible by cable car from Alleghe. Spectacular position. Open July–September. Booking essential in peak season. The start of the Alta Via N.1 traverse of the NW face. | ~€35–50/person half board · Book directly |
| Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) | High hut on east side of Civetta; 20 minutes below summit. Used by Normal Route climbers and by parties descending from NW face routes. Spectacular position. | ~€35–50/person · Book directly |
| Rifugio Tissi (2,281 m) | On the Alta Via N.1 traverse path below the NW face; access to Philipp-Flamm (Punta Tissi) and north face routes. Beautiful position; accessible hike from Alleghe. | ~€35–45/person · Book directly |
| Rifugio Vazzoler | Southern end of the Civetta group; accessed from Listolade (1.5 hrs walk). Base for Torre Trieste, Torre Venezia, and southern Civetta spurs. | ~€35–45/person · Book directly |
| Alleghe cable car | Two stages from Alleghe to near Rifugio Coldai. Open approximately 9 AM to 4:30–5 PM. Book return ticket in advance in July–August. | ~€9–13 return · Check current hours |
Seasonal Planning
Best Time to Climb Civetta
| Season | Window | Pros | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer ★ Primary | July – mid-September | Rifugi fully open; cable car operating; Normal Route clear of snow; NW face routes in best condition; long daylight; Alta Via N.1 at its finest; Dolomite limestone at its most brilliant in summer light | Thunderstorms common in afternoon (Dolomite pattern); the NW face catches weather from the west — depart summit by noon; the “waterfall pitch” is wet regardless of weather; high season means very busy huts — book months in advance |
| September ★ Fine Conditions | September | Quieter; autumn light extraordinary on Dolomite limestone; stable high pressure common; rock quality excellent in dry September; fewer parties on NW face routes | Earlier dark; rifugi closing; first autumn snow on summit October |
| Late June | Late June–early July | Possible; early season light; fewer crowds | Snow on upper Normal Route; NW face routes have wet & icy sections; cable car may be opening |
| Winter | Oct–May | First winter ascent of Solleder took 8 days (1963) — for absolute specialists | Rifugi closed; all conditions alpine or severe winter; specialist territory only |
Equipment
Essential Gear for Civetta
⛰ Normal Route
- Helmet — mandatory (loose rock in gullies)
- Trekking poles (useful on Normal Route approach)
- Via ferrata set (D-ring clamp + Y-lanyard) for the secured summit section
- Mountain boots (stiff; comfortable for long approach)
- Crampons (early season only; summit area can have ice)
⛰ Solleder-Lettenbauer
- Rack of cams (Dolomite limestone crack climbing)
- Wires / nuts · slings · quickdraws
- 60 m rope ×2 (half rope system recommended)
- Harness + belay device
- Rock shoes (stiffer than sport climbing; comfort on long pitches)
- Bivouac gear for Cristallo (recommended for 2-day ascent)
🍨 Dolomite Conditions
- Waterproof hardshell (afternoon thunderstorms — mandatory)
- Warm mid-layer (NW face stays cold and shaded much of the day)
- Warm hat + gloves (summit at 3,220 m frequently cold)
- Sunscreen (high UV on pale limestone reflective surface)
- Sunglasses — the Dolomite limestone at noon is very bright
📡 Navigation & Huts
- Tabacco map 1:25,000 Nr. 025 “Dolomiti di Zoldo, Cadorine e Agordine”
- Solleder topo: use the modern 2025 version (Baù/Vallata guidebook)
- Cash in euros (rifugi prefer cash; ATM in Alleghe)
- Headlamp (early starts; possible bivouac)
- Book rifugi months in advance for July–August
Risk & Preparedness
Difficulty & Safety Notes
Two very different mountains on the same summit
The east side (Normal Route) and west side (NW face) of Civetta are so different in character that they might as well be different mountains. Appropriate care for each:
- Normal Route — afternoon thunderstorms: The dominant hazard on the Normal Route is the Dolomite afternoon thunderstorm. These can develop from clear skies within 30–45 minutes. Start early (before 7 AM from Coldai); aim to be off the exposed summit area by noon. Lightning on the open limestone summit area is a serious danger.
- Solleder-Lettenbauer — the waterfall pitch is always wet: The “waterfall pitch” in the upper section is “almost always wet” regardless of recent weather. Wet limestone at UIAA V+ is a serious commitment. Accept this before starting; do not be surprised by it on the route.
- Solleder-Lettenbauer — rockfall from parties above: If multiple parties are on the route simultaneously, loose rock dislodged by the party above falls directly onto the party below. Assess the face; give adequate vertical separation; move efficiently through friable sections. Helmet mandatory.
- Old protection on the NW face: The intermediate protection on the Solleder (between the bolted belay stances) includes pitons of various ages and trustworthiness. Patrick Berhault’s description — “large number of pitches with loose rock and poor protection” — applies especially to older, less-traveled sections. Supplement with own gear; test before weighting.
- The 2013 collapse reminder: The massive rockfall at Cima Su Alto in 2013 is a reminder that the Dolomites are geologically active. Always check current route conditions before committing to any face climb. The Solleder was not directly affected but conditions on adjacent faces change.
Guided Programs
Civetta Guide Services
Local IFMGA-certified guides based in Alleghe and the Agordo area are the authoritative source for guided programs on Civetta. They have current knowledge of the Normal Route, Solleder conditions, face rockfall status after the 2013 Su Alto collapse, and the 2025 guidebook updates. Contact through the Alleghe tourist office or local guide association.
Alleghe Tourism →The definitive reference for the Civetta NW face, published for the 2025 centenary of the Solleder-Lettenbauer. Alessandro Baù has 33 bivouacs on the Civetta face and has made multiple first ascents on the wall. The guidebook covers 78 routes with current topo, route history, and quality assessment. Essential for any serious technical climbing on the NW face.
Guidebook Info →Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Civetta
Live Conditions
Map of Civetta & Live Weather
Summit location and live weather from Civetta’s coordinates (46.373°N, 12.043°E). The map shows the summit, Alleghe (base village with cable car), Rifugio Coldai (principal base), and Rifugio Torrani (high hut below summit).
Civetta — Summit Conditions
3,220 m / 10,564 ft · The Wall of Walls · Live from summit coordinates
Planning Summary
At-a-Glance Planning Snapshot
| Mountain | Monte Civetta — La parete delle pareti — the Wall of Walls |
| Elevation | 3,220 m / 10,564 ft — highest in the Civetta Group |
| Location | Eastern Dolomites, Belluno Province, Veneto, Italy — UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites (2009) |
| The NW Face | ~4 km wide, 1,200 m high — largest rock face in the Dolomites |
| The 1925 Revolution | Solleder-Lettenbauer: first Grade VI climb in the Alps — 100th anniversary August 7, 2025 |
| Normal Route | F/PD — east face via Sentiero Tivan — cable car from Alleghe to Rifugio Coldai |
| Cable Car Warning | Opens 9 AM · last car ~4:30–5 PM — sleep at Rifugio Coldai (Day 1) for early summit start |
| Key Huts | Rifugio Coldai (2,135 m) · Rifugio Torrani (2,984 m) · Rifugio Tissi (2,281 m) |
| Alta Via N.1 | Classic Dolomite long route traverses beneath the NW face: Coldai → Tissi → Vazzoler |
| Base Village | Alleghe — lake formed by 1771 landslide — 120 km from Venice (2–2.5 hrs) |
| Permit | None required |
| Best Season | July – September |
| First Ascent | ~1855 — Simeone De Silvestro “Piovanél” (chamois hunter) |
| Tuckett | Thought he was first in 1867 — told by Piovanél he was third (same Tuckett: Aletschhorn 1859) |
| Solleder 1925 | 15 hours · 20 pitons · changed the world of climbing · 100th anniversary 2025 |
| Messner 1967 | “Weg der Freunde” — TD sup / VI− — Messner, Mayerl, Reali, Holzer |