Cimon della Pala

Despite not being the highest peak of the mountain range, a feature attributed to the adjacent Cima Vezzana (3,192 m), the Cimon della Pala (3,184 m) is for sure the most famous peak of the Pale di San Martino Group: the view from Passo Rolle to the elegant rock pyramid of the Cimone is one of the most spectacular and immortalised panoramas of the Alps. The Cimon della Pala, also known as "Cervino delle Dolomiti", overlooks the village of San **Martino di Castrozza towards south-east. It is situated in the municipality of Tonadico** on the northern side of the Pale group.

The rifugio Fiamme Gialle (3,005 m a.s.l.) is located on a detrital terrace slightly below the peak and can be reached via a descending path from Passo Bettega which then ascends via the often snow-covered Val dei Cantoni to the Passo del Travignolo which separates the Cimone from the Cima Vezzana. Alternatively, you can reach the mountain hut by ascending the via ferrata Bolver-Lugli whose access is only an hour of walking time away from the mountain station of the San Martino di Castrozza-Col Verde cable car. The ferrata Bolver-Lugli is a physically demanding path due to its length on the return. It therefore requires experience, absence of vertigo and a good fitness and should be tackled only in favourable weather conditions. The ascent from the mountain hut to the peak, although not too technically demanding, should be undertaken exclusively by expert and appropriately equipped alpinists (easy climb with III° sections).

The unique charm of this mountain has attracted numerous tourists to the Valle di Primiero. After having seen the impressive view of these mountains in some photos in 1862, the English alpinists Josiah Gilbert and George Cheethman Churchill fell in love with it and decided to ascend this majestic dolomitic peak, so as to admire it with their eyes. Their adventure served as an inspiration for many other compatriots.

The first ascension to the peak dates back to 1870 and was undertaken by the Englishman E. R. Whitwell and the guides Santo Siorpaès and Christian Lauener. In 1889, Ludwig Darmstädter, Johann Niederwieser-Stabeler and Luigi Bernard were the first alpinists to ascend the Via Normale al Cimone.

Interesting: the profile of the Cimon della Pala can be recognised on the heraldic crest of the Guardia di Finanza (Italian Financial Police).