Cima Brenta 3151m: ascent and circuit

After the bridge over the Sarca di Vallesinella, a wide hiking path (no. 317) leads through dense forest over countless wooden steps in a few hairpin bends up the steep slope in just under an hour to Rifugio Casinei (1825m) with a beautiful view of Monte Caré Alto and Cima Presanella. To the left of the hut, the Sentiero dei Brentei (no. 318) and path no. 317 branch off, leading up to the Tuckett hut. We follow this easy hiking trail first through the forest, later over rugged scrub and larch passages up to Rifugio Tuckett. Behind the hut, path no. 303 leads over slabs and moraine scree directly to the Vedretta di Brenta inferiore. This crevasse-free glacier remnant can be quite hard in the early morning and then requires crampons. Over ice or firm snow, one reaches Bocca del Tuckett quite directly. The via ferrata begins in the notch.

Sentiero Bocchette Alte (path no. 305): We climb via ferrata-secured over well-stepped solid rocks (max. B) to the first ladders leading up to a notch. Behind that, a tiered scree and slab field spreads out, leading up to the steep cliffs of Cima Vallesinella. Here begins the Garbari band, which runs almost horizontally across the entire east face of Cima Brenta. The initially quite narrow band soon widens to a broader scree field. This is crossed. A few meters before a metal plate ("Garbari"), marking the end of the band, a few cairns indicate the junction to Cima Brenta. Free climb to Cima Brenta (UIAA I-II, briefly III-): If one follows the sometimes hard-to-spot cairns, one inevitably climbs onto the steep rock gully. Slightly traversing, the ravine is crossed on its right edge. Now one ascends higher in a zig-zag over steep rock steps and short scree bands (never harder than UIAA II-). Briefly, one climbs into the ravine and up to a blocking rock ledge. Here, one traverses again steeply and exposed on the right gully wall with good holds and steps. Over several rock steps (UIAA I) and short scree bands, one reaches an indicated ridge leading up to Cima Vallesinella, the northeastern forepeak of Cima Brenta. From the unadorned summit, one descends over some rock steps into the notch forming the upper end of the ascent ravine. We are at the key point.

Now about 7m must be climbed down well-gripped but very exposed and steeply into the narrow notch before the main summit rise (UIAA II+) or abseiled (fixed ring). The narrow notch is crossed horizontally. Afterward, a first briefly vertical, poor-hold wall (UIAA III-) leads quite exposed and finally better gripped and less steep (UIAA II) to a fixed ring (8 meters from the notch, ideal abseil ring!). This key point (notch) may be overcome in early summer on a sharp firm snow ridge. Above this, we follow the cairns over short rock steps (UIAA I) and scree bands still quite steeply to the ridge-like flattening. On the right side of the ridge backbone, one can now almost hike on walking terrain in a few steps to the already visible summit cross on the large summit plateau.

Descent to the junction along the ascent: the notch can be well abseiled (20m rope), climbing down in the ravine the cairns are now easier to make out. Now one continues right on Sentiero Bocchette Alte (via ferrata grade B). The now narrow, typical Brenta band leads slightly traversing into a narrow gorge, which is ice-filled for a long time. The band soon widens and leads to a spacious rock ledge. This is climbed down via ladders, the jagged ridge is followed to a notch and from there over the steep and long ladder "Scala degli Amici" to the summit plateau of Spallone dei Massodi. The summit (3004m) can be taken without a path and easily.

Now one goes somewhat confusingly around ravines and ridges down towards Bocca dei Massodi. A steep ladder shortly before the notch leads still in the south wall to a junction: to the right, one traverses into the notch and ends the Sentiero Bocchette Alte via a series of ladders towards Cima Molvena.

Sentiero Oliva Detassis (via ferrata grade B): We follow the sign "Rif. Brentei" and merge into the upper exit of Sentiero Oliva Detassis. Over a steep series of ladders connected by short narrow traverses, it goes almost vertically (over the long ladder "Scala degli Dei" briefly even slightly overhanging) down to the Vedretta dei Brentei. Short firm snow descent. Over scree and slabs one can quickly reach Rifugio Alimonta by going around the stone Gemelli. However, if we go straight on, we soon reach the junction of Sentiero SOSAT from path no. 232 going down to Rifugio Brentei.

Sentiero SOSAT (via ferrata grade A, briefly AB) leads mostly quite easy (walking terrain) over several short secured rock steps and somewhat exposed in a narrow gorge (briefly B) on bands in the base rock of Cima Brenta west side after a large rockfall area back to Rifugio Tuckett.

From Rifugio Tuckett, the descent leads back to the starting point via hiking path no. 317.