Cima Tosa 3173m: 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 switchbacks up the steep slope in just under an hour to Rifugio Casinei (1825m) with a beautiful view of Monte Caré Alto and Cima Presanella. The well-developed Sentiero dei Brentei (No. 318) now becomes noticeably narrower, the forest thins out and is replaced by dwarf pines. Slightly ascending with short descents, the path winds higher along a wide band on the northern slopes. There is a short climb through a rock crevice, then a somewhat secured narrower rock ledge (Galleria Bogani) with cable and railing, quite pleasant and increasingly scenic towards the large terrace of Rifugio Brentei (2182m) opposite Crozzon di Brenta and Cima Tosa.

From here it gradually becomes more alpine, the path narrower and rockier. Slightly ascending, one approaches the already visible Bocca di Brenta past the huge debris and scree fields of Campanile Alto and Basso and Cima Brenta Alta. A small snowfield leads to a rock barrier (A), which is climbed band-like secured with a steel cable. Over a steep slope with large blocks or via the steep snowfield to the right, one somewhat laboriously reaches the Bocca di Brenta. After a short descent into the eastern scree basin, the Cima Brenta Bassa is traversed on a narrow rock ledge, slightly descending towards the now visible Rifugio Pedrotti e Tosa (2483m). West of the hut, one climbs over a karst field on Sentiero dell’Ideale (No. 304) to the southern slopes of Brenta Bassa and gently descending to the innermost scree basin, changing the cirque side. Then ascending over several bands and terraces in scree, brushing a small tributary of the Vedretta di Tosa inferiore and finally steeply over rocky steps and scree to the branch-off to Cima Tosa at its rock base. From here, using the descended grips and sufficient cairns, one passes through short rock steps and scree stretches through the southern wall of Cima Tosa. After a few rock steps (I), the key section is reached – an almost vertical chimney (II). We climb about 20 vertical meters on its right edge using good holds, somewhat tight and exposed, up to the first bolt. Behind it, the difficulties lessen. Nice grippy rock (I) leads rightwards past the later abseil point into a large banded scree basin. Here, follow the cairns over short rock steps from band to band higher (I and hiking terrain). The ridge to the summit plateau (I) is again somewhat rockier and steeper. Then the gently sloping summit plateau with snowfields and loose rock bridges between is reached. In a large right arc, over a wide snow ridge and then scree, the summit of Cima Tosa with a wet summit register and a pedestal remnant of a broken Madonna is reached. The descent is along the ascent route. A few meters beside the chimney, an abseil point is installed (two sling loops with metal ring redundantly). Depending on rope length, one can now abseil down to the rock base, otherwise one must downclimb through the chimney. Now the circuit continues on Sentiero dell’Ideale. A shaky old bridge leads onto a wide rock band of the southern spur of Cima Tosa (A). Nearly level, the band is followed, then descending over several vertical iron ladders the west wall (B) to Vedretta d’Ambiez. The Sentiero Brentari now leads down over the glacier remnant to Rifugio Agostini. We climb (with crampons) moderately steeply the Vedretta higher to the entrance of Bocca d’Ambiez. Sentiero del Cege (BC) is the cable-secured steep rock ascent left of the ice gully to the notch. Behind Bocca, one descends left on bands (A), first secured by cable. A long ladder (B) leads over a vertical wall into steep scree terrain (I-), over which one reaches Vedretta dei Camosci at 2800m (if ascending to Bocca dei Camosci, Sentiero dell’Ideale leads down to Rifugio XII Apostoli). With or without crampons, one then descends the upper glacier slope. Now begins Sentiero Martinazzi: an endlessly long scree and rocky descent between Crozzon di Brenta and Cima Fracinglo. Short rock steps (A to B) are cable-secured. At a crossroads, one chooses the right path through a stony valley to the wall of Crozzon di Brenta. Now along the foot of the wall around the northern ridge, one descends with difficulty through the scree of Val Brenta Alta. The Rifugio Brentei can be seen on the opposite slope, reached with 100 vertical meters of ascent.

If you do not want to descend on the already known Sentiero dei Brentei, from the hut the Sentiero Violi (No. 391) is an option. This path leads quickly over dwarf pine terrain deeper into Val Brenta and then crosses 200 vertical meters below the ascent path to Rifugio Casinei. A short secured rocky passage (A) interrupts the easy forest and meadow path. From Rifugio Casinei, the already known wide hiking path is followed downhill in the forest back to Rifugio Vallesinella, the starting point.