Crepo Longo crag – New walls to climb in Cortina
Something like this had been missing: a crag with lots of easy routes, up excellent quality rock, ideal for those who although they don’t master the hardest difficulties, enjoy climbing for the sake of it, ideally in magnificent surroundings.
Tahnks to the tried and tested collaboration between the Cortina Mountain Guides and the Faloria cable car, a new crag was recently equipped above Cortina on the rocky outcrop called Crepo Longo, on Monte Faloria.
At present the crag hosts 26 pitches up soldi greyish-black rock. Most climbs are in the 6a/6b region, but there are some 5c’s, two grade IV routes and at present just one 6c. The ease of access and south-west orientation combined with the beauty of the routes render Crepo Longo well-worth a visit.
I would like to take this occasion to mention the nearby Via ferrata Sci Club 18, certainly the hardest ferrata in Cortina which I have already described in the past. For more information about the Faloria area, visit Faloria & Cristallo website.
Getting to Crepo Longo Crag
The easiest way to get there is definitely by using the Faloria cable car, from the centre of Cortina.
At the top descend north-east down the winter piste. Before reaching the start of the chairlift which leads to Tondi di Faloria take the obvious path signposted for the crag.
The walk-in takes circa 20 minutes, download the GPS track (GPX file).
Alternatively, start from Rio Gere (by the Cristallo and Faloria chairlift), on the road which leads from Cortina to Passo Tre Croci. Park the car and continue on foot along the dirt road (path #212) which winds its way along the Faloria piste to reach the start of the chairlift which leads up to Tondi. Continue on to quickly reach the crag. This option is obviously far longer, calculate circa 1 hour for the walk-in.
The climbing
Vertical face climbing with plenty of holds. The harder pitches have some slightly overhanging sections.
BEST TIME OF THE YEAR: the crag faces south-west and as such receives the sun until late in the day.
ROCK: limestone
ORIENTATION: south-west
GRADES: 4a – 6c
THE ROUTES: (from right to left)
1 – Montana L1:5c – L2: 6b
2- Pik me 6a
3 – Saved 6a+
4 – Be free L1: 6a+ L2: 6a+ L3: 6a+
5 – Gully spit L1: 5c L2: 6b L3: 6a
6 – Red air 6a
7 – Hot rat 5c
8 – Why not 6a+
9 – Baby snakes 5c
10 – Tell me 5c
11 – Solid rock 6b+
12 – Once again 6b+
13 – Do not pass 6b+
14 – Too hard 6b+
15 – So hard 6c
16 – Ski-ing 6b
17 – Shake 6a
18 – Schotting L1: 5c L2: 6a
19 -Red sky 4aOne size 4a
