LIMONE TOWERS - TORRIONI DI LIMONE – Limone sul Garda (Bs)

INFOs

Ponale walls
Rocky cliff at the base of the Dos de Calà, between Limone and Riva del Garda, in fascinating and wild environment.
Massimiliano Torti route
Spectacular traverse on artificial ledge, dug into the rock and overlooking the lake, about more than two kilometers length. Some stretches are equipped with metallic cables, but others need some clippers and rope of 60 meters.
You can start from Pregasina or from the Gardesana way by the restaurant called “Casa della Trota” that you will find on the street from Riva to Limone.

NODICE summit
On the topographic map of IGM it is called Cima di Lè, but today we are used to call it Cima Nodice (Nodice Summit), using the name of the Austrian Officer, Mr. Nodic, who followed the works of fortification of the summit before the First World War. During October 1915 the Italians were able, after 5 days,  to conquer the summit which is still full of remains of fortifications, in particular walkways and tunnels that can be passed with torch/light and watching places on the Garda lake.

Dello Spigolo route
First climbers: Eugenio Cipriani and Giuseppe Vandali in January 1991
Length: 200 meters with 5 pitches
Level: IV VII-
The first climbers have defined this route as “wonderful climbing” on very good rocks.
Starting from the last houses north of Pregasina (532 meters) you take a narrow trail that goes in direction of a southern backwash of the face. Reached some ruins of war you climb on the right through trails and small rocks (sequence II) up to the frontal side of the face. You pass a woody couloirs and take a ledge that goes to the base of the face by an old building in ruins; continue on the ledge for other 30 meters up to the east-slope where there is the start called “Scordino”. You climb the small frontal side of the face up to a belay with sling and piton (20 meters; II).
Continue on the right passing a difficult slab and then on the left following a ramp (protected with bolts) up to a niche where you can set up a belay (30 meters; VII- then VI). From the niche go on the right, reach a small edge and follow it up to an area with inclined and eroded rocks where there is a belay with bolts and slings (30 meters; V-; then IV and III). Go on for the last two pitches on easy rocks and reach the summit (80 meters; III and II).

Della Nicchia route – South face
First climbers: Eugenio Cipriani and Giuseppe Vidali in January 1991
Length: 200 meters with 4 pitches
Level: from IV up to VII+ (or V+/AO)
Starting from the last houses north of Pregasina (532 meters) you take a narrow trail that goes in direction of a southern backwash of the face. Reached some ruins of war you climb on the right through trails and small rocks (sequence II) up to the frontal side of the face. You pass a woody couloirs and take a ledge that goes to the base of the face by an old building in ruins.
Climb on easy rocks the first meters looking at a small slab (bolts and slings) and after that you climb directly (bolts) up to an evident niche in the centre of the face  (35 meters; V+ and VI+). Pass the overhang of the niche (V+) and then the difficult and overlying slab (V+/AO; or VII+) up to an area of easy rocks eroded by the weather (30 meters; from IV up to VII+). The last pitches are not so difficult.

STEDILE summit
Stedile summit (about 350 meters) is an evident tower, easy to see from the Gardesana Occidentale way, called Stedile from the first climbers of “Angelini” route in memory of Fabio Stedile disappeared on Cerro Torre summit. Stedile summit seems to be the bow of a ship which rises directly above the lake vertically, about 150 meters.
G.Angelini route to Fabio Stedile summit
First climbers: Giuliano Stenghel and Fabio Sartori
Level: V+ and 1 sequence of VI
Material: 3 pitons
Climbing time: 1.30 hours
The route climbs the evident edge that it is easy to see from the lake and from the Gardesana way.
FIRST AND SECOND PITCH: from Gardesana way, after the tunnel by the Restaurant Ponale, climb on crumbling rock taking the direction of an evident cracked dihedral.
THIRD PITCH: it runs in open face on white rock but with few holds, between the edge and the crack of the dihedral (1 piton). On the top you have to use the crack, which is near to the edge; it means that you are forced to pass it in order to go on the southern face. Here the rocks are more diversified.
FOURTH PITCH: through good rock you follow the crest up to a comfortable ledge.
FIFTH PITCH: always directly, you reach a small face and an overhang continuing then up to the base of an evident dihedral (tree).
SIXTH PITCH: with some difficulties you run along the dihedral which presents a climb with few holds. The descent has to be done through grassy ramps on the east side (lake view). Some descents in rappel.

WOODY summit
Woody summit is a spike north of Stedile summit.

Calzà route
First climbers: Giuliano Stenghel, Fabio Sartori, Stefano Fruet, Marco Cantaloni.
Level: IV and V+
Material: 6 pitons, 3 expansion bolts and 2 belay pegs
Climbing time: 4 hours
From the base of Stedile summit, after about 150 meters north (above the new tunnel) you arrive under a summit similar to the Stedile ones. On the right, between an edge and a dihedral, climbs vertically a big smooth slab , on which there is the Calzà route. The rock is good, the climbing is very beautiful and technical even if you need the help of some solid pitons.
Climb a trees-clod up to the base of inclined rocks and dirty with grass.
FIRST PITCH: through easy rocks, cross some meters on the right and then climb directly on an inclined dihedral (II and III).
SECOND PITCH: going through a ledge on the right, you arrive at the base of the big, evident oblique dihedral; climb some meters on flakes, turning on the left up to the base of a grey face (some meters above you can set up an air-belay – 2 pitons IV and IV+).
THIRD PITCH: you continue along a crack (V) up to its end. You make a smooth slab stronger with some pitons (A-0) and then you go on  some rocks with more holds (V+). After crossing the dihedral you reach the equipped trail called Massimiliano Torti, which crosses on the upper side most part of the west cliff of the lake.
FOURTH PITCH: climb the face on a very thin edge continuing then without stops along an easy crest (inside a niche you will find the book of the summit). Descent with 3 rappel, using some trees, in the couloirs on the left. You will reach the base in a very short time.

FUN & PLEASURE
Under construction…

All the information is taken from:
CAMERINI F. – STENGHEL G., Il Garda Verticale, ed. Zeta-Beta 2002.