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08/29/08. Pillar Rib (VI-, 18P) on Tofana Di Rozes’ South Face Buttress 2
We wanted to climb one of Tofana’s handsome south face buttress routes since laying our eyes on it from Cinque Torri on day one. But of course, after our Torre Venezia climb more shitty weather rolled through the Dolomites. As the storms were clearing, I got the worst case of indigestion (the cheese-rich diet I guess) that kept me bed-ridden with labor pains for an additional day. As the storms and indigested cheese cleared up, we headed out to Rifugio DiBona and climbed Tofana’s 18-pitch Pillar Rib (a.k.a. Costantini/Ghedina) the following day. Fun climbing with a spectacular traverse pitch midway up the route. Most amazing part was perhaps the fact that for the first time the top of The Buttress was not enshrouded in thick clouds. In fact we had perfect weather and the only “crowding” on the route was a pair of friendly Austrians behind us. Nice top-out on the rib and a mostly straightforward descent.Photos

South face of Tofana Di Rozes. The 18-pitch Costantini/Ghedina route (a.k.a. Pillar Rib) climbs the second prominent buttress from the right staying close to the arete (Aug. 2008).

Buttress Two of the south face of Tofana Di Rozes. View is from our morning approach to the start of the Pillar Rib route (starts near the left edge of the buttress; Aug. 2008).

Starting up the 18-pitch Costantini/Ghedina (a.k.a. Pillar Rib) route on Tofana’s Buttress Two (Aug. 2008).

Shirley nearing the top of pitch 2 (we combined 1 and 2) of Costantini/Ghedina. An Austrian team is below us (Aug. 2008).

Shirley on pitch 3 traverse on the Pillar Rib route on the Second Buttress. Third Buttress is in the background (Aug. 2008).

Leading pitch 4 of Pillar Rib – up the dihedral before cutting back left onto the face above (Aug. 2008).

Shirley on 10-ish pitch of Pillar Rib. This is where the route changes sides on the giant arete (Aug. 2008).

Shirley nearing the top of the Pillar Rib route on the Second Buttress of Tofana Di Rozes (Aug. 2008).

A nice solid bridge we encountered on the hike down …Shirley said it was solid & that I should go first (Aug. 2008).
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