Tofana di Rozes (3,225 m) – Giovanni Lipella via ferrata [C/D]

The Dolomites are a true mecca for via ferrata enthusiasts – here we can find about 200 such routes of varying difficulty, and many of them follow the traces of old fortifications from World War I. In the very heart of these mountains, right next to the famous Cortina d’Ampezzo – the Olympic city of 1956 and 2026, rises the monumental Tofana di Rozes (3,225 m a.s.l.). It is one of the most characteristic peaks in the area, and the Giovanni Lipella via ferrata leading to it is considered an absolute classic. The route is extremely long and picturesque – a must-do for anyone who wants to feel the full atmosphere of the Dolomites. So I invite you to a report from the ascent of this amazing peak!

Tofana di Rozes – key information

Tofana di Rozes (3,225 m a.s.l.) is the third highest peak of the Tofan massif after Tofana di Mezzo (3,244 m a.s.l.) and Tofana di Dendro (3,238 m a.s.l.), and the seventh highest peak in the entire Dolomites.
The main base for trips to Tofana di Rozes is the mountain hut Rifugio Angelo Dibona (2,034 m a.s.l.), next to which there is a public (and free!) parking lot. People who want to start trekking from a slightly lower altitude can leave their car at one of the numerous parking lots along the main road SR48.
The summit of Tofana di Rozes can be reached by two variants: via ferrata and trekking. The first one involves passing the long but very interesting Giovanni Lipella via ferrata, with difficulties up to C/D on a scale to F, built in 1967. The route starts at about 2,500 m a.s.l., goes around the summit from the west, and then climbs it from the north side. One of the most interesting sections of the iron route is passing through a tunnel from World War I (bring a flashlight!). The via ferrata ends at about 3,050 m a.s.l., where it connects with the trekking variant. Completing the entire iron route takes 3.5 – 5 hours.
The trekking variant circles the summit of Tofana di Rozes from the east, passes by the charming Rifugio Camillo Giussani, and largely goes through a tiring, loose scree. This trail will be described in this post as the return route.
The south face of Tofana di Rozes remains inaccessible to the average tourist, but many impressive climbing lines have been marked on it.
Tofana di Rozes is high enough to potentially cause symptoms of altitude sickness. If you know you are prone to such issues, it is worth not risking it and not attacking this mountain on the first day of your Dolomites vacation :D (instead, choose something lower, e.g., Strobel via ferrata on Punta Fiames).
The Dolomites are considered crowded mountains, and the Giovanni Lipella via ferrata is known and popular. From my own experience, on a beautiful August day there are indeed small bottlenecks, but it is nothing compared to images familiar to a Polish tourist from summer queues on Rysy.
Just 800 meters east of Rifugio Angelo Dibona, there is another hut – Rifugio Pomedes. This place is significant because a ski route starts there, which hosted alpine skiers during the 1956 Olympics and will host alpine skiers during the upcoming 2026 Olympics.

Approach to the Giovanni Lipella via ferrata

The drive from our base – Olympia International campsite to the parking lot at Rifugio Angelo Dibona (2,034 m a.s.l.) takes just over half an hour. The road requires navigating dozens of sharp bends, and to make things worse – in the final kilometers it changes to dirt. We arrive at the parking a few minutes after 8 a.m. There are still quite a few free spots, but they fill up quickly. Importantly, despite the high altitude and the proximity of the hut, the parking is completely free. Incredible, right?

Leaving the parking, we almost immediately start a fairly intense ascent. The difficulty here is not only the steep incline but also the burning sun, capable of draining energy from even the most motivated hiker. We drove up more than one forest belt, so from the first kilometer we walk among dense mountain pines. By the way, thanks to the very high parking lots, many of the local three-thousanders are easily accessible to tourists. The views delight from the very beginning: in front of us towers the massive wall of Tofana di Rozes, and behind us opens a beautiful rock-and-green panorama to the south, spreading over dozens of peaks with fanciful, diverse shapes.

After one and a half kilometers we reach a trail junction at about 2,300 m a.s.l. To the right: trekking variant, straight ahead – a short approach to the easy via ferrata to Grotta di Tofana. We go left, toward the start of the Giovanni Lipella via ferrata. As we gain altitude, the landscape becomes more rugged, and the mountain pine is replaced by rocky scree and low grasses. For the next kilometer we walk along a traverse beside the massive wall of Tofana di Rozes. Around 9:40 a.m., less than one and a half hours from leaving the parking, we arrive at the starting point of Giovanni Lipella via ferrata, located at about 2,480 m a.s.l.

tofana di rozes ferrata — Start of the Giovanni Lipella via ferrata, first rungs and ladder visible

Ferrata Giovanni Lipella [C/D]

The Giovanni Lipella Ferrata is one of the most interesting via ferratas in the Cortina d’Ampezzo region. It stands out primarily because of its length: it is 3.3 kilometers long, and depending on individual pace, its completion requires between 3.5 and 5 hours. Technically, the ferrata is quite accessible – although the most difficult section is rated C/D (on a scale up to F), most of the route is much easier. The full topo can be found at this link.

The Giovanni Lipella Ferrata begins with an easy approach using steel rungs and a small ladder [A/B]. Then, the route dives into… Gallerie de Castelleto, a wide tunnel excavated by the Austrians during World War I. You should know that both Cortina d’Ampezzo and the entire historical South Tyrol were under Habsburg rule for most of their history. The situation changed only in 1915, when, in the name of a war that nobody really needed, the Italian army began crossing the Austrian border. Suffering from a painful shortage of forces, the Austrians decided to surrender Cortina without a fight, while occupying excellent defensive positions in the surrounding mountains. In this way, the war took an unprecedented turn. Artillery was hauled to absurd heights, firing positions were set up on rocky ledges, and soldiers shot at each other across ridges. The campaign claimed half a million lives – soldiers killed by avalanches, freezing from exhaustion, or struck by rock fragments ricocheting like deadly echoes of their own shots. One of the victims was Giovanni Lipella, after whom the ferrata today is named. Gallerie de Castelleto is therefore nothing other than a part of the wartime defensive system, serving to efficiently transfer forces and improve supply capabilities. As an epilogue, I should explain that in 1917 the Austrians broke through the front, descended into the valleys, and recaptured Cortina d’Ampezzo. However, it was too late, as the outcome of the war had already been decided on other fronts. In 1918, Austria-Hungary ceased to exist, and the entire historical South Tyrol became part of Italy. It is remarkable to think that, thanks to these terrible events, today we enjoy pizza in the Dolomites and wash it down with an Aperol.

Passing through this section requires having your own light source and maintaining special concentration – although there are no technical difficulties here, you need to watch out for slippery rocks and for other hikers coming from the opposite direction. The total length of the tunnel is 500 meters, over which there is an elevation gain of 130 meters (from approx. 2,480 m above sea level to approx. 2,610 m above sea level). In my opinion, going through this fragment is primarily an interesting experience. After all, how often does a person get the chance to make their way through rock tunnels carved at the height of the highest Tatra peaks?

After twenty minutes of walking in the dark, we emerge on the other side of the mountain. We overcome a group of easy rocks [B], and then move on to a longer trekking section – a traverse along the western face of Tofana di Rozes. The hike is accompanied by an incredible view of the monumental Val Travenanzes valley and the rocky wall of the opposite massif, whose highest point is Punta Sud di Fanes (2,989 m above sea level). We continue the climb a few minutes later. At first it is easy, but shortly after we encounter a small bottleneck, signaling the approach of the most difficult section of the ferrata – a rock traverse rated C/D. Indeed, this section is quite demanding, requiring strength, and at times even slightly overhanging.

After overcoming the rock wall, we continue the traverse along the western face of Tofana. We cross a characteristic crevice and continue along a short trekking section. Before the next rock wall, our attention is drawn to a French group ascending with a small, inconspicuous dog. From that moment, the little dog accompanied us all the way to the summit: sometimes a bit behind us, other times ahead. I am still impressed by its skills: despite its small size and unassuming appearance, the dog navigated rock obstacles and rocky approaches with incredible agility. And when the terrain became too demanding, the pup bravely climbed into its owner’s backpack, observing the other climbers from above.

We maintain our current direction for another hour. We move in a familiar pattern: easy flat sections alternate with gaining height on rocky approaches. This leads us to the rock formation Tre Dita (2,694 m a.s.l.), where we completely change the climbing direction. The Lipella route turns to the right, while further along the wall runs an evacuation variant, allowing hikers to retreat to Rifugio Giussani.

After several hundred meters along another trekking traverse, we reach the rock again. Now we begin the final act of the Lipella via ferrata, gaining 200 meters in altitude over a distance of 400 meters. The section runs along a rugged rock wall rated up to B/C. At times it is nearly vertical, requiring a lot of strength to overcome each challenge. Moreover, the wall is somewhat “enclosed,” which partially shields it from strong sunlight. As a result, some sections retain more moisture, making the rock wet and slippery.

At this stage, the main challenge is growing fatigue. We have been on the iron path for several hours; everyone needs coffee, and the rock wall seems endless… So, a few minutes before 2 PM, when we unclip the carabiner from the last section of the safety rope, I am satisfied. We did it! Completing the entire via ferrata took us 4 hours and 15 minutes. We maintained a moderate pace — no rush, but also no unnecessary dawdling.

The via ferrata ends at around 3,030 m a.s.l., connecting with the classic trekking route. To reach the summit, there remain only 200 meters of altitude gain on technically simple terrain. The ascent is rocky and slow-going, but despite our considerable fatigue, we complete it in about half an hour. We reach the Tofana di Rozes summit (3,225 m a.s.l.) at 2:30 PM, just over 6 hours after leaving the parking lot. The view is truly beautiful… Although a huge cloud partially hides Cortina d’Ampezzo, the nearby face of Tofana di Mezzo looks magnificent. As with most Alpine summits, there is a large cross and a notebook for hikers to sign in.

We spend a good several dozen minutes on the Tofana summit. Reaching this mountain gives us immense joy — we laugh, take many photos, and enjoy well-deserved treats. Looking back, the ascent of Tofana was the highlight of our Austrian-Italian vacation this year. There were many beautiful moments, but we consider the Lipella via ferrata our absolute number one. Beyond the satisfaction of the achievement, I feel immense pride in my Ada, who conquered her first three-thousander.

Descent via the trekking route from Tofana di Rozes

As pleasant as it is at the summit, eventually we have to make the decision to descend. I won’t hide it — we are now starting the less enjoyable part of the trip. While the photos on the way down turn out beautifully, the actual process of losing altitude is far from romantic. Small rocks constantly slip under our feet, forcing us to maintain continuous focus. The path is poorly marked and forks repeatedly, causing us to lose a lot of time weaving through the rocky terrain, searching for the most optimal route down. Combined with general fatigue, it paints a picture of a real struggle for survival.

Okay, maybe I’m adding a bit too much drama to this descent :D. In truth, I expected at least some trails in the Dolomites to be like this. I’ve already encountered extremely loose and tedious descents in other parts of the Limestone Alps — in the Julian Alps, the Kamnik Alps, and on the Dachstein. And the views here are indeed captivating — throughout the descent we are accompanied by the sight of the massive face of the neighboring giant, Tofana di Mezzo.

Shortly before 5 PM, we reach Rifugio Giussani, located on the wide pass Forcella Fontananegra (2,561 m a.s.l.), separating Tofana di Rozes from Tofana di Mezzo. According to the official website, the refuge was built among huge boulders and World War I firing positions, offering the opportunity to explore this part of the Dolomites where a very sad chapter of Italian history was written. We stop at the refuge for a short break to recover energy and enjoy the local espresso. Amidst the chatter of many voices, Polish is easily recognizable as well. This doesn’t surprise me — there are plenty of Poles in the Dolomites, as if this holiday destination is becoming increasingly popular among our compatriots.

Leaving the refuge, we start the final stage of our trip. We descend a wide, comfortable trail, part of hiking route no. 403. The Italian espresso worked wonders — I feel like a young god again, strong and ready to cover more kilometers! We lose altitude efficiently, with charming views to the south. The longer I observe this section of the panorama, the more fascinated I am by it. In fact, it ended with us heading out the next day for a trek around the Ponta Lastoi de Formin plateau and Cinque Torri. The last kilometer of today’s trip passes through idyllic greenery: grass, dwarf pines, and scattered taller conifers.

We reach the car quarter past 6 PM, setting the total duration of today’s excursion at almost exactly 10 hours. We feel physically tired but mentally refreshed. Tofana di Rozes gives us immense mountain satisfaction, lots of joy, and many, many fantastic memories. Thanks to Ada, Martyna, and Jaromir for letting me experience this with you!

Date of the trip: August 11, 2025

Trip statistics: 14 km; 1,480 meters of altitude gain

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