Skiing Marmolada - Punta Penia and North Shoulder

The first time I climbed Marmolada was in August 2013. I did it over the ´normal´ route up the glacier from the north with the short via ferrata. Weather was excellent and conditions easy, which meant good visibility, lot´s of people on the mountain and a more than obvious track. Although I did it on my own it was not very challenging and I felt that this trip was not appropriate for ´La regina delle dolomiti´. Hence I soon began to consider a more sophisticated route.
 
While the west ridge seemed to be inappropriate as well because it is a via ferrata, the south face is too difficult. Finally I started to look at the north face. Friends told me to stay away from the route in summer due to bad conditions and risk of rockfall after the glacier is more or less gone in the steep part. But in winter it would be a rewarding target, even more, because there is a chance to do the descent as an alpine ski-run.
The north face offers different routes, with the easiest over the north shoulder (steepness 40 degree max), while the central route offers a steepness > 55 degrees.
Of course I started to dream of a ski-run down the central route but for good reasons it was an easy decision to go for the north shoulder. The central route simply would be too dangerous. If you fall there it can easily be the end of all your dreams !
 
The adventure started on April 19 at 7 a.m. in Kastelruth. It had been raining the evening before and there was still a lot of fog around the mountain peaks in the morning and actually I had some concerns regarding the visibility. But while we were driving up to Passo Fedaya all the clouds disappeared and weather started to became excellent. 
When you drive up from Penia there is an extremely impressive view into the north west face of the Gran Vernel, the most western pillar of the Marmolada range. From the peak down to the valley it is about 1.800 meters of altitude. Although it is supposed to be one of the highest walls in the Eastern Alps it is pretty unknown. Anyhow - you would not believe – this wall has been skied down by some extreme skiers.  
 
The first couple of hundred meters of altitude we did with the very old-fashioned but endaring ´Korblift´ from Lago Fedaya up to the Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi. From there we started the ascent on our skis.
Because it had been snowing the evening before we were not really relaxed regarding avalanches. There were no traces up to the north shoulder and there is always a potential risk of avalanches out of the north face under which the first part of the ascent has to be done. Hence we decided to do the ascent over the normal route and to figure out later, whether it would be acceptable to do a ski-run down the north shoulder.
In the begin the route was moderate and we moved up the glacier without any problems, because all crevasses were fully covered with snow. Later-on we reached the steep wall, which is typically climbed over the via ferrata in summer, and had to look out for a route, because the via ferrata was fully covered with snow. We put on our crampons, fixed the skis on our rucksacks and started to climb up a couloir through the soft snow. Although it was quite step it was not really difficult and with crampons and ski sticks we finally made it and reached the north ridge. From there it was only a couple of hundred meters to walk up the plateau on skis. After 2,5 h we reached the summit.
 
Soon a couple of other mountaineers also reached the summit and we discussed snow conditions with them. They brought us good news, because some had climbed up over the north shoulder and told us, that conditions were pretty safe and that there wouldn´t be a reason not to ski down.
But before starting the descent we took some time to relaxe, have some food and of course to admire the fabulous landscape. Interestingly the mountains more in the south were covered with some clouds while we enjoyed pure soonshine. To the north we had an excellent view on Sasso Lungo, Sella and the 3 Tofanas. Lucky we.
After having some fun and ´climbing´ the summit cross we were getting cold again and decided to leave.
 
The following ski-run down to the north shoulder was one of the best I ever did. There was quite some fresh soft snow covering the glacier cap, but not too much snow, it was steep, but not too step and rushing down was pure enjoyment.
After reaching the north shoulder we had to cross into the lower part of the north face and actually this is a traverse, which one should take serious, because it is really steep (40 degree stepness), icy and one should not fall here in order not to land somewhere in the rocks below. But conditions were good and we did it without problems.
From there on the further route was without problems, but quite spectacular, because we went through a very narrow and deep canyon. Finally we made it down to Lago Fedaya on our skis, which was the finish of a ski-run of around 1.300m of altitude.
 
On the way back I was still so impressed by this experience that I stopped at the Passo di Sella only to look back to Marmolada. From this viewpoint one can exactly look at the skiing line and I almost couldn´t believe that I just had done this.
I sat down on a bank, the sun was still shining, it wasn´t too cold and it took more than one hour before I was able to leave and to drive on.
Finally I can only say that I´m more than happy that I have done a second trip to Marmolada and that it definitly has been one of my best mountain adventures ever.


https://youtu.be/YP-BpLiBfAI