Moiazza Altarpiece of the Masenade via Soldà

In October the Dolomites empty out, and the trees are painted with enchanting colors. Even if the days are a little shorter, climbing in the sun is a pleasure and so we decide to take a trip to Moiazza. We have repeated more or less all the classic routes, today we decide to climb the Soldà on the pala delle Masenade. I had seen it a few years earlier while with Tommy and Marco we were climbing the colatoio Bonetti (a very beautiful route but unfortunately a little short).

The idea of ​​climbing on the grey rock of Molazza always intrigues me and so we set off in 4 towards Soldà. The approach is obvious even if a little tiring but all in all the steep part on the scree doesn't even last half an hour. The start of the route is shared with the Bonetti colatoio and, after quite a few years, Tommy and I find ourselves here again.

This time Marco isn't there but Luca and Francesca are there, so we split into 2 teams and in the meantime Tommy reminds me how brilliant we were when we attacked the Bonetti gully untied with the usual excuse that it was easy and we would tie ourselves in later, only to find ourselves putting on our climbing shoes while balanced about forty meters higher up.

In the first part of the route the climbing is pleasant on ideal rock, we faithfully follow the itinerary even if the San Tommaso guide is often imprecise especially in indicating the length of the pitches.

About halfway up the wall the route abandons the dihedrals and cracks to climb a couple of pitches of slab, where finding the route is not a given also because of the numerous pitons that tend to lead you off the route, despite this the rock, always fantastic, allows you to climb with peace of mind.

Once we reach a wide ledge we stop for a moment to drink given the warm and sunny autumn day, then we traverse horizontally to the left, walking a bit and climbing a bit for about thirty meters, passing an old nail with a cord and then arriving at the base of an obvious black line where we stop.

From here with difficulty around the VI grade you climb vertically thanks also to some nails that indicate the way, then you overcome a very well-handled and well-protected overhang thus exiting the difficulties. Another simple length and you arrive at the median ledge where the route ends.

On the way down we opt for the panoramic walk along the path that descends from the Scalet delle Masenade, we look around, while the sun illuminates the dolomite with its last rays, coloring it pink, and we realize how lucky we are.

The Soldà route on the Pala delle Masenade is a very pleasant route overall, challenging from an alpine point of view and long enough to spend a nice day in the mountains with friends, I recommend it!