Every time I reach Valparola Pass to descend into Val Badia, my gaze is captured by the Sass de Putia (Peitlerkofel is the german name) . From this vantage point, the summit resembles more of a green, lightly rocky hillock. It towers like a lighthouse over a sea of clouds on typical late-summer days. This is the northernmost peak of the Dolomites, the Sas da Putia. Giovanni always calls it the mountain of my “Cuore” ( the famous book by Edmondo De Amicis – ever since I’ve known him, I’ve talked to him about it. It was here, at 14 years old, that a family friend first put a harness on me to climb the via ferrata leading to the summit. What memories!

Sas da Putia,  North Face. 

Along the road climbing from San Martino in Badia to Passo delle Erbe, once past the village of Antermoia, the Sas da Putia no longer appears as an insignificant green hill. Instead, it begins to reveal its full power: a steep, dark bullet of rock rising solitarily 600 meters above the green meadows of Passo delle Erbe.
It’s an almost enchanted place. In the early morning, silence is broken only by the cowbells of grazing cattle. Some set out from here to hike the Sas de Putia loop via Passo Goma and the Forcella del Putia (Roda de Pütia in Ladin). Others climb to the summit via the via ferrata to enjoy one of the most magnificent 360-degree panoramas in the Dolomites. Many families come here just for a relaxing walk to the first alpine huts beneath the North Face of the Putia.
This North Face is the major draw for climbers, offering several routes, most of which are modern and highly difficult. Only two routes see regular traffic: the North Ridge, also called Via Classica (Spigolo Nord) and the Messner Brothers’ route on the North Face. Both possess all the characteristics of an alpine adventure route on a large, exposed face, suited for those who love solitary and somewhat severe environments. But let’s get into more detail.

Sas da Putia, Classic Route (Via Classica). On the steep slabs of the upper section.

The North Ridge of the Sas de Putia, also called the “Classic Route,” was first climbed in 1919 by Hruschka and companions. It tackles the walls slightly left of the North Ridge in the first part, followed by a steeper section before the final gully and ridge crest, never exceeding upper Grade IV difficulty on excellent, sculpted rock. There’s one pitch, right in the middle of the climb connecting these two sections, where 10 very athletic meters present difficulties close to Grade VI (? YDS 5.9) if climbed free. Fortunately, there are 6 pitons to aid less experienced climbers. The rock here is yellow, steep, and a bit slippery, and an etrier might even be advisable for those who don’t want to push themselves to the absolute limit.

Sas da Putia, Classic Route (Via Classica). A downward glance from the overhanging key pitch.

It’s incredible to think alpinista climbed this way a hundred years ago – who knows with what ingenuity, hammered pitons, and rope maneuvers! The subsequent pitches are technical and steep; I happily kept my rock shoes on until the final ridge. What a beautiful climb overall!
Almost a month after climbing the Classic Route with Giovanni, I returned to the Sass de Putia with Enrico and Giovanni Jr. to experience the Messner Brothers’ route firsthand. I first read something about it many years ago during an evening at the Rifugio Pian di Cengia, in Hans Kammerlander’s book “Descent to Success.” In it, the author recounts his first ascent (and first solo) of the Messner route on the Putia one afternoon after a guiding day – an outing that nearly turned into tragedy.

Sas da Putia, North Face, Messner Route. On the long, exposed traverse of the third pitch.

Always rated as a severe route, it can now be considered a fairly repeated classic that has nonetheless retained all the characteristics of an adventurous and demanding line. Some trip reports can be found online, including a detailed and accurate one by Jacopelli in his now out-of-print guidebook. They all mention a few unclear sections where you might need to downclimb or ascend delicate rock sections.
Thanks to some valuable advice from Nicola Tondini (a good friend guide and amazing climber from Verona), we climbed this magnificent route fairly quickly. It surprises with its logical line through such a difficult and complex face as the Putia North wall, without exceeding Grade VI (? YDS 5.9). Belays are always equipped with pitons, but they’re not easy to find sometimes. Pitons along the pitches are few but crucial for indicating the path, along with some slings in threads. Finding them is reassuring, even if old and rusty. Opportunities to add quick protection are minimal on the slabs, which feature very compact and generally solid rock. Some sections of delicate rock can be avoided (and certain pitons can be misleading) if you follow the slabs, according to the logic of the first ascensionists (i.e., favoring slabs over unreliable cracks). We didn’t encounter any downclimbing sections.

Sas da Putia, North Face, Messner Route. The upper section. Exposure guaranteed.

With a clear idea of the face and those few but crucial spots on the wall, along with a good dose of steady nerves and experience, the Messner route won’t disappoint those seeking a true Dolomite Adventure. Giovanni called it “a route of legs and feet,” and I can’t disagree. There are very few athletic pitches; the two beautiful dihedrals with overhanging exits are well-protected, but your feet… by the time you reach the summit, they’re well cooked from all the edging and smearing. One final note I haven’t found in any report, but which could be helpful in case of changing weather or if you’ve had enough of runouts and psychological pitches: From the broad ledge halfway up the face (traversed leftwards), once you reach the three-pins belay at the base of the first beautiful dihedral, you can easily reach the bottom of the Hruschka route’s crux pitch by continuing left along the comfortable, gravelly ledge for about twenty meters. Similarly, a little higher up, before the long traverse right under the yellow overhangs, the belay of the Classic Route is visible and easily reachable with a traverse of a few meters.

For both routes, once you gain the final ridge, the summit is soon reached. For the descent, follow the comfortable via ferrata path – the new cable almost serves as a handrail. At a good pace, you’ll be back at Passo delle Erbe in about an hour and a half, ready for a well-deserved beer and something to eat.

All that remains is to wish you a good climb!