Antelao

Antelao, 3,264 metres high, is the second-tallest peak of the Dolomites after the Marmolada and the undisputed monarch of the Cadore. Locals nicknamed it the King of the Dolomites for the way its sharp limestone pyramid towers over the valleys around San Vito di Cadore, catching the first and last light of the day.

What sets it apart is its isolation and steepness. Unlike the clustered towers found elsewhere in the range, Antelao rises alone in a single soaring sweep, its upper slopes holding a small remnant glacier that clings beneath the summit rocks. The mountain features in local legend and has long been a proving ground for Cadore mountaineers.

The normal route is an alpine scramble rather than a via ferrata, graded around PD with exposed passages on ledges and a short glacier crossing near the top. Sure-footedness, a head for heights and basic rope skills are needed; rockfall is a real hazard on the loose Dolomite limestone, so a helmet is standard and an early start is wise. Harder multi-pitch climbing lines rise on the northern and western faces at grades from IV upward.

Climbers usually set out from the Rifugio Galassi, reaching the summit in three to four hours from there. The dependable window runs from July to September, once snow has cleared from the upper ledges and the rock has dried. San Vito di Cadore and Calalzo are the valley bases, with guides available in Cortina. Views stretch across the Marmarole, the Sorapiss and the Boite valley, and the descent demands as much concentration as the ascent on the polished, downsloping slabs.