Rosengarten group

The Rosengarten, known in Italian as the Catinaccio, is a jagged massif of the western Dolomites rising above Bolzano and the Val di Fassa, with its highest point near 3,004 metres at the Catinaccio d'Antermoia. At sunset the pale walls flush rose-red, the glow that gives the range its name and its old Ladin legend of King Laurin's enchanted rose garden.

This is classic Dolomite terrain of soaring towers, steep couloirs and airy ledges. Among its spires stand the celebrated Vajolet Towers, a magnet for rock climbers, while walkers cross the group on protected paths that link the surrounding valleys. The massif has been a cradle of Dolomite climbing since the late nineteenth century.

Access mixes hiking and climbing. The Via Ferrata Santner and the Passo delle Coronelle route thread the heart of the massif at moderate difficulty, demanding a ferrata set and steady footing on exposed but well-equipped ground. Pure rock routes on the towers and faces run from grade III to extreme on generally sound limestone, best in dry conditions; rockfall and sudden storms are the usual hazards, so a helmet and an early start are wise.

A ring of huts including the Vajolet, Santner, Re Alberto and Bergamo refuges makes multi-day traverses easy to plan, and the group sits on popular Dolomite high routes. The season runs from mid-June to September. Cable cars from the Fassa and Tires valleys bring visitors close to the walls, so even casual hikers reach dramatic viewpoints beneath the towers. Vigo di Fassa and the Tires valley are the main bases, with guides available in the resorts.