Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo are three of the most famous peaks in the Dolomites, considered amongst the most famous natural wonders in the world.
The final 7km climb from Misurina (1760 m) to the Tre Cimes is very challenging with its final stretch of less than 4 km gaining 477 hm for an average slope greater than 12% and maximums of near 19%.
The first difficult part will meet us shortly after leaving the lake, at the pass of Col S. Angelo. Turning onto the private road that leads to the Three Peaks, we start a brutal 800m climb with an average slope of 11%, with18-19% maximums.
After an initial steep ramp, a relieving downward slope leads to the refugio’s entrance, continuing for a few hundred meters to the bridge which marks the true beginning of the climb.
From here there are four kilometers of pure suffering on an average slope of nearly 12%, with harsh ramps that approach 18-19% near the end. There is only one brief section where you can catch your breath.
The initial part is the easiest, but after the first bend in the road, the climb rears up sharply. We are faced with a straight vertical section, the first of many. The ascent is a series of long and steep straight sections, interrupted by with switchbacks, themselves also very demanding. It is very difficult find time to rest.
It is an immensely challenging climb, where the straight rises can put a strain on even the most trained cyclists, with the difficulty tapping you in the third kilometer. The slopes here are around 14-15% on average, with short stretches of 18%. The continuously steep road numbs the visual perception of the slope but the slow but the heavy pace of the climb can lead to a sense of hopelessness. When you do finally reach the top, though, you have the sensation of having done something special, to have tamed one of the most difficult climbs in the world. Fatigue is quickly forgotten, looking up at the sky and the immensity of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo’s cliffs which seem to almost touch it. Time to enjoy the relaxing descent back down the epic climb you just experienced to the refugio’s entrance!