The Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites and part of the Marmolata group. The ridge of the Marmolada runs from west to east. Here we find the following mountain peaks: Punta Penia 3343m, Punta Rocca 3309m, Punta Ombretta 3230m and Punta Serauta 3069m.
The south side of the Marmolada is known for its challenging multi-pitch tours. The most famous of these are “The Path Through the Fish”, “Don Quixotte”, “Modern Times” and many more.
The north side, which slopes gently down to the Passo Fedaia, has the only glacier in the Dolomites.
The Punta Rocca was first climbed in 1862 by Paul Grohmann, a Viennese mountaineer and founding member of the Austrian Alpine Club, on the north route. The ascent of the 35m higher Punta Penia followed in 1864 by Paul Grohmann and the two mountain guides Angelo and Fulgenzio Dimai. The west ridge of the Punta Penia was secured and first climbed in 1898. The very popular via ferrata was opened in 1903.
The first south face route to the Punta Penia, the Via Classica (IV), was opened in 1901.
During the First World War, the Marmolada was a border area between Austria-Hungary and Italy.
Other first ascents on the Marmolada South were made after the war by Luigi Micheluzzi, Hans Steger, Batista Vinatzer and Heinz Mariacher.