Tre Cime di Lavaredo

I've been waiting for the weather to break at Tre Cime di Lavaredo and today I got my chance.  I drove up to Palus San Marco, on the road from Auronzo to Misurina and hopped on my road bike.  This road takes you from 1100 meters up to Lago Misurina at 1750 meters in about 11 km.  It has some 12% stretches but the nice views of  Cristallo keep your mind off the effort.  

After Lago Misurina the first steep segment takes up you to Lago d'Antorno, then you coast down to the toll booth (€24 per car) and there the real climb starts.  I  stood on everything 12% and above: almost made it from Palus San Marco to the end of the climb without stopping, but I ran out of gas on the long steep stretch of 16-17% shown below.  After a break I went on up to Rifugio Auronzo where pavement ends at 2320 meters.

I locked the  bike to a flag pole and started hiking.  Last time up here in 2011 I vowed to come back and hike around to the other side of the Tre Cime.  So I installed my SPD pedals on the Viner road bike, rode up in my Pearl Izumi X Alp bike/hike shoes and hiked around to the back.  The scenery was well worth the effort.  I was short on time so didn't do the full circle around the Cime, but that gives me a reason to come back again.  I won't wait 3 years next time.   
      

On the left, the gradient that done me in

View east toward Lago d'Auronzo

The Cime from the east (on trail to Rifugio Laveredo)

From a bit further east

Mountains to southeast

From northeast

Vertical walls

Mountains to northeast

More formations to northeast

Refugio Locatelli

To north

Panorama from Forcella Lavaredo

Close-up from trail I returned on (close to base of Cime)

Too close

If you look closely climbers are up there

Panorama to south with Lago Misurina

Lago d'Antorno