Placche Zebrate (Dro) · Arco & Valle del Sarca · Italy
Read the cautionsBail not documentedBolting confidence: medium
This is the archetypal long, easy Arco slab, first climbed in 1971. It wanders up the lower bands and then improves into a superb water-worn chimney system in the upper half. It is very polished and very busy, so start early. Original grade 6- UIAA per bergsteigen.com; gulliver gives 5c max.
Bolted and needs no trad gear, but spacing is not sport-crag standard, the chimneys are polished and rockfall on this busy slab is a real hazard.
The route
Rita is one of the long, easy classics of the Placche Zebrate (the 'Sonnenplatten') above Dro: 16 pitches up the middle of the slabs. The lower half wanders over ramps, ledges and short walls at about 3c–4a. The climbing improves with height and the highlight is the deep, water-worn chimney system in the upper half (three pitches of about 5c), visible from the car park. It was the second route climbed on the wall, in 1971. It is well protected for the grade but not at sport-crag spacing, the chimneys are polished, and there is real rockfall risk from the scree above and from other parties.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 3c | Easy ramps. |
| P2 | 3c | Easy ramps, then right. |
| P3 | 4a | A corner, then right. |
| P4 | 4a | A vertical wall, then clearly left. |
| P5 | 4a | A ramp and a short wall. |
| P6 | 4a | A short wall, a ramp to the right, then a crack. |
| P7 | 4a | Left, then short walls. |
| P8 | 5c | A short wall and a small overhang, then right. |
| P9 | 5c | A deep, stepped chimney. |
| P10 | 5c | Deep chimney, then a short wall. |
| P11 | 4b | A polished chimney. |
| P12 | 4c | A flared corner. |
| P13 | 5a | A short wall, then left. |
| P14 | 4a | A short wall, then leftwards. |
| P15 | – | Ungraded traverse left along a ledge to another belay. |
| P16 | 4a | A short wall, then a greasy flared crack to the top. |
Getting there
The Placche Zebrate are above the road between Pietramurata and Dro, north of Arco. Park at the Placche Zebrate car park with the toilet hut, next to the fish farm and just before the bar 'Parete Zebrata' (on the left if you come from Arco via Dro). Car break-ins are frequent here: leave nothing valuable in the car.
20–30 min. From the car park take the good marked path towards the slabs, cross a forestry track and continue towards the wall; the Rita chimney is easy to pick out. After the wood, go up scree to a rise where the route starts at about 390 m. The route name is written at the base. Put your helmet on before you reach the wall.
Loading map
The point marks the base of the route.
Parking
Parking marked on bergsteigen.com
Point from bergsteigen.com touren/klettern/rita-placche-parete-zebrate-sonnenplatten
Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 45.99738, 10.91882 (route base) · Parking: 45.99550, 10.92640
Getting down
Walk off, 40 min to 1 h. From the top go left (facing in) on the descent path across the scree above the wall to a fenced aqueduct. Gulliver says not to follow the forestry road there but to take the path that turns sharply left and drops down steep scree to the valley (40 min). bergsteigen.com describes going down the descent path to a forest road and following that back to the car (1 h). Either way, do not knock stones off while crossing above the wall, and keep away from the foot of the wall on the way down.
Retreat
Bail not documented
Retreat is not documented. Gulliver and bergsteigen.com describe only the walk-off from the top. Neither says how the belays are equipped or whether the route can be abseiled. With 16 pitches that often move left or right, do not count on an easy way down from the middle.
Safety
Sun and weather
East facing according to bergsteigen.com (Gulliver lists it as south), with the base at about 390 m. The slabs are very popular; neighbouring-route pages describe the area as very busy. No source read gives a best season for this route.
Sun on the wall · E-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.
Climate figures for Arco & Valle del Sarca are not available yet
What to carry
One 50 m single rope, 10 quickdraws, slings and a helmet (bergsteigen.com). No nuts or cams are listed. Gulliver notes that 70 m ropes let you skip many belays, but you must then extend the runners a lot.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Rita.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.