For those wishing to avoid the toll the cheapest way of accessing the Tre Cime (without walking) is via one of the locally operated bus services. These can be caught from Misurina, or the bottom of the toll road (bus stop opposite the camper van park). Times and prices can be checked in the supermarket found in Misurina. However currently there isn't a service which runs early enough to start any of the longer routes on the same day. It can however be used for shorter routes, the via ferrata or if you plan to stay at the Tre Cime overnight. If you do wish to walk up you can park at Rifugio d'Antorno, or just before the toll barrier, and walk up path 101 (well signed to 'Tre Cime' and 'Rifugio Auronzo' - 2 hours). Iconic symbol of the Dolomites, the Tre Cime are world famous in the climbing community and as such need little introduction. For the uninitiated there are in fact eleven or so towers that make up the group, but it is the three monoliths and their north faces that have captured the imagination of tourists and climbers alike for years. Cima Piccola, as the name suggests, is the smallest of the three and is found on the east side. Cima Grande is the largest at 2999m and its north face makes up one of the prestigious six classic north faces of the Alps. Cima Ovest on the west side of the group completes the famous trinity and has a somewhat enigmatic persona featuring several hard routes that are rarely repeated. The climbing here is some of the best in the Dolomites, certainly for the situations and surrounding scenery. From a geological perspective the north faces here are impossibly steep, often overhanging for an imposing and daunting 500m vertical height. Here you get a true big wall climbing experience that is hard to find elsewhere in Europe. The climbing isn't all about the north faces though and there is some excellent climbing of all grades to be found on the sunny south and east faces. The approaches are simple making the routes very accessible. The Tre Cime themselves are perched on a pedestal giving fantastic views of the surrounding area once on the climbs. All this comes at a price however; as the tourist icon of the Dolomites don't expect peace and quiet down at the base of the towers, or in fact on the routes themselves! Climbers have become a major attraction for those coming to view the Tre Cime so expect a small army of telephoto lenses aimed your way for most of the day when climbing any of the classic routes. From a climber's perspective there are five towers to be considered: Cima Piccolissima, Punta Frida, Cima Piccola, Cima Grande and Cima Ovest. To the north and northeast of the group lie Torre Toblino and Monte Paterno, a pair of small but impressive peaks that are home to two excellent via ferrata. Both Delle Scalette and Sentiero de Luca are highly recommended for those wanting to have a relaxing day viewing the north faces as the scenery is nothing short of stunning. The routes are usually in best condition from August to October (the south-facing routes can generally be climbed earlier). Make sure you check the conditions in the descent gullies, which can hold snow late into the season. A standard rack is sufficient for most of the routes at the Tre Cime, although for routes like Comici-Dimai you will need at least 16 quickdraws if you wish to clip all the fixed gear. Some parties on the more difficult climbs (generally VIII+) opt to haul gear, especially if going for the onsight attempt. Because the routes and abseils are overhanging on the north face a set of prusiks is mandatory.