Cima di Ball

Cima di Ball
Northwest aspect, centered
Highest point
Elevation	2,802 m (9,193 ft)[1][2]
Prominence	352 m (1,155 ft)[1]
Parent peak	Vezzana[1]
Isolation	1.08 km (0.67 mi)[1]
Coordinates	46°14′35″N 11°50′40″E / 46.242994°N 11.844456°E / 46.242994; 11.844456[1]
Naming
Etymology	John Ball
Geography
Cima di Ball Location in Italy
Country	Italy
Region	Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Protected area	Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park
Parent range	Dolomites Pale di San Martino
Topo map	Tabacco Maps Pale di San Martino
Geology
Rock age	Triassic
Rock type	Dolomite
Climbing
First ascent	1869 Leslie Stephen (solo)[3]

Cima di Ball is a mountain in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol of northern Italy.

Description

Cima di Ball is a 2,802-meter-elevation (9,193-foot) summit in the Pale di San Martino group of the Dolomites. The peak is located four kilometers (2.5 miles) southeast of San Martino di Castrozza mountain resort, and the peak is within Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Precipitation runoff from the mountain's slopes drains into tributaries of the Cismon. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,700 meters (5,577 feet) above the Cismon in 2.5 kilometers (1.55 miles), and 540 meters (1,772 feet) above the Rifugio Pradidali in 0.75 kilometer (0.46 mile). The nearest higher neighbor is Cima Immink, 1.08 kilometers (0.67 mile) to the north-northeast.^[1] The mountain's Italian toponym translates as "Ball Peak." The peak was first climbed and named in 1869 by Leslie Stephen to honor his friend John Ball (1818–1889),^[4] a fellow mountaineer who was the first to climb a major peak in the Dolomites (Monte Pelmo in 1857).^[5] John Ball authored The Alpine Guide which helped popularize the region among climbers and travelers.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Cima di Ball is located in an alpine climate zone with long, cold winters, and short, mild summers.^[6] Weather systems are forced upward by the mountains (orographic lift), causing moisture to drop in the form of rain and snow. The months of June through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing or visiting this area.^[7]

Gallery

• 
  East aspect of Cima di Ball (center) and Campanile Pradidali (right) rise above Rifugio Pradidali
• 
  Cima di Ball centered
• 
  South aspect of Cima di Ball viewed from Velo della Madonna mountain hut
• 
  Sunset at Cima di Ball

See also

• Southern Limestone Alps

References

1. "Cima di Ball". peakvisor.com. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
2. "Cima di Ball". peakery.com. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
3. The Dolomites, Sam Hield Hamer, John Lane Company, 1910, p. 277.
4. In Memoriam: Sir Leslie Stephen, James Bryce, The Alpine Journal, 1905, Longmans, Green, and Co., p. 143.
5. John Ball, Museodolom.it, Retrieved October 19, 2025.
6. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606.
7. Best Time to Visit the Dolomites (+ Months to Avoid), Moonhoneytravel.com, Retrieved October 19, 2025.

External links

• Weather forecast: Cima di Ball