The hard dolomite (dolomia principale) was originally formed during the Mesozoic era, under the surface of the shallow Tethys Ocean, some 200 million years ago.

The difference is clearly noticeable for the climber who gets a much more compact and reliable rock on the peaks of the central part of the Brenta Group than in the peripheral subgroups.

1884: Cima degli Armi, 1885: Campanile Alto), Albert de Falkner[9] and Edward Theodore Compton (1881: Crozzon di Brenta).

[10] The latter built up a career as an artist in Germany and had fully integrated into the ranks of the Deutsch-Oestereichische Alpen Verein (DÖAV), for which he made a large series of paintings and illustrations, also featuring the Brenta Group in some remarkable images.

[15] German speaking alpinists like Gottfried Merzbacher, Steck, Mayr, Adang, Heinemann[16] and others left their mark on the Brenta Dolomites.

Around the turn of the century a competitive spirit developed between Italian and German speaking alpinists, which took its main inspiration from the emerging nationalistic feelings in the region.

The DÖAV Sektion Bremen decided to construct a large mountain hut at the rocky saddle just above the Rifugio Tosa in 1897.

[17] A similar situation was created at Passo Tuckett where the SAT had constructed the small rifugio Sella in 1905 and the DÖAV Sektion Berlin built a larger hut right next to it.

[18] When the last undisturbed major peak in the Brenta Group, Campanile Basso, was finally climbed by Berger and Ampferer in 1899, it appeared that they had heavily relied on the work of Garbari and Pooli, who had stopped just 35 m (115 ft) off the summit.

The works were interrupted by the Second World War but were resumed in 1948 mostly by effort of Celestino Donini, until reaching its completion point at the Bocca dei Armi.

[21] The Autonomous Province of Trento passed a law in 1967 to protect the Brenta Group as part of the Parco Naturale Adamello-Brenta.

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and the wood grouse (Tetrao urogallus) find a protected home in these mountains.

There is however a long modern high capacity lift that goes from Madonna del Campiglio right up the main chain of the Brenta Group to Passo Grostè at 2,444 m (8,018 ft).

The skiing area above Molveno at Pradel is very small but offers a splendid view into the central part of the Brenta Group.

Hikers can choose between very challenging itineraries like the Bochette Alte or less demanding alternatives but should always come well prepared with the right equipment, safety gear and precautions against sudden weather changes.

For these climbers the peaks and pinnacles of the Central Chain - made up of solid Dolomia principale- remain the main attraction.

Challenging historic itineraries like the Via Preuss and Diedro Fehrmann on Campanile Basso, the Via Schulz and the Pilastro die Francesi on the Crozzon di Brenta, the Via Videsott on the Cima Margherita, the Via Dibona on the Croz dell'Altissimo and so many other classic routes[26] and their endless variants attract many climbers every year.