Via Ferrata. For those unsure of the term, via ferrata literally means 'iron way' but the term has become generic for this type of climbing/scrambling. Via ferratas consist of ladders, rungs and cables strung up steep mountainsides to provide an exhilarating route through terrain that has traditionally belonged to the rock climber. Routes are normally self-protected, i.e. a harness is worn with two long attachment points so that one or other is connected to a rung or cable at all times on the more difficult stretches. Rock climbers will find all of this second nature. Walkers making the transition should take time to learn the techniques, start with the easier routes and perhaps consider carrying a 20m length of light rope.
Here are the routes that we climbed, 1 & 2 are in Austria, the other 4 are in the Dolomites region of northern Italy, 3 & 4 near Cortina, 5 & 6 near Pozza di Fassa in the Rosengarten (Catinaccio) area. Routes in Italy are graded from a - g, easy to hard, where g borders on proper rock climbing.
Recommended reading:
Klettersteig - Scrambles in the Northern Limestone Alps
Paul Werner translated by Dieter Pevsner, Cicerone Press, ISBN 0 902363 46 8
Via Ferrata - Scrambles in the Dolomites
Hofler Werner translated by Cecil Davies, Cicerone Press, ISBN 1 85284 089 7
Via ferrata climbing often places one in serious mountain situations. Learn the techniques or take a course, always use proper via ferrata designed equipment, wear a helmet, carry spare food and clothing, watch the weather, know how to find the descent route, take care, have fun.
- Allmauer Halt 2344m - Austria -Wilder Kaiser (grade b?)
- Hundskopf 2243m - Austria - Walderkammspitz 2528m - Karwendel - Halltal chain (grade b?)
- Punta Fiames 2240m - Dolomites - Via Michelli Albino Strobel - Pomagonon Range (grade d)
- Col Rosa 2166m - Dolomites - Via Ettore Bovero - Tofana Group (grade e)
- Cima Dodici 2443m - Dolomites - Via Franco Gadotti - Marmolata Area (grade c)
- Santner Pass 2741m - Dolomites - Rosengarten Hut - Rosengarten Group (grade c)
Austria
Kaisergebirge - Allmauer Halt 2344m - Wilder Kaiser (grade b?)
Anyone who has not visited this range in Austria has missed out on some wonderful mountains. there's lots of walking and excellent rock climbing there, but that's another story. Picture 2 is the Steinerne Rinne, the deep gash that cuts through the heart of the range, the lower Goinger Halt is on the left, the Ellmauer Halt further back on the right. An ascent of the Ellmauer Halt bags the highest top in the range and a wonderful day out.
It's possible to get a car quite high and park at a climber's hostel. from here it's a steady climb past the Grutten hut then onto the main mountainside. The path traverses a steep hillside, easy at first but gradually steepening with bits of easy ladders and cables. Rounding the summit tower is a line of curious stemples fixed into the side of the buttress (Picture 5). Steep scrambling leads past a bivouac hut to the summit cross. Return trip 8 hours.
Karwendel. - Hundskopf 2243m and Walderkammspitz 2528m - Karwendel - Halltal chain (grade b?)
The Karwendel Gebirge is just north of Innsbruck in Austria. Suzy and I dropped in on the range on our way back home from the Dolomites. It's a big sprawling sort of range with lots of scree but (right) we thought that we aught to try something. Parking at Hinterhornalm (1522m) the walk passes through meadows and easy crags before steepening up onto a sharp ridge. The route leaves the (descent) ridge and traverses across the (north?) face to reach a short series of steep ladders leading to the summit, picture 3, Suzy on pitch 1. Purists scramblers may want to bag the nearby Walderkammspitz which would add another hour. Return time from Hundkopf about 4 hours.
Italy - Dolomites
Dolomites - Punta Fiames 2240m - Via Michelli Albino Strobel - Pomagonon Range (grade d)
This was our first big route of the holiday and Suzy was distinctly nervous about the whole thing, preferring on balance to wander off with her wild flower field guide. However, we parked the campervan on the Cortina to Toblach road as close to the peak as possible making for a fairly short approach. The route zigzags up ramps and steep walls with several false dawns before the true summit is reached. Positions just got better and better. We arrived in thick cloud heralded by the rumbling of thunder. Of course, we lost the descent and wasted 30 minutes wandering around an alp before we located the HUGE descent gully.
Dolomites - Col Rosa 2166m - Via Ettore Bovero - Tofana Group (grade e)
I've not done that many via ferratas over the years but this must rank with the best. It's not the longest but it's quality all the way to the top. The approach walk was pleasant and well-maintained almost to the foot of the crag. Suzy had trouble with the first moves and my ears were beginning to ache from words that I never knew she was familiar with. The route climbs somewhere close to the left arete, but its apparently easy angle belies the angle of much of the route. Picture 7, Suzy on an entertaining little traverse out of a corner system on to an exposed arete. There was much muttering on this section, now some 250m above the forest.
All good things must come to an end, suddenly we were at a little rock garden and with a couple more short ladder sections we were at the top. Eight, that's us, note forced smile on wife's face. The descent was easy. (Note via ferrata equipment, gloves are necessary)
Dolomites - Cima Dodici - Via Franco Gadotti - Marmolata Area (grade c?)
It's always possible to have a bit of an adventure when out via ferrata. This route turned out to be one. We were camped at Pozza di Fassa and rather than unhitch the campervan and drive, we decided to start from the campsite. Mistake 1; this added about 3 miles onto our circuit. The first section comprises a very steep hillside plus some scrambling from San Nicolo valley at (1320m) into a stunningly beautiful hanging valley with the Zeni bivouac at 2100m - see banner. From here it was a short walk to the start of the via ferrata, see 9. All went well, we had the whole range to ourselves and though it was quite steep in places the cables seemed to have been recently replaced (10 & 11). Despite it being early in the season there was very little snow in the initial gullies. After an hour or so the cables ended and after scrambling up some steep grass we soon found ourselves on a kind of col with the summit of Cima Dodici (2443m) 10 minutes easy walk away.
After a sandwich we continued along grassy tops dotted with gentians and eidelweiss to be confronted by a deep and horrible scree filled gully fixed with bits of cable. We set off down but it soon became apparent that we were a bit too early in the season. The cable often disappeared into snow-ice and rubble, and at one point where it was necessary to squeeze under a huge chockstone where we were deluged in icy melt water. See 12, Suzy just visible below the chockstone. After that things became a bit more reasonable as we joined a series of narrow paths crossing some shallow corries and a variation to bag the top of Punta della Valacia (2637m). Eventually we came out at the end of the range at a junction of many tracks where we followed the 624, past the Valacia hut and back in the direction of Pozza.
Guide book time 4-5 hours. Yer-wot? ours, 8 hours. Huh!
Dolomites - Santner Pass 2741m - Rosengarten Hut - Rosengarten Group (grade c)
After that, there was a revolt in the ranks and Suzy asserted that she wasn't doing any more desperate via ferratas this holiday. OK, a classic day out in 'tills, the Santner Pass from the Rosengarten (Kolner) hut. It even has a chair lift from the car park at Frommeralm to the hut.
After a short steep section we began to traverse left across the long west flank of the Rosengartenspitz (13) where we met a German party who had just backed off our route. "It is very dangerous, there is too much snow, you must go back". Suzy turned a whiter shade of pale and I suggested we just potter on a little to find out what all the fuss was about.
The track slowly steepened with some short ladder sections (14) and when almost on the pass we encountered a snow filled gully where the cables disappeared underneath, obviously the cause of the Germans disquiet. A slip would have been serious, but the snow was soft enough to kick reasonable steps into and within 6m we were across and onto warm dry rocks.
A few more metres and we were at the Santnerpasshutte (15) in time for coffee and sticky buns. We dropped down past the Gartlhutte, almost to the Vajolet hut where we turned right and traversed the east side of the Rosengartenspitz and then by a rather scree-y Route 550 over the Tschagerjoch and back down to the chair lift. Good day out but no epics.
chris.jackson@zen.co.uk