Brigatta via ferrata

For 20yrs I have thought about and hoped for today.  Today is my first opportunity to do a via ferrata: the iron way.  Images and articles of the via ferrata had fired my imagination before my first trip to Europe 18yrs ago.  The articles talked of narrow ledges protected by a steel cable, of ledges joined by ladders with mind blowing exposure.  I wanted a piece of the action, but excessive amounts of snow prevented the completion of any routes on that trip

I am climbing in the Dolomites with a guide, Marcelo, and deliberately scheduled a rest day to prevent my elbows or shoulders from blowing, especially since I haven’t climbed much recently.  Marcelo heard of my desire for a via ferrata, of course, and pointed out one right near the town I am staying in, Colfosco.   It climbs a tower above the spectacular cliffs we climbed on the first day and what’s more it is easy to find, easy to get to, easy to get down.  So much for the rest day.

My plan is to catch the 9:30 bus, but enthusiasm sees me packed and finished breakfast by 8:00 making the 8:25 bus possible.  Bus pulls in, hop on, “via ferrata”.  It’s as easy as that.  Marcello had told me the name of the bus stop, but it is a bit of a mouthful, so he told me to just ask for via ferrata – all the bus drivers know where it is.

The bus stop is at the car park for the via ferrata and already I can see people have started and many more are putting their harnesses on.  You are never alone in Europe.  I walk along the signposted path to the start of the climb and put my gear on.

Let’s go!  Clip in to the cable, and off I go.  The first section is up a lower cliffline that is quite damp in places due to the seepage from the cliffs and big ledge above.  Not only is there a cable for protection, but often rungs fixed directly to the rock in any places where it is difficult or slippery.

The first section ends on a big ledge that runs across the entire cliff line, by big, I mean 50-100m across and 1km long, with a walking track along it, that I take now to the base of the climb proper.

This climb goes up a tower that rises next to a cascading waterfall, the route first running parallel to the cascades, and then out onto the main face of the tower where it steepens, and then back towards the waterfall.   I quickly scramble up the rocks at the start, passing some people, and then clip in to the cable, the climbing a combination of walking, scrambling and climbing rungs with the cable a constant companion.  The view, ever changing as we gain height, is breathtaking.  And I mean we, you are never alone in Europe: especially on an easy, spectacular and accessible via ferrata. 

Even though I have spent the last two days rock climbing, including on the Sella towers, I am still amazed by this trip.  The exposure and the views are mindblowing.

The route finishes on the tower: to get off there is a suspension bridge that by my estimation is at least 100m off the deck.  Wow.  The bridge is merely a number of steel cables strung between the tower and the main mountain, with spaced timber steps fixed to the steel cable.  The bridge drops and swings as you step onto it ….

Off the bridge and head towards the rifugio that has been in sight from near the top of the tower, and in spite of the warmth of the day, and the availability of a beer, I order a cappuccino as a reward.

From the rifugio, Marcello’s instructions were to walk back to Colfosco via Val Medzi, and this was signposted.  Within about 100m of the rifugio the track forked, one going up and one going down.  I thought I should go down but the one going down looked like it just went a short way to a lookout.  The one going up looked like it went up and over a saddle and maybe down into the valley I wanted.  So I asked some walkers, pointing to the up track “Colfosco”  ‘yes yes Colfosco this way’.  So up I went, and up and up.  I walked up an amazing little valley.  Not a single scrap of green, not even any moss.  My path left the valley, up and over a saddle and kept going up.  Eventually I get to a sign post – there is no mention of Val Medzi.  I take a photo and then walk in the direction I think the valley is: nah, there is no going down there without a very long rope.  Back to the sign and I meet some more walkers – their English is a little better than the last group and they have a map that eventually they give me.  ‘Yes, this way goes to Colfosco, but it is the long way’.  That old lady who told me to go this way obviously had a sense of humor.  My diversion added an hour to the trip.

I had climbed up to about 3000m, so down I go back to the rifugio and take the other track.  From here it takes me 1.5hrs.  It is steep going down and loose with a few sections of cable on the steep sections.  The path near the waterfalls is rather challenging: steep and loose.  The total height loss from rifugio back down to the meadow is about 1000m

Back to flat ground and I up the pace to get back into town in time for lunch.  March straight to the restaurant I had targeted for lunch – the Black Hill Pizzeria – just after 2:00.  Order and eat a fantastic wood fired pizza.  After, I ask the waitress what time they close for lunch:  “2:00!”, said with a hint of a smile.  I am very thankful and leave a generous tip.

Back in my room I feel the effects of too much sun and the heat in the high valleys, so much for the rest day.  I hope I don’t have to wait another 20yrs for the next chance.