north Italy lakes scrambles + via ferrata
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I've long had the German-language guidebooks for climbing both short Sport and longer Trad routes (including easier solos), and for Via Ferrata routes around Lake Como (and other lakes) north of Milano and south from Zurich. Now I got the weather and the program to hit them driving the French Alps and the Dolomites. |
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My German-language guidebook for the lakes region hinted that there was on difficult via ferrata around the lakes better than the combination of Corno Medale with Monte Coltignone. How much better could it be? As it turned out,
protection seemed a bit sparse from a rock-climbing perspective. . . (? but maybe pure via ferrata cable-grabbing chain-grabbing practitioners don't notice or care?) . . warning: If you might be doing this route with someone who might get fatigued or intimidated by low class 5 moves later higher in the climb, bring a short rope and belay carabiner + device, perhaps a couple of slings to connect to anchors -- and have the weaker climber tie in to the rope and get belayed on some of the "run out" moves that are significantly above the last cable anchor. driving: Starting from near Menaggio, I used GPS and entered lat long for a parking option (below). Up mountain road with lots of curves, mostly asphalt but a couple of dirt sections. Might seem intimidating to visitors, but not narrow by typical European standards. Big wide flat parking lot at lat long (N46.0599 E9.2299) by start of hiking trail. If that's full or the road seems too intimidating, there are several lower opportunities, down as far as (N46.0529 E9.2338) in the village of Breglia. approach hike: Up the road 30 feet NE from the high big parking, see sign for Rifugio Menaggio and turn Left (W) then up (with some turns) generally West about 1000ft (300m), next up N about 650ft (200m), then W about 2500ft (800m), then South 330ft (100m) to the hut Rifugio Menaggio (N46.0605 E9.2187). Up a few steps from the hut to find sign for VF, next Left (SW) about 1300ft (400m), then NW for 650ft (200m) up to a small col, over and down to the bottom start of the Via Ferrata (N46.0592 E9.2136). climb via ferrata: Follow the cable and chain, with several downhill or gentle breaks between the steep sections. Two marked escape ("uscita") routes for those who get tired or overwhelmed. Finish up to a cross (N46.0619 E9.2112) with a big wide view, because it's the summit of Monte Grona. descent hike: I think I heard there's three trail options. I took the steepest and quickest, the Direttissima (which had been visible at many points from the via ferrata up-climbing route). I first hiked 200ft (60m) N from the summit to a signed trail junction, there turned down Right (SE). Direttissima is marked by standard red+white paint. Meets the approach trail or otherwise gets back to the hut Rifugio Memaggio, then the main trail back down to the big parking (or further if you are parked lower). statistics:
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They sound really good fun - Rockfax have a great new(ish) Dolomites climbing guide including some via Ferrata - its on my birthday list |
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I think it's great that RockFax Dolomites is giving more credibility to VF routes in a rock climbing guidebook. |
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Sentiero del Fiume (near Mandello del Lario)
Not a Via Ferrata route (contrary to my hope). Rather a quiet shaded hike up a gorge with some short scrambling sections and some pretty slab waterfalls, with lots of pleasant picnic spots. . . (I like VF routes in gorges, so much so that I've repeated some of them. Despite my hope, this turned out not to be one of those. I got the idea and description from a German-language via ferrata / klettersteig book. Actually the book did say that it wasn't much of a via ferrata, but I didn't read it so closely. There was indeed some fixed steel hardware in about six places, but no use for a via ferrata kit). I'd say the scenery in the gorge was nice but not outstanding -- for me not worth the labor it took to do the loop. The descent (outside above the gorge) was nice and easy, which helped me forgive the labor it took to get up. . . (Perhaps a better ratio of scenery to labor is instead to take trail 15 from the same parking up to the chapel at (lat long N45.9347 E9.3428) -- one-way +920 vertical feet over 1.15 mile distance (+280m over 1.85km). driving: Tricky to navigate to the trailhead Parking by latitude longitude (N45.9311 E9.3273). I entered the lat-long as "45.9311, 9.3273" into my phone map app, and that worked for me. The start is in the Somana section of the town of Mandello del Lario. up hike + scramble: Follow trail 15B -- for which there is a sign on the streets by the parking. While at the sign, note where trail 15 goes, since that's your descent route. Start on an asphalt street going SE, soon curves East, then becomes dirt / grass, then becomes a trail. Then keep following signs for 15B or Fiume. Later the trail turns NE. Reach the creek at around GPS lat long (N45.9365 E9.3477). Sometimes the trail is marked with red+white plate 15B, other times just by Red paint. Later turns NNE and then N, finally NW. Much steep uphill, at last reach trail junction at (N45.9459 E9.3500). Optional to go farther up to the hut Rifugio Era (but I was short on time that day). down hike: Follow trail 15, with signs also mentioning Somana or Mandello. Very well designed and maintained as of 2016. At first SW, then S, SW, S to a chapel with a big view over lakes and city. Then W and SW down into town. SSE on streets back to Parking. |
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I have a copy of a via ferrata guide that I bought from Michael Chessler's that was real handy when the wife and I went to Italy on our honeymoon. No scrambles, unfortunately, but rather exhaustive when it comes to via ferrata. Can't remember the title or author since it's been 15 yrs. since I've used it. The Dolomites seem to get short shrift when climbing in the Alps is discussed, but there's a lot of great stuff to be had if you've got the info and the time. |