UKC

Hello! 

I'm planning my first via Ferrata trip (Dolomites) for mid June this year and thought I'd seek the advice of the hive mind.

I'll be going with my partner, who's pretty active, but doesn't climb. I've sold the trip as 'hard scrambling' or 'go ape in the mountains'. We're planning on camping in Cortina and staying for a week, most likely driving from Venice. 

I've a few questions after a few days of trawling forums, which hopefully someone can shed some light on.

Has anyone camped in Cortina before, and is there a possibility of booking pre pitched tents? If we spend a week in my snug 2 berth tent there's a good chance I'll come back single. It would also save space in the suitcase.

What's the best guidebook for the Cortina region? Is the rockfax one worth the investment? It looks pretty cumbersome, and it's easier to stick to my 'hard scrambling' sales pitch if I get the cicerone guide.

I've read that not all lifts are open so early in the season, has anyone had issues with this?

I've never tried via Ferrata before, I was planning on bringing a short rope in case there are any abseils required, and it could be useful if something were to go wrong. Is this sensible? 

Finally, if anyone has any lanyards tucked away in a cupboard that may be up for sale. Please feel free to drop me a message! 

Thanks! 

-Jack

I can’t really answer many of your questions, sorry. The cicerone volume 1 guide will be fine. Probably best you don’t see the rock routes in the Rockfax you are missing out on.

I once used a short rope (15m, 8mm) to rescue an exhausted climber so they can be useful but it’s unlikely you’ll need it. If the shortest thing you’ve got is something like a 30m 10mm then I would bother lugging it around. It really is just scrambling will added protection.

The Dollies are awesome!

Guides will have a short rope but I've never known anyone else bother. Try some shorter easy ones first to check your mate is ok with the exposure. Cut down gardening gloves protect the hands and helmets obligatory. Ive seen a lot of cut heads. 

Get up early and get off before the thunderstorms. If there's a risk of lightning change plans. Cicero guides are great. Enjoy. Greast history on those routes.

Our local library had the Circerone Guide and that was fine. 

This page has details of what's open and closed:

https://www.guidecortina.com/en/attivita/estate/ferrate/situazione-ferrate

Right now they are all marked as closed because there's still snow. Some will start to open in the next few weeks. You may find some don't open by mid June bit many will. Even into July we found some had sections that were still closed (e.g above 3000m as the snow hadn't gone).

Re ski lifts, TBH, we didn't really use them much. I only remember using one for Ivano Dibona and that crazy lift doesn't run now. 

If the route finishes high up check that descent routes are free of snow, sliding down a ski run in trainers / on your backside can be a bit iiffy. 

Be careful if buying second hand lanyards. Loads were subject to safety recalls in the past. If you do go second hand then check the model and age etc isn't affected. A quick Google of the make and model should tell you. 

Thanks for the replies everyone. Good to know it's not too dependent on lifts. I'll get the cicerone guide too and start making a ticklist. 

Has anyone got any experience camping over there? I'd rather camp if possible, but if it means packing my tent and all associated paraphernalia I can see other options being more realistic.

The cicerone guide is fine, infact possibly better as it includes grade 1&2 routes that rockfax dont bother about listing. Most of the low grade routes are very easy and often short, but they can still be fun and are a good introduction to see how your partner handles the exposure.

I always climb first as anything I can get up he can follow, it also means he can help me with a push or feet placements if I'm struggling with 'height issues'. Nothing more demoralising than your partner cruising up ahead with no difficulties, when you are shit scared and struggling to make the moves.

We very rarely use the lifts, most are accessible by car. So check as not all run in summer and those that do often only do so in high season.

Don't forget helmets! 

Get hill fit before you go. More than anything you will be doing full days in the mountains with lots of walking up/down, the fitter you are the more you will enjoy it. 

Oh and a word or warning. We have been early July and often they haven't repaired any winter damage, leaving some routes rather precarious with sections of unsecured cable. Sadly this is usually the lower grade routes, so worth asking the guides office or other tourists as to what condition routes are like. 

It's been years since I was there but I wouldn't bother with a rope, just stick to routes within your grade. Thunderstorms happen often so I personally wouldn't camp, we were stuck high up watching lightning hit the rocks next to us & it was very frightening: definitely check the forecast daily. 

Watch out for hard snow in any shady/north facing gullies that you might need to cross or descend

A contrary opinion: 

If your partner doesn't climb then I would definitely take a short rope. The routes out there are fantastic but the exposure can be considerable, especially for the less experienced.  I would personally much rather take one and regret not needing it than the other way round.  I have a skinny 15m scrambling rope that I use for this sort of thing, so the extra weight isn't too bad.

Hope that helps, 

Dan

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Not seen any pre-pitched tents, but some campsites, e.g. that near the Lago di Misurina just to the north of Cortina, offer "camping pods". These contain two separate beds on either side of a central space. No cooking facilities. However, that campsite has other shortcomings, most notably in my opinion the showers.

What I like much better is the campsite Sass D'Lacia just to the south of Sankt Kassian, on the other side of the Falzarego Pass from Cortina. This offers older wooden huts (called "utia" on the website) with two, three or four births, I think mostly pairwise, i.e. two directly next to each other. One electric hob and a saucepan are provided, so enough for pasta + pesto, but not for something complicated. The huts themselves are a little less luxurious than the camping pods at the Misurina site, but the showers are much better, and there is also a nice restaurant on site. I don't know what that area is like for via ferratas, but it's super for climbing.

Campsite Olympia immediately to the north of Cortina (and across the road from the Punta Fiames) may also offer camping pods, but I have never stayed there so I don't know for sure.

I think that the campsite in Corvara at one end of the Sella group (so not at all near Cortina... but also a pretty good area) also offers huts a bit similar to those at Sass D'Lacia. I've stayed at that campsite and found it okay, but not in the huts, so I can't comment on them.

Shouldn’t be any abseiling involved. It will help with a less confident partner (though they may take to it like a duck to water).  There can be big scree ascents / descents depending which via Ferrata you go for.  An alternate to a short rope is long dyneema slings or you can have short slings tied into the harness that you can quickly deploy on a stemple for a rest if necessary.

I usually try and avoid pulling on the cable on VF, though many will do this for speed. I do wear old cycling fingerless mitts to protect the hands. For footwear I have a 20 year old pair of Scarpas that are the ancestor of https://www.scarpa.co.uk/products/mescalito-gtx

Falzerego you have the old WW1 tunnels to explore. Worth taking head torches just for that.

100%

Also walking up Sass de Stria on the far side, again lots of tunnels to explore - VF kit not needed for either IMO but take helmet and head torches, plus a pair of builders gloves so you can use the sections of cable as a handrail.

We very occasionally use a 20m half rope, he can then go up tricky sections and top rope me. Remember falling on VF is not something you want to risk, so if they are a less able climber or will let them push themselves a bit further. However it slows us down massively and on busy routes having someone pitching multiple sections is a total pita - the joy of VF for me is getting into exposed situations without the encumberancss of climbing kit.

If you're interested in archaeology or history the whole place is littered with tunnels to explore, really interesting and often you can find long ones with lots of internal artifacts like wooden ladders or lighting systems just a few feet from the path.

If you want some printable topos  (in German, but pretty understandable, once you get the gist of a few common words like "überhang" or "steil"), also try https://www.bergsteigen.com

e.g. https://www.bergsteigen.com/fileadmin/userdaten/tour/topo/7702/albino-strob...

Still useful for knowing where e.g. the single C/D step or an escape band is, if you want to leave the Cicerone book at camp.

Will echo what others have said. I’ve been twice for VF trips in late June and the snow crossings are no joke… can double the typical route time… we had good luck calling rifugios and asking them the conditions as well. The good news is much less people!

Lightning! Lightning! Lightning!

A regular visitor there and have been caught up in lightning many times.

Get up and off the mountain as early as you can unless you are very sure the weather is calm and perfect.

Often it will come in around 2-4pm, but also midday or earlier.

It's pretty exciting when marble to golf-ball size hail is pelting you, the mountainside is pouring with water, and lightning bolts are striking within 100s of metres all around you.

One problem with camping grounds there is that they close the gates overnight till about 0800, so you can't get your vehicle out for an early start.

And agree that the VF routes don't require abseils.  Some cool "hard" scrambles over there, like going up the back of the Cima Grande.  Rope required for that.

Have fun!