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Tag: Via Ferrata

Published on Leave a comment on Tour through the Sextener Dolomites

In 2011 we decided to spend our summer holiday in the Sextener Dolomites! We had seen the Tre Cime di Lavaredo on many photos and read about them in so many books that we finally wanted to have a look at them by ourselfes.

So we took the train to Fortezza where we stayed for one night in a hotel close to the train station. The next morning we continued our journey to San Candido. In San Candido we took the bus to Kreuzbergpass. There we wanted to start.

At Kreuzbergpass we were welcomed with lots of sunshine and blue sky! What a good start for some days of hiking! We went up and up until we arrived at the Rifugio Berti. Because this was the first day we did not want to walk too much. So we had a drink and left our bags at the hut. Then we walked around a bit, lay in the sunshine and watched the clouds. The clouds were amazing! We thought that this clouds could lead to a thunderstorm... but there was no one this afternoon. We enjoyed dinner at the hut and discussed if we should take the via ferrata Roghel or the Alpinisteig the next day. This was not a long discussion, because we were both convinced that the Via ferrata Roghel would be more fun 😀

In the night we woke up because there was a huge thunderstorm!
The next morning the sky was very cloudy and we were not so sure if the via ferrata Roghel (which is quite difficult) is still the right choice for this day.. we talked to the owner of the hut, but he said that it will be ok. Therefore we started to walk to the beginning of the via ferrata. A long way up! From the beginning we could the that three men who stayed with us at the hut walked the same way. We couldn't believe it, but when we arrived at the beginning of the via ferrata Roghel the sky was blue - not even one cloud could be seen! We were in a good mood and started to climb up. A really nice via ferrata!! When we arrived at the top we took some photos and climbed down again. Down was not so nice, but it was ok. At the end of the via ferrata we reached a snowfield. We had no crampons and it was quite slippery. After we had passed it we could see a bivouac. And we could see even more.. the weather was changing again! No more blue sky, but dark clouds! We do not like this kind of sky! We had to make decision.. stay at the bivouac over night and wait if a thunderstorm will arrive... or risk it and continue via the via ferrata Gabriella to the Rifugio Carducci. We decided to continue, because it was not soo late yet. From the via ferrata Gabriella we could see the other three climbers still at the descend of the via ferrata Roghel. The via ferrata Gabriela is really nice, Brenta-like!
We enjoyed the first minutes, but then we felt some rain coming down.. or was it just water which came through the mountain? We became nervous, because the air was quite humid and the sky covered with clouds. But we had to continue.. we became quite fast and hurried safely trough the via ferrata. When we came around a corner we could see the Rifugio Carducci. But above the hut really dark clouds!! We had no time for a break and continue. When we reached the descend with its fixed ropes it started to rain! Luckily the rain was not very heavy. During the last part of the descend we had to go down a snowfield. Because of this snowfield we could not access the fixed ropes. Unfortunately the rain became very heavy at this moment and it was slippery. At least there was not yet a thunderstorm. There was a textile rope fixed above the snowfield. We used this to descend. At this time we were completely wet and only one person was able to use the rope at a time. We started to become cold, but we reached the end of the snowfield without any problems. When we finished the snowfield it stopped raining and the sun came out again - weather almost like in April. We had to take a break, because we were very exhausted. So we sat down and ate something. But after a few minutes we could hear thunder! We thought that the hut must be right around the next corner and felt quite safe. We started to walk again and felt very exhausted. Then we saw that it is still a long way up to the hut! The last minutes we were very slow and we heard the thunder. We were so happy when we reached the hut!! The Rifugio Carducci is a really nice hut. The owner is a nice and funny man! We sat down, a nice cappucino, learned some words in Italian and enjoyed the view around. When we had dinner the other three man arrived - around three hours after us.. They were also really exhausted.. After this exciting day we decided to rename the via ferrata Roghel to via ferrata Rock Hell. In the evening the owner of the hut told us that the mountain rescue team had to help six people out of this via ferrata yesterday...

The next morning after a nice breakfast we walked in the direction of the Zsigmondy hut. We passed it and walked along to the Drei Zinnen Hütte. When we came around a corner we could see the Tre Cime for the first time - amazing! But there were so many people!! We had something to eat and to drink and decided to pack our bags to do the via ferrata Toblinger Knoten. So we walked to the beginning - it was full with unexperienced people! People who already had problems at the easy beginning and people who caused many falling stones! And the weather was again not looking good. So we decided to not do the via ferrata this time. Instead we looked for nice and lonely place with a great view and spend the evening there laying around and recovering from yesterday..

The next morning we enjoyed a lonely breakfast in front of the Drei Zinnen Hütte. We were the first people who were up this morning, because we wanted to the via ferrata Paternkofel without so many people around. We hesistated a bit because the weather was still not good and there was said to be a thunderstorm later the day.. But then we decided to do the via ferrata. So we walked through a long long dark tunnel until we reached the beginning of the via ferrata. This via ferrata was quite easy and after a few minutes we were on top of the Paternkofel - alone and the first people this day. We enjoyed the view but because of the insecure weather we started to descend quickly. Then we walked along the Schartenweg to the Büllelejochhütte. A great path! We passed the hut and walked along to the Zsigmondy hut. We arrived there around lunch time. We had some drinks and some food and spent the afternoon watching the clouds. In the evening heavy rain began.

The next morning the weather looked really bad. So instead of going the Alpinisteig we decided to go down to the valley and take the bus to San Candido. On the way down we saw many flowers! We enjoyed these colourful plants and arrived safely back in Sexten. There we took the bus to Cortina d'Ampezzo. We hoped that the weather would change again and that it would be possible to do a two days trip trough the Ampezzaner Dolomites. But the weather stayed bad - at least in the Dolomites. Therefore we decided to go to Venice instead - afterwards we can say that this was a good decision 🙂

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Published on Leave a comment on Hiking through the Brenta

We decided to spent our summer dolomiti holiday 2010 in the Brenta. It was the beginning of September and we took the train from Stuttgart to Trento. There we stayed in a hostel next to the train station. It was very noisy the whole night and we slept quite bad. The next morning we take the bus from Trento to Madonna di Campiglio. During the drive it is raining and getting colder. When we arrive we go to the next supermarket and buy some food.
It's really cold. We start to walk and after a few minutes the sun comes out! The blue sky is coming. The weather is changing, really good. So we continue to walk up to the Rifugio Graffer.
There we want to spend the first night. We walk up to the Passo Groste and enjoy being back in the Dolomites.
The next morning we wanted to the first part of the Bocchette way through the whole Brenta. We walk again up to the Passo Groste and go to the beginning of the first via ferrata. Actually the weather is fine, but
a storm is coming. It's really windy and the path is frozen! We think and think and thinks and finally decide to go back down and walk an easy path to the Rifugio Tuckett. Arriving there it is still very windy.
We think it was a good decision to go back, because we didn't know how frozen and difficult the via ferrata would have been. From the Rifugio Tuckett we take the via ferrata SOSAT to the Rifugio Alimonta. The Rifugio Alimonta is
wonderfully situated in the heart of the Brenta. We are lucky - there are only two more beds available for this night, and we can have them! We have some drinks and great food and talk to some people and decide to do the
Bocchette Centrale the next day. Because we went a different way then planned today we cannot do the Bocchette Alte (which is longest and most difficult of the via ferratas in the Brenta). But the whole mountain
range here is wonderful, so it does not really matter which way you are going.
The next morning we walk up a little glacier and enjoy the view from the Bocchette Centrale. We walk along the path and around the 'Needle'. Then we arrive at the Rifugio Tosa around lunch time. We have some
spagetti and decide to spent the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine. What a great time!
The next morning we start early and go up to the beginning of the Sent. Brentari/Sent. dell'Ideale. We climb up and down until we reach the d'Ambiez glacier. We walk over the glacier to the beginning of the next via ferrata part.
Another up and down and then the next glacier. With our crampons these glaciers are no problem, but without them it can be very slippery. After the last glacier we walk for another hour until we arrive at the XII Apostel Hut.
What a cosy hut with a nice warm oven! We enjoy the evening and night there. The next morning there are many clouds and we walk back down to Madonna di Campiglio. A great tour trough the wonderful Brenta! Lots of sunshine and blue sky - no Brenta fog 🙂

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Published on Leave a comment on Raetikon – Saulakopf Klettersteig

Another weekend in the Rätikon was ahead of us. We went by bus to the Lünerseebahn and walked up to the Douglas Hut (the same as we did two weeks before). From there we walked to the beginning of the via ferrata Saulakopf. It must have been the hottest day of the year! We were exhausted and sweating when we arrived at the beginning. And there were many many people! But we quickly put on the gear and started before the group of around 10. The way to the top was very exhausting, because of the hot temperatures. We climbed up in the sunshine with a great view to the Lünersee. On the top we had some food and decided to go back to the Douglas Hut quickly, because huge clouds were beginning to cover the sky. The descent down to the hut was also very exhausting, we had no more water and it was still very hot. We had some Skiwasser at the hut and decided to stay there over night (actually we wanted to go to the Totalp Hut). In the evening a huge storm arrived. It was very nice to sit inside the warm hut and watch the weather outside.

The next morning we were a bit lazy and decided to walk up to the Totalp Hut and look for a nice place to relax. We found one and layed in the sunshine for some hours. Then we walked back down to the Lünerseebahn and drove home.

Published on Leave a comment on Raetikon – Gauablickhoehle and Sulzfluh

We started our weekend holiday at the Lünerseebahn. You can take the bus from Bludenz to the mountain railway. We didn't use the railway. We walked up to the Lündersee and Douglas Hut via the 'Böse Tritt Steig'.

From the Douglas Hut we walked to the Lindauer Hut. There were many people. The Lindauer Hut has a nice garden with many plants which live in the Alps. We slept at the Lindauer Hut.

The next morning we walked up to the via ferrata Gauablickhöhle. On the way to the entrance you have a great view to the 'Drei Türme'. The via ferrata is really nice, not so difficult, a great view and a 400m long cave in the middle of the via ferrata. From inside the cave you cannot see any daylight and that was really scary!

At the end of the via ferrata you have a great view to the summit of the Sulzfluh. The path to the summit was full with snow. We walked up and enjoyed the view. We saw many people coming up the via ferrata and decided that we also want to do it. But not today - for today we decided to go to the Tilisuna Hut and have a nice dinner. We couldn't believe it - but we were the only people there! The hut only for us two - great!

We got up very early the next morning and started to walk to the beginning of the Sulzfluh via ferrata. The via ferrata was great - one of the best we have done so far! A great view and never boring. We were the first this morning and the only people on the summit! Great 🙂 After a good breakfast on the summit we walked back to the Tilisuna Hut and then down to the valley.

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Published on Leave a comment on Via Ferrata Rio Sallagoni

On a nice afternoon we decided to rent bikes and cycle to Dro and do the via ferrata Rio Sallagoni which goes through a canyon not far away from the Lake Garda. After we cycled for about half an hour we realized that we forgot to take our map with us! That was not good, because the beginning of the via ferrata was not so easy to find. Nevertheless after cycling around for a while we found it! But it was already quite late, because we had to bring the bikes back at 6pm. Therefore we quickly changed our clothes and started the via ferrata. This was quite different from what we had done before! Not on a mountain, instead it goes through a canyon. After the canyon the landscape felt a bit like rainforest. There was another ropeway and from there we went up to the Castle Dro. We had a quick view at the castle and went quickly down again, back to the bikes. Then we cycled back to Torbole where we arrived just in time to hand back the bikes! An existing afternoon where we had lots of fun!