Dolomites Alps Italy climbing via ferrata Marmolada Western crest
Mountain guides Arco at Lake Garda Trentino Dolomites
mail: @alpintrek.com
Dolomites Alps Italy climbing via ferrata Marmolada Western crest
Mountain guides Arco at Lake Garda Trentino Dolomites
mail: @alpintrek.com
climbing via ferrata on the Western crest of Marmolada with mountain guides Arco
The top of Marmolada Dolomites is famous and the route on the Western crest is a dream of many mountaineers like the "Normal route" of Mont Blanc, however easier, or the crests of Matterhorn, much more technically difficult (good rock climbing experience is necessary). The via ferrata on the Western crest is classified as "difficult" but as always the difficulty at high altitude depends on the environmental conditions which here can vary extremely. Once there had been one meter of snowfall at the end of June and two Danish climbers dug trenches in the snow to reach the top which took 14 hours (and many risks) for the entire trip. In contrast, at the end of September 2007, some mountaineers have reached the top with light hiking shoes, never worn crampons.
Our mountain guide with his client on the top Punta Penia
When: whenever you want, from June to September, provided during the week and safe weather.
Number of participants: minimum two, maximum three and better with the same skills and mountaineering experience.
PRICE: Euro 360,00 per person for the 2 days trip
The price including the rent of technical gear required. Excluding: food and drinks in the mountain lodges
(calculate 45 Euro per person per day), excluded fares for cableways.
The program: usually we start from Rovereto (highway exit)
or from the Lake Garda North area by car or van of our mountain guide, at 9 a.m. and we reach the Lake
Fedaia at 11.30. We ascent to the mountain lodge Pian dei Fiacconi by cableway in 20 minutes and we
deposit our belongings in the sleeping room. At about 2 p.m. we climb up to the adjacent glacier (about
twenty minutes hiking) for some training: how to wear the crampons, how to use the ice axe, how to belay
on the rope on a glacier and for more interesting participants: crevasse rescue and self-rescue from crevasse.
At the end some short lessons in mountaineering by our patient mountain guide.
The next day, breakfast at 6.30 a.m. and departure at 7.30 a.m. Estimated return to mountain lodge in
the early afternoon, we drink a beer/mineral drink and we descend to the parking lot by cableway.
Expected return at Lake Garda or Rovereto around 6 p.m.
Important note: for the participants who reach Trentino by plane, we offer airport transfer and pick up
(for a supplementary cost - upon request).
What to bring with: all the technical gear is being provided by our Mountaineering
School Arco (helmet, harness, crampons, via ferrata-set, ice-axe, rope, etc.). You just need to bring a pair
of solid mountaineering boots.
Regarding the remaining mountaineering equipment such as clothing, we will provide you with a list after the booking.
How to book or request further information: only by e-mail at least thirty days before the start of the trip.
Via ferrata course at Lake Garda with mountain guide
Three days holidays in the Italian Alps Europe by Mountaineering Guides Arco Trentino, Four days advanced course in the Brenta Group on the famous route Bocchette di Brenta with overnight stay
in mountain lodge Trentino.
Walking holidays hut-to-hut at Lake Garda
High and steep mountains emerging from the quiet blue sea water, green valleys rich of torrents, waterfalls,
small lakes, meadows and forests. Here every outdoor activity is possible all year round
Via Ferrata trips Bocchette di Brenta Trentino
Mountaineering School Arco Lake Garda suggest the crossing of Brenta Dolomites on the rout Bocchette di Brenta
in the Alps. 3 or 5 days hut to hut across beautiful multicolor walls with overnight stay in the mountain lodges.
NEWS Canyoning Trekking at Lake Garda
Canyoning trek in the canyon at lake Garda - The legend, the history and the nature
Climbing on the Western crest amazing exposure difficulty and beautiful panorama
How to climb to the starting point of the route
From the mountain lodge Pian dei Fiacconi we slightly descend towards a rocky outcrop from where it
is possible to see the Forcella Marmolada (the deeper pass) and below the Vedretta del Vernel (a small glacier).
We climb up following a small track on the glacial moraine and later we climb on the vedretta.
We suggest the use of crampons. From the top of the glacier you can see the
cable and there are a comfortable place
to take off the crampons and put on the via ferrata set.
Itinerary of the via ferrata
At the starting point you will find a terminal crevasse. At the beginning of the season it can be covered by
a solid bridge (check in any case with your ice-axe). In September it has happened often that we had
to climb down into the crevasse and up on the other side. In June it It is still possible to find the first
part of the cable submerged in the snow. In this case you can climb up the slope left of the via ferrata with
your ice axe. In such situations we strongly recommend the use of the rope. When we reach the Forcella,
we are facing a large cave dug into the rock during the first World War and
downwards to the right there is a short track (30 m) which is leading on a path to Rifugio Contrin which is located in the homonymous
valley. From here we start our the Western crest tour. In the beginning across smooth slabs with a lot of
brackets and rather exposed crossings. For a long stretch the route is running on North facing walls and
frequently the cable and the brackets are clogged by ice. In this case we recommend to take out the rope
and proceed like on a multi pitch rock climbing route because a fall here would be fatal. Later the trak moves
up to the Western crest in more sunny crags and this part is more fun, exposed and with beautiful views: to the
left we can glimpse the white North face, to the right the amazing 1000 meter high South wall is below your
feet. If you are lucky (and too late) you can meet the rock climbers who are climbing the last pitches of
the routes "Via Solda" or the horrible final channel of The normal route on the South wall.
Don' t be shocked, if the climbers will speed past you running with sneakers: it is another dimension
of rock climbing experience and our mountain guide will for sure remember and explain to you the personal
adventures on the South wall. The last part of the via ferrata takes mostly place on the snow and we
walk left of any overhanging frames of ice, then we turn again to the left and suddenly we can see the
Capanna Punta Penia (the mountain lodge on the top) and our top at an altitude of 3.343
meters. The Capanna is open from late June to early September and we can eat a pasta and drink a beer on the
highest top of the Dolomites Alps.
The top Punta Penia (3.343 m) the highest in the Dolomites of Trentino
Descent from Punta Penia
We cross with crampons the large summit plateau in the direction NE until we reach a ledge which is slightly
steeper. In case of ice we must be careful during the final passage because here many falls and accidents have
happened on the North face. At the end of the ledge we reach a short equipped trail (ca. 200 m) which leads
down into a large valley covered of snow or ice. Be patient und remain belayed on the cable in case you meet
people who are climbing up (during the last years the normal ascent of Marmolada has been crowded with tourists).
At the end of the descent, we cross the valley until we reach the rocks on other part and we descend.
In any case remain belayed on the rope on the first steep slope. Here we take a rest and we look to the left
towards on a rocky edge. We can see a hollow in the rocks which is about 40 meters high on the glacier: it is a
tunnel which had been dug through the wall in the year 1916. You will immediately realize how short will be the
life of the glacier (40 meters lost in 60 years, another 40 meters remaining, how many years before the glacier
has disappeared ?). Forget the sad news, we enjoy the panorama and we climb down to the mountain lodge Pian dei
Fiacconi. The hiking time of our mountain guides with their clients for this described round trip varies from
seven to nine hours.
The start of the Western crest from Vedretta del Vernel
We even write what is obvious because we often end up in unpleasant situations such as someone has "forgotten" the crampons in the Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi or on the top Punta Penia. Obviously, for this type of routes it is necessary to have a good physical condition and it sometimes even the use of the rope is necessary. A propos, we have often met "mountaineers" with the rope on their back but without an idea on how to make a knot or how to build a belaying spot on ice. We would like to invite the "experts" to ask themselves questions like: Am I able to belay on the ice-axe ? Do I know I the correct rope manouvres for crossing a glacier with several people? What shall I do, if a part of cable on the route is clogged by ice ? (it happens often) Finally some questions for the top "experts": Am I able to rescue a person from a crevasse (at least with by "Vanzo" system) ? If you have any doubts about the answers, it is better to attend our mountaineering course. If you go on the Western crest of Marmolada, in certain environmental conditions, you will realize this is not only advertising.
The mountain lodge Pian dei Fiacconi ideal base camp for every mountaineering activity
We drive by car to Lake Fedaia which is located at an altitude of ca. 2000 metres and where we can park the car conveniently. From the parking lot it is possible to climb up to Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi early in the morning and to reach the top of Marmolada in one day but the elevation difference of ca. 1500 m does require an excellent physical condition. We recommend to ascent to the mountain lodge Pian dei Fiacconi by cableway or by foot on the day prior to the ascent to the top of Marmolada and to spend the night in the mountain lodge. In the afternoon our mountaineering guides teach the proper use if crampons and several rope maneuvers on the glacier (see our program). The Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi offers very good food, beer and wine. It is a good place to spend the night at a reasonable price.
On the difficult route maximum three people on the same rope
Avoid to take the first cableway at 9 am. and to reach the starting point of Western crest at 11 a.m. with the risk of a thunderstorm (the cable is a favorite path for lightning !). With uncertain weather or unfavorable conditions (example: too much snow, poor physical condition, etc), please choose a different and more simple route at Lake Garda. Do not proceed on one rope with five people who maybe speak different languages and have different prior mountaineering experience as you might end up in the "Tower of Babel". Your climb on the via ferrata on the Marmolada could thus become the memory of a stressful day. Exercise the rope maneuvers together with your companions before you are leaving to the Italian Alps. In case you have doubts about your knowledge and experience regarding your mountaineering capacity, please do not hesitate to consult our mountaineering School or mountain guides, before you are leaving to the Marmolada. Our mountain guide School Arco Lake Garda is always at your disposal for requests or questions about alpinism, mountaineering, trekking, via ferrata, rock climbing and every type of courses, everywhere in the world.
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