Capanna Alpina - Bivacco della Pace (Via della pace)

Access to starting point:
Access from Gorenjska: Through the border crossing at Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on the highway in the direction of Udine to the Tolmezzo exit. From Tolmezzo we follow the road in the direction of the village Ampezzo and mountain pass Passo della Mauria. The road then descends and brings us to a crossroads, where we continue left (also right possible) in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. At all following crossroads we follow the signs for Cortina d'Ampezzo.
In Cortina d'Ampezzo we then follow the signs for the alpine pass Passo di Falzarego. We follow this ascending road to the mentioned pass, then continue right towards the pass Passo Valparola. From the pass we then descend towards the Val Badia valley. When the road flattens lower down, we will notice a large parking lot, restaurant and camp on the right. We continue a few hundred meters further on the main road and then immediately after the bridge that crosses the stream Rü Sciare, we turn right towards the restaurant Capanna Alpina. We follow the mentioned road to the end where we park on the large parking lot in front of the mentioned restaurant. The parking lot is payable in the summer months. The price for one day of parking is 5€ (July 2019).
From the Primorska side: We drive on the highway towards Venice / Venezia. Near Portogruaro we leave the highway towards Venice and continue right on the highway towards Pordenone. At the next highway junction near Conegliano we continue right towards Belluno. Near Belluno the highway ends, and we continue in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo at the following crossroads. Further we follow the above description.

Path description:
From the parking lot we continue past the restaurant Capanna Alpina on a macadam road closed to traffic. The road quickly brings us to a plain where there is a junction. Right leads path 20 towards hut Ütia Scotoni, we turn left onto path 11 and follow signs for Col de Locia and Fanes.
From the junction we walk for some time on a flat macadam path that crosses a stream over a bridge in between. Further on the path becomes somewhat narrower and brings us into dwarf pines and then into sparse forest. Here the path also begins to ascend somewhat more steeply. Somewhat higher the path turns left and then ascends along a fence on a somewhat steeper slope. From the path beautiful views open towards the west where the Sella mountain group is clearly visible. The path then crosses a pasture fence and brings us to flatter terrain by the indistinct summit Col de Locia, located along the path on our left side. On the summit there are also some benches.
The path here turns slightly right and first gently descends then crosses a small stream. Further we walk through a flat and wide valley that mostly heads north. For some time the path still runs along dwarf pines, later bringing us to expansive grassy slopes. Such a path brings us to a marked junction where right branches the path towards lake Lech de Legacio and further to hut Lagazuoi.
At the junction we continue straight across expansive meadows where livestock also grazes in summer months. The path begins to descend gently again and with wonderful views brings us to another marked junction.
This time left branches the path towards peaks Conturines and Lavarela. We continue further on the wide path all the way to pasture Malga Gran Fanes where there is a marked junction.
Straight ahead it is only a few minutes' walk to hut Ütia de Gran Fanes, which we already see ahead. At the junction we turn right onto path number 17 or Peace Path (Fridensweg / Via della pace). From the junction the path first runs across a grassy slope and then brings us into a belt of very sparse larch and pine forest. Further the path is marked with number 17 and signs VB and FR, indicating peaks Vallon Bianco and Furcia Rossa. The path continues gently ascending along an old military mule track towards southeast. The path slowly turns somewhat more left and a view towards the east on valley Valle di Fanes begins to open. The mule track brings us here to rockier terrain along which we soon reach a junction.
Right leads path 17 towards Monte Castello or bivouac Bivacco della Pace, we continue left on the path towards peaks Furcia Rossa and Vallon Bianco. From the junction the path then crosses slopes somewhat more towards the east for some time and brings us to steeper slopes. Follows an ascent mostly in switchbacks on the steep slope and the path brings us to the next junction.
This time we head right towards the secured climbing path leading to summit Furcia Rossa III (marked with inscription Ferrata – Klettersteig, Furcia Rossa). Straight leads the path towards summit Vallon Bianco and Furcia Rossa II. From the junction we then cross the slope towards southwest and the path brings us to a wide ledge below sheer walls. The path then turns left and continues along the edge of the rock face, also beginning to ascend somewhat. Higher the path turns somewhat right and brings us to the start of the secured path.
Before entering the secured section of the path we equip ourselves with helmet and via ferrata set. At the start of the secured path we first descend somewhat along the steel cable, then follows a steeper descent with the aid of a few ladders. After the descent the path becomes less demanding again and begins ascending towards the slopes of summit Furcia Rossa III. Here in ascent we cross the valley on the eastern side of the mentioned summit and then follows a somewhat steeper ascent on a somewhat crumbly slope where the path is somewhat damaged. In early summer there may still be a snow patch here. Such a path then brings us to the rock face where the secured path continues. Here the path ascends along the steel cable and a few ladders aid us again. Higher the path turns right and brings us along an occasionally somewhat exposed slope to the most demanding part of the path. Here we ascend vertically with the aid of numerous pegs, on a short section the wall is even slightly overhanging. Above the pegs we ascend for some time with the aid of steel cables, then the path brings us to less demanding slopes on the northern side of summit Furcia Rossa III. Here we first cross the slope towards west and the path brings us to a junction.
Left is only a few minutes' ascent to summit Furcia Rossa III which is definitely worth visiting. From the summit we return to the junction and continue on the path running towards southwest. Here the path begins to descend somewhat and soon becomes demanding again. With the aid of steel cables and a few ladders we descend diagonally on the steep slope. The path then brings us to a slightly less steep slope above a distinct notch. Here there is a lot of scree on the path so considerable caution is still needed. Further the path crosses steep slopes left and brings us below the slopes of summit Furcia Rossa IV. Here the path becomes demanding again and a steep descent follows with the aid of a few ladders. The path then turns sharply right and descends along an exposed ledge below an overhang. Here the path is very well secured with numerous ladders and steel cables. After the descent the path brings us from the wall to scree slopes where the secured path ends.
Here we continue left and then cross the scree towards south where we already see the sheer tower Monte Castello by which bivouac Bivacco della Pace is located. If we do not intend to visit the bivouac and want to return towards pasture Malga Gran Fanes, we can also descend down the scree where shortcuts run that join path number 17 lower down. Otherwise we continue crossing slopes below the Furcia Rossa ridge towards south. The path then begins to ascend somewhat more steeply and soon brings us to the bivouac.
We descend on path number 17 towards pasture Malga Gran Fanes from where we return to the starting point.
The described path named Peace Path (German Fridensweg, Italian Via della pace, Ladin Tru dla Pesc) runs across the Furcia Rossa ridge along the route of an old military path. The most difficult part of the secured path is rated difficulty level C. For the ascent helmet and via ferrata set are required.

On the way: Col de Locia (2069m), Ju dal'Ega (2157m), Ütia de Gran Fanes (2102m), Furcia Rossa III (2791m)