Passo Gardena - Cima Pisciadu (Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina)

Access to starting point:
A) From Kranjska Gora over Korensko sedlo to Austria, where at the first larger crossroad, we continue left towards Podklošter / Arnoldstein and Trbiž / Tarvisio. By the end of the settlement Podklošter signs for Šmohor / Hermagor point us to the right on a regional road, on which past the mentioned settlement we drive to the end of the valley Gailtal, or more precisely to the settlement Kötschach-Mauthen, where we turn right towards the settlement Oberdrauburg. The path ahead leads us over an Alpine mountain pass Gailbergsattel (982 m), after which we descend into the mentioned settlement. After we cross the bridge over the river Drau, we continue left towards the settlement Lienz. In the main roundabout in Lienz we continue "left" in the direction of the settlement Sillian and Italy. Further, we cross the border between Austria and Italy, and we follow the main road past settlements Dobbiaco / Toblach, Villabassa / Niederdorf, Monguelfo - Tesido / Welsberg - Taisten, Brunico / Bruneck. Only a little after the last-mentioned settlement, past which leads a bypass road, we turn left into the valley Alta Badia. Further, we drive through the mentioned valley and in the settlement La Villa we turn right towards the mountain pass Passo Gardena. Further, we follow an ascending road to a large parking lot some turns before the mountain pass Passo Gardena. At the parking lot is also a big sign with the caption »Via Ferrata – Klettersteig«.
B) From Nova Gorica, we drive to Italy and drive forward on the highway to the settlement Portogruaro, where at the highway junction we turn in the direction of the settlement Belluno. We follow the highway to its end (we don't turn in the direction towards Belluno), and then we continue driving towards Cortina d'Ampezzo. When we get to Cortina d'Ampezzo, we follow the signs for the Alpine mountain pass Passo Falzarego. On the mountain pass Passo Falzarego (2105 m) we turn right in the direction of Alta Badia and first ascend to the neighbouring mountain pass Passo Valparola (2192 m), from there we descend into the mentioned valley. In the settlement La Villa we turn left towards the mountain pass Passo Gardena. Further, we follow an ascending road to a large parking lot some turns before the mountain pass Passo Gardena. At the parking lot is also a big sign with the caption »Via Ferrata – Klettersteig«.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we go left following the signs »Via Ferrata Tridentina«. The path at first crosses a slope towards the east and runs mostly by dwarf pines and rare larches. The path, which also slightly descends, soon brings us to the beginning of the secured path.
The secured path at the beginning steeply ascends with the help of pegs, and then it ascends for some time along the steel cable on usually wet terrain upwards. Next follows a shorter ascent on pegs, and then we come to less steep slopes. The path then leads us past large boulders and brings us to a junction.
At the junction, we continue slightly left following the signs »Pisciadu Via Ferrata«. After that, the path crosses slopes towards the south and in front of us, we will soon notice a waterfall. Soon, we come again to a junction and we continue right towards the waterfall following the signs »Pisciadu Via Ferrata«.
Right from the waterfall we again enter the wall and we start to ascend steeply on the secured path Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina. The path is further very well secured and ascends all the time right from the wide gully through which runs a stream with numerous waterfalls. From the path, we have all the time wonderful views on the precipitous walls of surrounding peaks and downwards towards the settlement Colfosco and Alta Badia.
The secured path later turns a little to the left and brings us to a junction. Left we can leave the secured path and on easier terrain ascend towards the hut Pisciadu. Right we continue on the secured path, which ascends on the walls of the tower Torre Exner. The path in this part becomes even a little more demanding and at the ascent some strength in the arms is needed. The path ascends vertically a few times, and pegs and a shorter ladder help us. Higher, the path crosses the wall to the left and brings us to a hanging bridge. From the bridge only a short ascent along the steel cable follows, after which the secured path ends.
The scenic path further turns a little to the left and is followed by an undemanding ascent to the hut Rifugio Pisciadu.
From the hut, we continue towards the south following the signs »Cima Pisciadu, Rif. Boe« and descend towards the lake. The path then turns to the right and in the ascent crosses scree on the left side of the lake. The path here runs below the steep walls of the peak Pisciadu and brings us to somewhat steeper slopes. Further, the path turns to the left and starts to ascend somewhat more steeply with the help of fixed protections. At the ascent some caution is needed, self-belaying is not necessarily required.
The path then becomes less steep again and through the valley named Val de Tita brings us to a junction on the south side of the peak Pisciadu.
To the right leads the path towards the hut Rifugio Boe, and we head left towards the summit Pisciadu. The path further becomes somewhat steeper and at some points hands are also needed for the ascent. The path to the summit otherwise ascends quite steeply all the time and is not secured, so a bit more caution is advisable. The increasingly scenic path then soon brings us to the summit.

Along the route: Rifugio Pisciadu (2585m), Lech de Pisciadu (2564m)

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