Rifugio Dibona - Tofana di Mezzo (Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio)
Starting point: Rifugio Dibona (2083 m)
| Latitude/Longitude: | 46,5326°N 12,0703°E |
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Route name: Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio
Walking time: 6 h 30 min
Difficulty: extremely difficult marked way
Via ferrata: D
Elevation gain: 1161 m
Elevation difference along the route: 1300 m
Map: Tabacco 03 1:25.000
Recommended equipment (summer): helmet, self belay set
Recommended equipment (winter): helmet, self belay set, ice axe, crampons
Views: 14.235
 | 2 people like this post |
Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo (you can get here via the border crossing Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on the highway in the direction of Udine to the exit Tolmezzo. From Tolmezzo, we follow the road in the direction of the village Ampezzo and the mountain pass Passo della Mauria. The road then descends and brings us to a junction, where we continue left (possible also right) in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. At all following junctions, we follow the signs for Cortina d'Ampezzo. Or from the Primorska side, where we drive on the highway in the direction of Trst / Trieste. Further, we drive on the Italian highway in the direction of Padova, but only to the highway junction, where we continue in the direction of Veneto and Belluno. Near Belluno, the highway ends, and at the next junctions we continue in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo and then follow the signs for the alpine pass Passo di Falzarego. We follow this ascending road to the place where the road to the hut rifugio Dibona branches off to the right (the branch-off is at an altitude of approx. 1700 m). The initially asphalt road brings us higher to a junction, where we continue on the left lower road (right hut Duca d'Aosta) and follow it to the parking lot for the hut Dibona.
Route description:
From the parking lot, we continue on a macadam road past a gate. We follow this road to a junction with signposts, where we turn right onto a wide mule track following the signs »Rif. Camillo Giussani«. The wide path then slowly ascends and brings us in the left bend to a marked junction.
Ahead upwards the path to the hut Camillo Giussani continues, but we turn right towards the hut Pomedes. The path first crosses scree slopes below steep walls to the east and quickly brings us to the start of the secured path Via ferrata Astaldi. The secured path along ledges crosses the south wall of the peak Punta Anna. The path is well secured with a steel cable and technically not overly demanding. The secured path soon ends and from the right an easier path (no. 421) from the hut Dibona joins us. This is followed by an ascent among dwarf pines and a panoramic path soon brings us to the hut Pomedes.
From the hut, we continue left following the signs »Via Ferrata Punta Anna«. The path leads past the upper station of the cable car and then ascends over scree upwards to the start of the climbing section of the path.
The climbing path in the first section crosses the wall somewhat to the left during the ascent and steeply climbs several times. In the continuation, the path becomes somewhat more demanding and climbs almost vertically towards the ridge. This is followed by an ascent along a very panoramic and exposed ridge. The difficulty does not let up and the path continues mostly along the ridge, only at a few points it deviates to the left western side of the ridge. Later the ridge becomes somewhat less steep and a somewhat less demanding but unsecured ascent to the summit of Punta Anna follows.
From the summit, we continue along the ridge and soon the path from the hut Camillo Giussani joins from the left. From the junction, we walk alongside the ridge for a short time, then the path turns right and ascends diagonally up a steep gully. The path then brings us to the eastern less steep slopes, where we soon reach a junction. Right downwards leads the Giuseppe Olivieri path back towards the hut Pomedes and the path to the hut Ra Valles where there is an intermediate station of the gondola cable car.
We continue left onto the Ferrata Gianni Aglio path, where the inscription »cima« directs us. A less demanding ascent towards the ridge follows. On the ridge, we continue right and the path becomes somewhat more demanding again. Several times we climb vertically and some pegs and a ladder assist us. The path then deviates from the ridge to the left side and brings us to the notch below the tower Torre Aglio. From the notch, a demanding vertical ascent follows and then a short exposed traverse on pitons, which brings us to a junction.
At the junction, we continue straight following the signs for Tofana, while steeply upwards to the left leads the path to Torre Aglio, which is just a few minutes of steep ascent along the steel cable away.
The path then brings us to an extremely exposed traverse of the wall of the tower Torre Aglio. During the traverse of the vertical wall, a steel cable and some pitons assist us. After the traverse, we reach the north side of the tower and descend quite steeply along the steel cable. After the descent, we reach a junction where the path to the window Bus de Tofana branches off right downwards (to the window it is just a few minutes). At the junction, we continue slightly left and cross the scree. In the continuation, the path starts to ascend somewhat more steeply again and leads us past avalanche barriers. On this section, the path is somewhat less well secured. This is followed by several steep ascents along the steel cable, and on the harder sections a ladder also assists us. Such a path then brings us to the ridge along which we soon reach the summit.
The described path is extremely demanding and suitable only for experienced mountaineers with sufficient arm strength and a lot of stamina. The path is very long, so for the descent it is recommended to use the gondola cable car.
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Discussion about the trip Rifugio Dibona - Tofana di Mezzo (Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio)
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| jedriličar31. 08. 2011 |
Two weeks ago I did this ferrata, we started at 8 from Rifugio Dibona and reached the summit at 3, so it took us 7 hours. True, it was Sunday and there was a crowd and we had to wait in line, but still, the first part of the ferrata is extremely strenuous (to the top of Punta Ane) because it is constant vertical ascent, no walking, only climbing, until you exit onto the Punta Ane ridge. The next part to the top of Tofana di Mezzo is less demanding, has more walking but has one technically demanding and exposed crossing at the very end of the ferrata. After that follows another about 300m elevation gain without ferrata to the top. For descent I recommend the cable car to rif. Ra Valles, and from there along the Olivieri trail to rif. Pomedes and finally the same way down to rif. Dibona. That's approx. additional 3 hours of walking. Overall, a real Dolomite ferrata to recommend, but as the author wrote, only for people with fitness, experience and no fear of heights.
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| zihr korak12. 08. 2013 |
Yesterday we did this path, it's demanding both climbing and fitness wise. For descent it's also possible via a scree slope near the snow avalanche barriers, there you descend through a natural window and reach the road a bit lower than Rifugio Dibona so no need to go to the gondola 
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| mirank31. 07. 2016 |
The approach to the via ferrata is easier and the author of the above description actually mentions it as the easier path (pic 17). This approach is significantly shorter and won't take more than 45min, starting directly east from the parking at Rifugio Dibona. I'm sure everyone's morning goal is to reach the start of the ferrata as soon as possible to overtake most who access via cable car to Rifugio Pomedes. However, the step above incorrectly describes the descent from the Bus de Tofana window, as it ends below Rifugio Giussani and HIGHER than Rifugio Dibona.
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| zihr korak27. 07. 2017 |
Yes, I started from Rifugio Dibona, that's why I also wrote that it's better to descend there via the scree if you have your car parked there!!!
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| pohodnik3336. 09. 2023 20:58:04 |
The most demanding part in my opinion, or rather two parts are at Torre Aglio.
Otherwise, there are several more demanding sections (it's long, marathonic) and strength and endurance are needed. Before the summit, there's some climbing without iron.
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