Rifugio Dibona - Tre Dita (Via Ferrata Lipella)

Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo (to here possible over a border crossing Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on a highway in the direction of Videm / Udine to exit Tolmezzo. From Tolmezzo we follow the road in the direction of village Ampezzo and mountain pass Passo Mauria. The road then descends and it brings us to a crossroad, where we continue left (possible also right) in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. At all next crossroads, we follow the signs for Cortina d'Ampezzo. Or from Primorska side, where we drive on a highway in the direction of Trst / Trieste. Further, we drive on Italian highway in the direction of Padova, but only to a highway junction, where we continue in the direction of Veneto and Belluno. Near Belluno the highway ends, and at the next crossroads we continue in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo and then we follow the signs for Alpine mountain pass Passo di Falzarego. This ascending road we then follow to the spot, where the road in the direction of the mountain hut rifugio Dibona branches off to the right (turn off is at an altitude approx 1700 meters). Considerably rough and at first asphalt road higher brings us to a crossroad, where we continue on the left bottom road (right mountain hut Duca d'Aosta) and we follow it to the parking lot behind the mountain hut Dibona.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on a macadam road past a gate. We follow this road to a crossroad with signposts, where we go left on a footpath following the signs »Via Ferrata Lipella«, and right leads the path 403 towards the mountain hut Rifugio Giussani. Already after few meters, we are again at the crossing. This time we go right also following the signs »Via Ferrata Lipella«. After that, the path in ascent crosses slopes below the mighty south wall of Tofana towards the west. At first, we are ascending through dwarf pines, which is soon changed by scree. When we get very close to a wall we are again at the crossing. We go left and we still cross scree towards the west. To the right leads the path towards the mountain hut Rifugio Giussani, and straight secured path »Grotta della Tofana«.
After the crossing of scree we will be again at the crossing, where we go right following the signs »Via Ferrata Lipella«. The path here turns a little towards the north and then we soon enter the climbing part of the path. With the help of stemples and a ladder we ascend almost vertically upwards. Next follows one more ascent on a ladder, which brings us in military tunnel (Galleria del Castelletto). The path then for quite some time leads through military tunnels through which we few times also quite steeply ascend. Military tunnel is long approximately 500 meters and ascends for 120 meters. From the tunnel then with the help of steel cables we descend on a little less steep slope below the summit Il Castelletto. Next follows traversing on narrow ledges towards the north, and then the path becomes very demanding. Few times we ascend almost vertically and we get help from only a steel cable. Later at short overhanging part we also get help from a stemple. After that, the path still crosses western wall towards the north. We mostly walk on narrow ledges and occasionally we steeply ascend. On the path we few times also descend a little. Such a path then continues all the way to a crossing a little before the peak Tre Dita (three fingers). It should be noted also, that by crossing of narrow ledges from the vertical walls above us water is often trickling. When higher snow is still melting are this like smaller waterfalls, which can really soak us.
At the crossing, we go left and already after few steps we come on the northern slopes of the mountain. On the left side, we will notice the peak Tre Dita, which is intertwined with military tunnels.