Via ferratas in South Tyrol

There is certainly no shortage of mountainous terrain in South Tyrol: in the east and south, the bright rock faces of the Dolomites dominate the landscape, while the glaciated Ortler Alps rise in the west. The northern border of South Tyrol is formed by the main Alpine ridge with the Ötztal and Zillertal Alps: Ideal conditions for setting up via ferratas. There are now more than 50 varied via ferrata routes in the region, ranging in difficulty from easy to extreme. In neighboring Trentino, even more climbs are being added. Most of the routes are well signposted and are checked every year. Secured by ropes, you head out into the South Tyrolean mountains to discover a new, impressive panorama behind every rocky outcrop.

Most of the South Tyrolean via ferratas are located in the Dolomites. The dolomite rock of the "most beautiful mountains in the world" (Reinhold Messner) is better suited for climbing than other limestones due to its hardness. The mountains of the region are often characterized by imposing vertical walls, jagged peaks and bizarre rock formations. The Dolomites stretch across the southeastern part of South Tyrol and Trentino.

Probably the most popular via ferrata route in South Tyrol leads to Cima Pisciadù, which is located in the Sella Group in the middle of the Dolomites. On firmly and securely fixed iron clamps, ladders and steel ropes, the route leads from the approximately 50-meter-high entry wall to the Pisciadù hut. The individual passages are quite demanding, but only moderately difficult. Accordingly, the difficulty level of the via ferrata is between B and C. The end point of this climb is the summit of Cima Pisciadù at 2985m. It is advisable to climb this via ferrata at off-peak times or on weekdays, as a lot of traffic is to be expected here.

The Via Ferrata "Cesare Piazzetta" on the Piz Boè in the Sella Group is one of the more difficult via ferratas in the Dolomites. Almost 1000 meters of altitude are overcome on the 8.6 km long round hike, the well-secured via ferrata with south orientation has difficulties up to grade D. There are similar difficulties to overcome when crossing the imposing Monte Civetta massif. Breathtaking views over the southern part of the Dolomites are the reward here for the strenuous climb.

In the Val Pusteria, a mountain tour with a short via ferrata leads to the Hochalpenkopf. The route runs through the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park and begins in the valley at the picturesque Braies Lake. From here, the route first leads across mountain meadows to the Kühwiesenkopf in the direction of the Kaserkopf, where the entrance to the small via ferrata is also located. In total, this route has a length of 12.6 km with a duration of just under 8 hours, overcoming 1175 meters in altitude.

If you want to combine several via ferratas in the Dolomites, you can do this in the spectacular Rosengarten massif. If you book a place to sleep in the beautiful huts well in advance, you can string together four extensive climbing days here. Other beautiful via ferratas in the Dolomites can be found, for example, on the Alpinisteig in Sexten or in the wild rocky landscape of the Latemar mountains.

The other mountain regions of South Tyrol boast some beautiful via ferratas as well. A prime example of this in the Sarentino Alps are the two via ferratas on the Great Ifinger and on the Verdinser Plattenspitze, which can be easily reached from the Merano 2000 high plateau. Climbers with great endurance can also combine Ifinger and Plattenspitze into one big trek.

Difficult via ferratas for experts can be found in South Tyrol, for example, in Naturns on the "Hoachwool" via ferrata, which partly runs along the now dilapidated Schnalser Waalweg. If you are looking for the most difficult via ferrata in South Tyrol, you will probably find it on the Tabaretta via ferrata on the Ortler: Excellent physical condition and a lot of climbing experience are required on the vertical walls of the long, exposed via ferrata.