Via Ferrata Formenton lower

Along the route, at the height of 2922 meters, is located the Capanna degli Alpini Battaglione Fenestrelle, an original and well restored hut of the italian alpine troops, fighting in altitude in the Tofane Group during the First World War. Now it is a wooden emergency bivouac with 7 bed, embedded in a niche of the rocky wall below the North ridge of Tofana di Dentro.

This Via Ferrata has no technical difficulties, however, route finding in the mist was a concern as there are times when the path changes to the other side of the ridge, and to miss this would be to start off down a steep gully in the wrong direction. We hurried our pace to keep sight of the party in front of us. In the lower section, just before the wonderful rock window, there is a section which is so narrow and so eroded and so friable that it is terrifying. The exposure and drop off is considerable and this section has no wire. Guide books do not mention this.

Formenton Via Ferrata – an exposed Section- the worst bit was narrower than this, and more drop off but I didn’t stop to take photos there

Formenton Via Ferrata

Formenton Via Ferrata – The window

Formenton Via Ferrata – Jim looks back from the other side, where suddenly there is a normal path and no drop offs

View from the Lower slopes of Tofana di Mezzo (1)

 

View from the Lower slopes of Tofana di Mezzo (2)

View from the Lower slopes of Tofana di Mezzo (3)

View from the Lower slopes of Tofana di Mezzo – the cable car appearing from the clouds