This tour at Lagazuoi follows war trenches from the First World War and presents no technical challenges. Experienced climbers often complete this route using only a helmet and a headlamp, while beginners and children are advised to use a full via ferrata kit.
The area is steeped in history, with numerous information boards detailing the battles fought here by the Italian and Austrian armies.
Summary
Grade: A – view topo
Vertical: 670m ferrata, 700m total
Time: 30min approach, 3h15min ferrata, 30min descent, 4h15min total
Access / Parking: 46.5194,12.0084 – Google Maps or any Android maps app
Start via ferrata: 46.5270,12.0042 – Mapy.cz or any Android maps app
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Map and photos
Access
We arrive at the car park at Falzarego Pass (Passo di Falzarego), situated at 2105 meters on the road connecting Cortina d’Ampezzo to Val Badia.
An alternative starting point for this tour is the nearby Valparola Pass (Passo di Valparola), located at 2168 meters. However, this trip report will focus on the circuit starting from Falzarego Pass, though all route variations are outlined on the map above.
Approach to start
From Falzarego Pass, there are two approach options:
- Use Sentiero Attrezzato Kaiserjäger on the way up. Begin by following path 402 for a short distance, then take the footpath that branches off to the left at the signpost, leading to the start of Sentiero Kaiserjäger. Start coordinates of the via ferrata, times and vertical distances in the summary section are for this first approach option. After about 2 hours of hiking/aided path, you’ll reach Rifugio Lagazuoi and the upper station of the Lagazuoi cable car.
- Go up to Rifugio Lagazuoi by cable car (timetable and prices), a good idea when travelling with children, as you will skip most of the approach.
The route
Next to the mountain station, near a large gate, we begin a steep descent along an aided path until we reach the first war tunnel, which is about 1100 meters long. Between this tunnel and the second one, we briefly traverse an exposed but aided ledge.
Descent
After exiting the tunnels, we continue along path 402, which leads us back to Falzarego Pass.
Good to know
- This tour is a good option for days with uncertain weather.
- Don’t forget to bring a headlamp.
- The wooden steps inside the tunnels can be slippery.
- The Kaiserjäger were formed in 1895 as four normal infantry regiments within the Austro-Hungarian army. They were disbanded in 1918. More about them on Wikipedia.
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Video
Weather
Main sources
- bergsteigen.com (German)
- ferrate365.it
- we climbed the route on August 23, 2018