Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: Vol 2. John Smith

Full technical specification is defined by the UIAA, see www.uiaa.ch Energy Absorbing Systems for ‘Vie Ferrate’.

      Climbers in V-type self-belay set on left and Y-type self-belay set on right. (photo: Collett’s Mountain Holidays)

      In recent years, several manufacturers have devised impact absorbing systems using techniques other than KISAs, One such, the Petzl Scorpio, relied on stitched webbing which would tear progressively in the event of a fall. However, manufacture, and sale, of this type of Petzl lanyard has now ceased following an example of equipment failure. You should therefore be very wary buying such a system if you happen across one: if you are already using this type of lanyard, then maybe you should give consideration to retiring it.

      A serious word of warning! DO NOT rely on a couple of slings, or a ‘home-made’ system, in place of a proper VF self-belay system. Whilst these might give you a sense of security, they could well be useless if you were to take a significant fall. Although you may see ‘made up’ VF sets in Italian Sports shops please note that a complete VF self-belay set should at least conform to EN958 and even better to UIAA 128 safety standards.

      Karabiners: If you buy a ready-made self-belay set these may already be included, but not always. There are quite a few different models of karabiner available, not all of which are equally suitable. Consequently, when buying your gear, pay close attention to the karabiners incorporated which must always be the large sized karabiners to clip over some of the thicker wire protection (Type K karabiners, with automatic locking gates, are specifically designed for Via Ferrata use and should conform to EN12275 and UIAA121 standards, see www.uiaa.ch ‘Connectors’). Conventional screw gates are NOT practical for use on VFs where you will be clipping and unclipping repeatedly. One suitable model has a spring-loaded gate, unlocked by simply pulling the gate-lock back with the index finger. A variation on this type needs to be both pulled back and twisted through 90 degrees before the gate is unlocked; this can be frustratingly fiddly after a couple of hours! Small clips (sometimes already included on complete sets) are also available to thread the rope through on the karabiner; these cost next to nothing but are extremely useful for holding the karabiner on the rope to stop it spinning round and potentially falling off. Best of all perhaps, and the most expensive, are models from Salewa, Camp and Mammut specially developed for VFs, where the rope is tied through a separately formed ring at the base of the karabiner, such that it cannot then spin round. As well as being relatively light, a safety feature is that the gate is released by pressure from the heel of the thumb, naturally applied as the karabiner is offered up to the cable, making for ease of use during a long day.

      Self-locking VF karabiners (photo: Collett’s Mountain Holidays)

      Gloves: specially designed gloves for via ferratas are readily available from gear shops in the Dolomites. They resemble cycling gloves, with padded palms and cut-off fingers. Whether you wear gloves is entirely a matter of personal preference. They can, however, be very useful when the weather is wet and cold, and they do protect hands against frayed cables. You might decide to keep a pair in your rucksack, where even a cheap pair of garden gloves may prove to be a useful accessory.

      Refinements: An ice axe and crampons are suggested for several routes in this guide. A rope is another important accessory if climbing with someone with limited experience, and for some of the more demanding outings included in this guidebook. The authors favour carrying 20–30 metres of halfrope, a couple of tapes and a belay plate when climbing in such situations. A quick-draw can be useful when taking photographs and to facilitate a rest, for example in traffic jams or on unusually strenuous routes.

Cable Etiquette

      The ferrata cables and their use can be a real debating topic. Some prefer to regard via ferratas as rock climbs which happen to have permanently fixed protection. Others simply haul themselves up the cable by dint of brute strength! Most of us are happy to make our own compromises between these two extremes, climbing without use of the cable where we feel comfortable, but using it for a boost when required. Until you have found your own point of compromise, try climbing with one hand on the cable, with the karabiner(s) sitting on top of the clenched fist and being slid up by it, and using your other hand to exploit natural holds in the rock.

      Popular routes can get very busy, and sooner or later you will find yourself being pressed from behind – this feels rather like being ‘tailgated’ on a motorway! The perpetrators are not only being discourteous, they are also putting both of you at risk since, should the upper climber fall, he will probably take the lower climber with him. This would load the protection far beyond what it is designed to withstand. Therefore, observe this simple rule: do not clip into a length of cable until the climber above you has progressed to the next cable length.

What to Wear

      In making your choice of what to wear, you should take into account not only the anticipated weather, but also the situation of the route you are doing – whether a big, remote mountain day or a short, easily accessible route. Travelling light and carrying a small pack makes for a more enjoyable day on the hill when the weather is warm and settled. However, never lose sight of the fact that you are in a high mountain environment, with the potential for sudden and dramatic changes in the weather. A warm, sunny day, with a temperature of 20°C, can quickly drop by 10° or more, and hail or snow can be encountered down to 2500m, even in high summer. Do take this into consideration when selecting your gear for your via ferrata day.

Accidents and Mountain Rescue

      As in most mountain regions the police have responsibility for organising mountain rescue. If you are unlucky enough to be involved in an accident the emergency contact number for mountain rescue is 118 (see App.4)

      Climbers on ridge to Cima Capi with Lake Garda below (RIVA 8)

Some History

      This section outlines the military campaigns of the First World War which helped shape the landscape of the southern Dolomites and contributed significant features now incorporated in via ferrata routes. (Volume one of this guide goes into greater detail on the history of Italy and the Dolomite region.)

      When Italy entered the Great War in 1915 it overestimated the strength of its old adversary, Austria. Its advance was thus slow and cautious, giving the Austrians time to consolidate their defences. Consequently, a fairly stable front line developed, running from the Swiss/Italian/Austrian border (at Stelvio pass) in the west to the Italian/Slovenian border in the east. The front line ran through the Riva, Rovereto, Trento, Vicenza and Bassano areas covered in this book.

      Wartime tunnels on Sentiero Galli (ROVER 2) (photo: Meg Fletcher)

      The western segment of the front, from the Stelvio pass to Lake Garda, was of little strategic importance, and had relatively small troop numbers. It was in the area east of Lake Garda, across the mountains and plateaux of the Piccole Dolomites, from Trento to Bassano, that most activity was seen (although the main battles were fought further to the east, along the present Slovenian/Italian border).

      The relatively settled nature of the front line through the Piccole Dolomites was disturbed on two principal occasions. In May 1916, a major Austrian offensive was mounted, when their forces swept southwards over Val Sugana and temporarily occupied territory from Pasubio to Asiago and Monte Grappa. After a further period of relative stability, the Austrians launched an advance on the Asiago plateau, early in 1918, and crossed the Piave river. This failed, and proved to be the last significant Austrian offensive.

      To learn more about the so-called