Via Ferrata Vallon, Piz Boe, Sella Group, Dolomites, Italy
Ian Scott
Some via ferrata are well-suited to those with little or no experience
of rock climbing or scrambling. VF Vallon on Piz Boe is one such route
being relatively short and of easy access from the valley. VF Vallon has
easy uplift and can be used as part of a longer mountain route to the
Sella centrepiece Piz Boe. During the main season uplift is available from
Corvara by way of the Boe gondola which lifts you swiftly out of the
valley. The main mountain scenery is encountered after a further chairlift
up to the Vallon corrie that gives extensive views of the Pralongia
Plateau towards Falzarego and the Tofanes range. At this point VF kit and
helmets are often put on for the walk over scree and boulders towards the
far corner of the corrie where a waterfall lies in the corner. This is VF
Vallon and the path to Vallon circles beneath massive cliffs. A grade 3B++
VF the famous Piz da Lech is passed first. This VF is famous for its
frighteningly exposed ladder section on the final pitch.
The Vallon VF commences in the corner of the corrie where the cliffs
are at their lowest. At the time of climbing the VF had only just reopened
after several years of closure. A steady climb over scree leads to the
start of the wire on the left side of the waterfall. The first stage of
the route is at a comparatively easy angle allowing the climber to become
used to the VF kit and clipping into the wire. After around a half hours
steady climb the mid-point is reached and the waterfall is crossed by way
of a cable suspension bridge. This is of a totally open wire type that
gives the climber a real opportunity for both photography and a feeling of
exposure!
The route takes on a different character for the second stage. The
gradient becomes much steeper with some near vertical pitches that give a
real feeling of exposure. The climbing is not particularly hard and should
present little difficulty to anyone with scrambling experience. The
scrambling is sustained to the last when the route finishes suddenly in
the corrie above. This corrie can contain snow at all times of the year.
The route can be continues to the summit of Piz Boe by a steady but rocky
path taking around one and a quarter hours. An alternative easier route
back down to the valley involves a climb out of the upper corrie and a
steep descent on scree to arrive near the Rifugio Kostner. Part of this is
a protected path and a graded via ferrata Lichtenfelser Steig. The cable
used to protect the steepest exposed sections of the descent, which is
graded at VF grade 1A.
The route is completed with a visit to the delightful Rifugio Kostner
where refreshments can be taken. The rifugio is renowned for its Apple
Strudel! The VF takes around six hours from Corvara and represents an
excellent introduction to via ferrata.
Click [here]
for some more photos.
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