Steep cables on Via Ferrata Giulio Segata (TRENT 7)
Also available locally (particularly in the Trentino area and the more southerly areas such as Bassano and Vicenza), are maps with strange scales such as 1:10,000, 1:20,000, 1:28,000, 1:30,000, 1:40,000, which will test your map reading skills! Usually produced by local tourist organisations (occasionally in liaison with SAT) these are sometimes available free from the local tourist office. Some are produced to a high standard and with good detail, while others are little more than ‘topos’ of limited value.
The availability of maps in most of the areas covered by this volume is good, as most newsagents and gift shops, and many supermarkets, stock local maps, even in fairly small settlements. You may, however, have problems in Bassano and Vicenza, which are not geared up for mountain tourism, so the route descriptions identify specific problem areas and indicate the maps we have used during our research.
You will doubtless want to consider the alternatives, and get hold of your chosen maps while planning your trip. In Appendix 5, we have provided website details of the main manufacturers to aid research, together with details of the main UK-based map suppliers.
Magnetic variation: since magnetic variation in this part of Europe is limited (around 1 degree west) it is not generally referred to on maps. Nonetheless, whilst you might be accustomed to using your compass in featureless terrain in the UK, it is something you will rarely need to do in the Dolomites. Even if you do carry your compass, you are more likely to navigate by finding a path and following its red markers.
Finally, a word of warning about the use of place names on maps. In those areas which were historically Austrian, many settlements and natural features such as mountains have both an Italian and a German name. Both appear on maps and – depending on where you are and to whom you are speaking – Torri di Latemar might well be referred to as Latemarturme. This guide gives both the Italian and German names on first usage, but thereafter reverts to the Italian name only. You will also come across variations in the spelling of place names both on maps produced by different publishers and in different editions from the same publisher. This can be confusing, but it also means that whichever forms are used in this guide can easily be justified!
Weather
As in all mountain areas, the weather in the Dolomites can be unpredictable, although a common pattern is a clear start, followed in the afternoon by increasing cloud and possibly a thunderstorm. Daily forecasts for the Dolomites are produced from the weather centre in Arabba (website: www.arpa.veneto.it/csvdi, with a web cam at www.svm.it/webarpav). A localised Trentino forecast is available on www.meteotrentino.it). These daily forecasts generally give a reliable indication of what to expect, even over a two-or three-day period, and are available from tourist offices and the local mountain guides offices. You will also find ‘weather stations’ outside shops and hotels in all mountain areas, with the barometer being a particularly useful guide to the weather patterns to expect.
Grand scenery characterises the walk from Rif. Rosetta to Passo di Ball (S.MAR 3 and 4) (photo: Meg Fletcher)
It is essential to keep an eye on the forecasts. High-level mountain routes require a spell of settled weather, although for less serious routes an early start can pay dividends if bad weather threatens later in the day. Conversely, if the day starts badly, there are some shorter, more easily accessed routes that can be completed in the afternoon.
Although wet rock is not ideal, via ferratas, especially easier ones, can be climbed in the rain, but beware if temperatures are low, as icing can occur throughout the summer and turn even the easiest route into a very serious undertaking.
Thunder and lightning is a totally different matter. Being attached to a metal cable in a high, exposed mountain situation is not where you want to be! So if storms threaten, avoid climbs which lack escape routes. If you are caught in a storm and are unable to escape from a route, there are some simple rules which should be followed to minimise the risk of being ‘buzzed’.
If a storm is approaching (warning signs include a build up of towering cumulo-nimbus cloud or the sound of distant thunder) evaluate possible escape routes as soon as possible.
If possible, unclip from the cable and move a safe distance away. If an escape route is available, then use it. If you have no option but to sit it out, a wide ledge might provide an adequate safety zone on a cliff face. If on a ridge, however, try to get off it as soon as possible.
In a storm, stay out in the open if this is possible – do not seek shelter under boulders or overhangs or go into caves, as these can be the natural spark points as lightning tries to find its way to earth.
Keep as low as possible: sitting on your rucksack minimises both your profile and your contact with wet ground.
Keep your core as dry as possible by putting on your waterproofs without delay.
This may all sound rather frightening; indeed it can be! However, remember that lightning strikes natural projections, such as mountain tops or rock pinnacles, so if you are unlucky enough to be caught in a storm, stay calm, make sound judgements, follow the good practice listed above, and the risks will be very small.
Route Grading
Grading is a subjective matter, not an exact science. The authors’ starting point is the belief that any grading system should offer a view of the seriousness of a route as well as its difficulty. A route can be hard without being too serious, and vice versa.
Spectacular descent on Sentiero SOSAT (BREN 2)
Many people have experienced situations in which their confidence has proved to be misplaced, and have had to back off a route and leave it for another day. On a route which is not only hard but also serious, things might not be quite so straightforward! Big routes on big mountains should be accorded a degree of respect, and factors like escape routes and even rescue access need to be considered. Bad weather and stone falls can also result in a carefree day on the hill turning into an epic.
Standard SAT and CAI safety notices
The Dolomites abound with via ferratas which are technically easy, but in terrain which needs to be taken seriously. Consequently, it is important that the relatively inexperienced scrambler appreciates the degree of mountain commitment involved in the route he or she is planning to climb.
Each route in this guidebook is therefore graded on a five-point scale of technical difficulty, with 1 the easiest and 5 the hardest grade. Some of the ferratas in this volume are ‘sport routes’ which, like recently constructed routes in Provence and Austria, tend to be at the top end of the scale of difficulty.
The assessment of seriousness takes into account the mountain commitment involved, accessibility, potential escape routes, the level of fitness required and potential objective dangers. Our three-point scale of seriousness is shown as A, B or C, where A is the least serious and C the most committing.
Technical difficulty
1 Easy routes, with limited via ferrata climbing, entirely suitable for the young and inexperienced. Requires no more than a head for heights and sure-footedness.
2 Straightforward