Via Ferrata Stuller Waterfall

Introduction:

The Ferrata at the Stuller Waterfall, near the village of Moso in Val Passiria, is a ferrata installed in 2019 and is very interesting from a landscape point of view. It develops alongside a long waterfall. The route is difficult in its first common part and then divided between a moderately difficult and an extremely difficult variant. The latter is very athletic and difficult to climb.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is the village of Moso (Moos) in Val Passiria in the north of the province of Bolzano. For those coming from the south, one usually exits on the Brennero motorway in Vipiteno (Sterzing) and follows the state road southwards until the indications to the right lead to Val Passiria and Moso. Drive north-west and after 3 nearby tunnels you will have to turn left to enter the village. There are two parking options:

• the most comfortable is to follow the road after the turn for a hundred meters and, without entering the village, you reach a church on the left side. Pass it and immediately left towards a downhill road. After a few tens of meters there is a new cross where on the right we will see some parking lots. Directions for Google Maps available here.
• If that parking lot is busy, you can safely park in the village or near the church mentioned above. In this case we will lengthen the approach by a few minutes, and consequently shorten the return from the country.

Approach:

From the parking lot we follow the path that, initially on a slight slope and then downhill, continues towards the stream. We will have to pay attention to follow the directions not crossing the stream. We continue on the comfortable path with trail marker 11 up to cross the road previously traveled by car using a tube which passes underneath. We proceed on the uphill path and soon we are atstart of the Via Ferrata di Stuller (30 'from the parking lot).

Via Ferrata:

Next to the metal plaque at the beginning of the ferrata we will start the route by facing a dihedral beyond which we will enter into a rocky ravine. The cable indeed brings us between the mountain and a rock blade. Attention to the slippery, although easy, bottom. We go out and after a few easy meters we reach a diagonal traverse to the left at the end of which we face a first cliff that is not difficult but a little athletic. Now let's face a exposed traverse to the right to get around a roof by walking on some metal brackets suspended in the void. Bypassing the roof the cable initially starts up again in vertical, then to the left and finally again vertically.

Finished this part with which we gain altitude and exposure, we reach a beautiful aided hedge. On the right the dihedral offers many opportunities to find footholds. At the end of the 15 meters of dihedral we reach an earthy terrace where the equipment ends and we walk along a connecting path and where the first section of the route ends.

The via ferrata resumes with one slab then a new nice dihedral. The rock is polished but the brackets present help to progress without excessive problems. We are now on an exposed edge to the left in overhang with the brackets there to help the climb. We overcome with an athletic cue up to around a rocky outcrop in a beautiful passage of the route. We climb around the edge and tackle a traverse to the left then one section more climbable in this route. At the end of the traverse, we go up a exposed leap and we go out over the roof where there is a signposted junction between the easy and the extremely difficult variant.

Easy variant

The easy variant includes some moderately difficult passages, however never more difficult level than those faced up to this crosspoint. The route starts on a small slab leaning towards the left without difficulty. We climb diagonally up to a panoramic bench and then climb vertically with the aid of the sails and move to the left to then climb an edge. We move to the right and then again diagonally on an easy part to the left until the end of the equipment. At this point, follow a stretch of path until the extremely difficult variant joins from the right. The concluding part is described below.

Extremely Difficult Variant

We follow to the right a ledge for a couple of meters and then follow the cable that rises to the right on a first rather physical passage by which we bypass a roof. The way now alternates some zig zag on blackish rock up to exit with an athletic passage on a new earthy terrace with a beautiful view of the valley below. We are under the demanding part of the route and it is easy to see its development with overhangs over our eyes. We move to the left under a roof that we will go around with a difficult and overhanging part diagonal traverse to the left. The pitch is in strong exposure and athletic. The brackets present will help us but it is absolutely necessary to manage the balance well by bending the arms avoiding to strain the arms more than necessary. A chain will allow us, if needed, to join us with a return or a sling. We cross to the right in the direction of the corner. We go up the edge and, still with considerable exposure, we now climb up the still challenging wall until we reach the end of the equipment.

We walk a few meters until we reach a path (trail sign E5). The easy variant is joining from the left. At this point it is possible to finish the route by taking the path to Moso on the left. To end the via ferrata, continue uphill. After the first rather easy meters, the route still requires a little effort but following a very vertical and well-assisted line with the stirrups. We now reach a traverse to the right supported that leads us to a narrow ledge. We are at the end of the route. Another few traverses and we conclude the via ferrata with the Stuller waterfalls on our right (2h 30 'from the beginning of the via ferrata - a total of about 3h).

Descent:

Once the equipment is finished, we follow the path until we reach the paved road that we follow to the right, soon entering the village of Stuller. We continue on the road initially uphill to the right and then downhill towards the town of Stuller. Where the road joins a larger road, we advise you to keep to the left beside a parking lot and continue downhill in a direction initially opposite to Moso. The road continues downhill with a first hairpin bend to the right, then another to the left. At this point, an asphalt road with sign and marker 10 E5 comes off. We follow that little road that soon becomes a path. Now cut the slope of the mountain down steeply until you reach the point where the two variants joined. We continue on the path that leads us to Moso after walking down beside the gallery (1h 30 'from the end of the via ferrata - 4h 30' total).

Notes:

The Stuller Ferrata is an excellently equipped via ferrata with a very stretched cable that, where necessary, helps the progression. The difficult variant is to be considered extremely difficult and requires good strength as well as knowing how to move the body correctly for the traverses in a decisive overhang. It could be useful to have a ribbon with you simulate a stop along the most difficult and challenging stretches.

The rest of the way is not particularly difficult although sometimes the rock is not very climbing. Remarkable from a landscape point of view.

Opportunities:

The Stuller Ferrata is recent and develops in an area, the Val Passiria, where there are no other climbing routes. If we are in the province of Bolzano we could go down towards Val Venosta where we find some beautiful and difficult via ferratas: the Ferrata Tabaretta, the Via Ferrata Hoachwool and the Via Ferrata to the Croda of Cengles. If instead of going down towards the Val Venosta we wanted to proceed towards the Val Pusteria and the Valle Aurina we meet the Via Ferrata Pursteinwand, the Ferrata del Camino-Glacier with the Black Stone, the Via Ferrata Valdaora and all Ferrate of the Sesto Dolomites. In Val di Fleres close to the Austrian border you can reach and undertake the easy and nice Via Ferrata Lampskopf.