Via Ferrata del Chiadenis

Introduction:

Review of the Ferrata del Chiadenis. Itinerary described with ascent from the Ferrata di Guerra (northeast slope) and descent from the Ferrata CAI Portogruaro (southwest slope). Difficult route, very beautiful and with strong historical interest. Some challenging passages mark the way.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is along the Provincial Road 22 which connects Cima Sappada with the Sorgenti del Piave. Cima Sappada is about 1 Km eastwards from the town of Sappada located along the road that connects Veneto (Santo Stefano di Cadore) and Friuli (Comeglians). From the center of Cima Sappada a road starts on the left with clear indications for the Sorgenti del Piave. We continue on the paved road, sometimes narrow, which climbs for 8 km and ends at the Sorgenti del Piave Hut. Before reaching the hut we will notice a large parking area at the roadside where it is possible to leave the car to undertake the trip. Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

The Ferrata del Chiadenis is the combination of two aided routes:

• an itinerary climbs to the summit from the northeast and is known as the Ferrata (or Via) of Guerra or Ferrata delle Trincee recalling the military origin of the route,
• an itinerary climbs to the summit from the southwest and is known as the Ferrata of the CAI Portogruaro, from the section that aided the route.

It is possible to follow the route in both directions, taking into consideration that you will always follow an uphill and a downhill ferrata. In the event that we take the road in a northeast-southwest direction we will encounter the most difficult and technical sections uphill. In the opposite case we will meet them downhill. In this report we consider the route in a north-east-south-west direction, thus following the ascending Ferrata di Guerra and the descending CAI Portogruaro Ferrata.

Having said this, to reach the start of the ascent route one must reach the Passo del Cacciatore on the north-eastern slope of Chiadenis. For our report we suggest an approach itinerary that allows you to make a loop tour reaching the Rifugio Calvi on your return.

From the parking lot (ca 1800 m) we descend along the paved road of a hundred meters until we come to the sign indicating the CAI 173 that comes off with a clear trace on the paths to the east. The path cuts the meadows on the southern slope of Chiadenis until it bends gradually towards the north towards a rocky valley. We follow the path that in constant and marked climb bends decidedly towards the left and leads us to the Passo dei Cacciatori (2213 m - 1h 30 'from the parking lot) where there are several military posts. We follow CAI 173 to the left in a slight slope until we reach a crossroads where we will keep the left uphill leaving the CAI 173 which instead continues straight ahead. We follow the indications and we reach the start of the Via Ferrata del Chiadenis (2290 m - 1h 45 'from the parking lot).

An alternative to this approach is to go up to the Calvi Hut (as for the return) e to go up to Pass Sesis where is it, keeping to the right the path 173, you reach the junction for the start of the via ferrata (1h 30 'from the parking lot). The disadvantage of this approach is to follow the same route until Calvi hut.

Via Ferrata:

Thestart of the via ferrata consists of a diagonal ramp that goes around a rocky shoulder. The climb is well secured and you can easily climb it. We bend to the left going up a diagonal ramp meeting a characteristic stuck stone that we will have to climb over. We carry on the other side where we walk a short traverse downhill in strong exposure but not difficult. We continue in the route reaching the base of the line of ascent. This line of ascent is made up of a series of chimneys and gullies where we will ascend paying attention not to move stones that inevitably would risk falling along the road where other hikers could climb.

The first gully he is well-hung e we can get on easily without pulling on the rope. Going up the gully it tightens and the rock becomes smoother forcing us to proceed with greater attention in search of the few holds and in some cases using the rope to gain some otherwise difficult passages. The initial groove narrows and we find ourselves surrounded by 3/4 of the rock walls in a chimney from which we go out on a more graceful stretch. Attention in a stretch of this chimney with bulky backpacks that could create difficulties in passing.

We leave the chimney and we are on a stretch with gravel bottom where it is easy to move stones. We continue uphill bending to the left overcoming some stuck pebbles and rocky leaps not long but with smooth rock that lead us towards a new difficult passage. We are at the base of a very beautiful chimney where a certain agility is needed to climb it. The rope is on our right but many holds are present on the opposite side of the chimney and we will have to proceed in split to go up it. By the end of the chimney the rope continues to the right and we follow it leaving the chimney reaching a small terrace. We continue going up some rocky slopes to the left until we enter the third chimney. This chimney has, compared to the previous ones, some useful brackets for both hands and feet.

Once the chimney is finished, we find ourselves walking along one long stretch of ledge where the remains and testimonies of the Great War. The ledge is always protected and runs along a very exposed stretch where they are still present some trenches. We reach a downhill section closed again inside a short chimney well attached and a war shelter. We continue in plain passing through a carving between the wall and a spike. The carving is tight and even in this situation a bulky backpack can create problems.

We reach an edge that is airy but well climbed and we reach the last challenging passage of the ascent route. We are inside one narrow dihedral in which the cable runs to the right and the brackets - well positioned - are present on the left side. The rock is very smooth and therefore it is advisable to use the supports well on both sides of the dihedral. We leave the corner and we are the last passages that lead us to the book of signatures and to the summit cross of Chiadenis (2459 m - 1h 30 'from the start - 3h 15' total).

The review of the via ferrata continues for the downhill aided section. Continue along the ridge following the abundant signs in a southerly direction where we immediately encounter a wall that needs to be lowered rather poorly. We descend with our shoulders clearly visible the goal of our descent: the Calvi hut. We travel a unprotected ridge section. The ridge is not too narrow but definitely aerial. The equipment is then reached again. Let's go down now in more vertical way on a fairly vertical wall. You can find the grips and the thick rope for good downhill safety. We go down diagonally to the left and then vertically until we reach a downhill ledge. We go down quickly losing altitude approaching the shelter and the overlying saddle. We are now at the most challenging pass of the descent. We will have go down a wall about 20-25 meters on smooth slab aided with cable, chains and some brackets where it will mainly fall in adherence. The slab ends inside a dihedral where goes down and we reach another smooth wall. The goes down and we reach aexposed grassy ledge which leads us to the end of the equipment on the saddle above the Calvi Hut (2209 m - 1h 30 'from the summit - 4h 45' total).

Descent:

We go down from the saddle to the obvious path that in short (15 ') leads us to the Calvi hut (2167 m). From the Calvi hut you can take the descent to the parking lot or an interesting alternative is go up a few meters and undertake the trip of the Via Ferrata Sartor at Monte Peralba, possibly staying overnight at the hut. In the report we describe the descent that can take place initially following the path and then the dirt road that leads to the paved road (45' from the hut) or along the Sentiero Degli Marmotte trail which is connected just before the paved road. From the graft on the paved road, keep the left downhill until you quickly reach the parking lot (1h 15' from the end of the via ferrata - 6h total).

Notes:

The Ferrata al Chiadenis is a very interesting and sometimes difficult via ferrata. The environment is beautiful and never excessively beaten. The uphill ferrata present two / three challenging passages and the downhill ferrata in turn presents a couple where it is necessary to pay attention. To this must be added the ridge in an unprotected section. The via ferrata is difficult, although not excessively, inserted in a truly satisfying itinerary. Many testimonials from the Great War (galleries, trenches, shelters) along various sections of the route. Beware of falling stones along the various chimneys of the uphill section of the route.

Opportunities:

As mentioned in the report, the Ferrata del Chiadenis is often combined with the nearby Ferrata Sartor al Peralba. The area in which the ferrata extends is on the border between the Veneto and Friuli, that between Italy and Austria and finally between Cadore and the Carso. These areas are rich in stupendous itineraries among which we point out in the Cadore the Aided path of Ambros, the Aided path from Pra and Jau Tana Aided path. Continuing in the Carso we meet the Via Ferrata Cassiopea, the Ferrata Varmost and Aided path Olivato.