Via Ferrata Orsa

Introduction:

Review of the long trip to Forcella dell'Orsa along the Val Angheraz and ascent with the Ferrata dell'Orsa or Sentiero del Dottore. The proposed itinerary is very beautiful, in an area that is not very well-known but beautiful of the Pale di San Martino. The via ferrata follows a long approach and is technically of medium difficulty although exposed in the first part. The climb to Forcella dell'Orsa is not difficult but requires good sense of orientation due to the non-optimal marking of the path. Long way back with further uphill climb to be filled.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is the village of Col di Prà in the municipality of Taibon Agordino in the province of Belluno. To reach the village you must take the regional road that connects Belluno to Cencenighe Agordino and at Taibon enter the village. In the center of the town follow via Aldo Moro with clear indications for Val San Lucano. We continue along the paved road that goes up the valley to the Col dei Prà Inn where the road saddles and we look for parking. Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

Park the car near the inn (858 m), at the saddle keep the left. Initially on a paved road, then a dirt road, we begin to go into the valley perpendicular to the one traveled by car. The valley that we begin to walk on is the Val Angheraz which we will ascend completely on foot. We continue on foot in moderate but constant ascent along the forest with signpost 767. We continue along the forest until we notice the signposts that come out of the forest on the right continuing uphill along the valley (1270 m - 1h 30' from the parking lot).

We now begin the most challenging part of the approach by entering the valley between the high walls to the left of the Agner and to the right of the Coston del Miel. We reach a dry river bed of a stream and let's start a follow him up the upper part of the valley in direction of the high peaks of the Croda Grande. up the valley we will have to pay attention to the trace to the right leads us under the wall where the via ferrata extends with the Forcella the Bear clearly visible in the middle of the steep walls above it. The wall on which the ferrata extends is characteristic and identifiable: one large slit cuts diagonally to the right. We reach the start and we are ready to take the via ferrata that will lead us to the Forcella dell'Orsa (1560 m - 2h from the parking lot).

Via Ferrata:

The via ferrata starts immediately at climb vertically following the slit to the right. We follow the rock wall in this stretch that gradually becomes exposed but not difficult. We reach one first metal ladder. We go up and we reach a wall with good rock but more challenging than traits just traveled. The cable then continues to the left following some cracks along the rock. We therefore reach a triptych of rather dated metal ladders with which we continue uphill under a rocky roof that covers a crack. We climb a new vertical wall and then walk along a ledge to the right. We leave the shady environment where we were until now and we climb some jumps on rock without difficulty in the midst of mountain pines and meadows thus ending the first section of the route (30 'from the start).

We now go up a partly grassy gully partly on stones to the right until we reach a ledge that continues to the left. We follow the ledge e we find the metal cable again which helps us to climb some rocky jumps of modest difficulty reaching a gravelly gully. Keep to the right and continue uphill until you reach a junction that is not signposted optimally:

• to the left it continues with clear red and white signs the ascent to Forcella dell'Orsa which can be reached along a last stretch of via ferrata,
• on the right, with pale yellow-green signs, along a grassy gully (keep to the center), go up towards Forcella di Miel. Attention to the trace not always visible. This option allows you to reduce the whole trip by at least one hour.

We continue the review with the first option. Holding the left we begin a partially exposed path that rises in the direction of the Forcella the Bear. We reach a scree on track (attention at the beginning of the season is covered by snow). Gradually the path includes difficult passages. there move to the left of the valley seeing the Forcella dell'Orsa straight ahead of us. The environment is certainly little beaten and here it is easy to come across herds of roe deer and other wild animals. We then reach the last short stretch of via ferrata that goes up a detrital gully and we reach the Forcella dell'Orsa (2330 m - 2h 30 'from the start - 4h 30' total).

Descent:

We now begin the long return. From Forcella dell'Orsa we ignore trail 707 to the left towards the Rifugio Treviso and we keep to the right on a track that passes under the characteristic Colle Canali up to take us to the Passo Canali (2460 m - 30'). From the pass we go down in a northerly direction along the path 707 on a basin for then climb it on the opposite side keeping the signpost 705 and reaching the Miel saddle (2520 m - 45 'from Passo Canali - 1h 15' from the end of the Ferrata dell'Orsa). Just before the saddle on the right you can see the track that rises from the deviation indicated in relation to the via ferrata.

Once we reach Forcella di Miel we follow the signpost 705 which begins a long descent with which we will reach the parking lot. We continue along the Vallone del Miel on a path that steeply and through arduous hairpin bends makes us quickly lose altitude until reaching a crossroads. Keep to the right on path 705 which continues downhill until you reach a forest road. Keep to the right and following the trail markers we reach Col di Prà and then the parking lot (2h 30 'from Forcella Miel - about 4h from the end of the ferrata - about 8h 30' total).

Notes:

The Ferrata presents some difficulties in the first section while remaining on a medium level. Attention must be paid after the first part of the ferrata to identify the various trail signs both if you want to go up with the Forcella dell'Orsa that if you want to walk the Sentiero Furlan ascending to Forcella Miel. The long re-entry recommends walking the road only with stable weather. In particular, the fog could cause many headaches for the orientation between Passo Canali and Forcella Miel.

Storia:

Come indicato in relazione, la via ferrata a un certo punto offre l'alternativa di di accorciare il giro tagliando a destra sul sentiero Remo Furlan che sale verso Forcella del Miel. Attenzione ai segni radi e all'orientamento non scontato.

Questo itinerario è spesso chiamato "Il sentiero del Dottor" che ripercorre un percorso individuato e attrezzato dal Presidente del CAI di Treviso Giulio Vianello (detto il "Dottor") nel 1925 al fine di collegare in comunicazione la Val Canali con la Val di San Lucano attraverso la forcella dell’Orsa e la Val Angheraz.

Opportunities:

The Ferrata dell'Orsa ends at the homonymous saddle that connects the Val Canali with the Val Angheraz. On the side of the Val Canali, not far from the Forcella dell'Orsa you reach the Vallone del Coro from where you can climb the Via Ferrata Fiamme Gialle Ferrata to the Reali Shelter. On the opposite side you can reach the Fradusta Pass in the Pale Plateau from which you can descend to Rifugio Pradidali, starting point of a series of aided trips: Via Ferrata of Porton, Ferrata Velo, Aided path Gusella. Returning to Val Canali you can reach the Aided path del Cacciatore and the Via Ferrata Buzzati at Cimerlo. Finally remaining on the Veneto side of the Pale Group we can climb the Ferrata Stella Alpina.

In the direction of Passo Falzarego, we can instead take the Ferrata Tomaselli, the recent one Via Ferrata Fusetti at Sass de Stria, the Ferrata to the Col dei Bos and the Ferrata to the Averau. If instead you went in the direction of Alleghe and Agordino you could take the Ferrate to the Civetta: the Ferrata degli Alleghesi, the Ferrata Tissi, the Ferrata Costantini at Moiazza to the Moiazza or the Via Ferrata Fiamme Gialle at the Palazza Alta.