Via Ferrata Taccole at Baldo

Introduction:

The Ferrata delle Taccole (literally "Ferrata of the Jackdows") is a difficult ferrata that extends on the Monte Baldo to reach the Vetta delle Buse. The via ferrata is athletic, exposed and requires good training, although it is short and goes up a not too steep slope. Pay attention to the access path to the via ferrata which is often covered with snow even at the beginning of the season.

Starting location:

You can have different starting points for the Ferrata delle Taccole itinerary. A first discriminating factor is whether you want to use (or if it is open) the cable car that connects the town of Prada with Costabella. At the beginning of 2018 it is still closed but the works should be finished so that it can be used in spring / summer 2018. In this, indications for Google Maps available here.

Without using the ski lifts you need to reach the Telegrafo Hut (2200 m). At this point you have some options among which we suggest:

• The CAI 657 (2h 30 ') that starts from a clearing near a bend in the provincial road that connects Ferrata di Monte Baldo with San Valentino. The path is easy and has no exposed sections. You park near the hairpin bend. Directions for Google Maps available here.
• The CAI 652 (Sentiero Bovi - 1h 45 ') that goes up some steep sections with some exposed but not difficult sections. It is the fastest path to reach the Telegrafo Hut. Please note that the road to reach it is closed in winter. You park on the roadside on an open space (parking for up to 8 cars). Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

The approach varies according to the options shown above:

• If you use the cable car in Costabella, follow the CAI 658 to the north that the Chierego Hut will pass and then take you to the Vetta delle Buse (2152 m). From the Vetta delle Buse we descend towards the Telegrafino Hut up to a saddle where we notice the metal slab of the ferrata (45 'from the mountain station).
• If you go up with CAI 657 follow the obvious path that goes up almost 900 m in about 2h 30 'up to Punta Sascaga. To the right is the Telegrafo Hut while we will keep CAI 658 on the left towards Vetta delle Buse / Rifugio Chierego. Before the summit we reach a saddle (3h from the parking lot).
• If you climb with CAI 652 follow the steep path with exposed stretches until you reach Punta Telegrafo (2200 m). We go down to the telegraph shelter and continue in a southerly direction towards Vetta delle Buse / Rifugio Chierego. Before the summit we reach a saddle (2h from the parking lot).

From the saddle with the iron slab of the ferrata we descend towards the west along a steep and crumbling gully that leads us to the start of the Ferrata delle Taccole (10 'from the saddle).

Via Ferrata:

The Ferrata delle Taccole has a very characteristic beginning. It starts from the inside of a chimney. The very first few meters offer good grips for the feet then going up you have to look more carefully for the natural grips as well as some excellent handles and metal brackets. The cable runs on the left side of the chimney but some handles and support points are on the right side and it is worth pausing a moment during the climb to study the best supports. Climbing the crack tightens and in fact increases the exposure. We rise in strong exposure until we reach a small terrace where we can put both feet always inside the chimney in its upper part. We remount the last 5 meters inside the chimney (better holds here than previously) and we go out on a series of rocky boulders, one in particular protruding, which must be ascended. We continue on this easy stretch and we are on a rocky ledge to the right that leads us to the base of a long, fairly steep slab.

The cable starts near a slit that gives us some good natural grips for the hands and feet, which is missing in the slab instead. We climb in strong exposure meeting some handles and brackets that help us in this demanding stretch. The rock here is very compact but definitely smooth and the only natural grips are inside the crack. The brackets will be found both on the left and right side of the rope allowing us to use them alternately for the hands and feet. This stretch is certainly more difficult for people of small stature given the distance between the brackets. The upper part of the slab has a single more complex passage than the previous ones along the slab itself. The crack widens with the cable that runs to the right and we in fact we will be inside the slot and we will have to come out of it in a passage a little more athletic. At this point it is important to look up and notice a bracket above our head that is placed vertically and is excellent as a grip to force and exit the crack. A few meters above this more difficult passage the cable turns to the left for a short traverse and a dihedral is attached with artificial brackets on both sides. This section does not present any particular technical difficulties given the brackets present but we are still in strong exposure and the single passages are rather athletic. We face a short overhanging stretch beyond which the cable bends to the right on a rocky terrace. Here it is convenient to rest for a while in view of the last challenging stretch of the road.

This last section begins with a wall similar to the previous ones. Few natural grips but brackets present. The cable runs on an edge to the left of which we will notice a crack that we will have to face above. Gradually we move into the crack, sometimes with wet rock, where difficulties will quickly change. We will meet a couple of lightly striking points where to climb up them it will be necessary to force the cable due to the lack of natural grips. The second of these protruding traits will offer us, once we have ascended, to support both feet and to study well the next passages in which the fissure is tightened. The slit tightens up to push us out of it. In this section it could be useful to go up in lolotte to get the first 2 meters using a bracket on the left side above our head. Once out of the crack we have the last 4 meters of slab and we are out of the difficult stretch. We go out on an earthy path, we face the last rocky leaps and we are at the summit book where the ferrata ends (45 'from the start).

Descent:

From the end of the via ferrata, you must descend towards the CAI 658 by path. Once you reach this path and on the basis of the approach route, proceed to the left towards the Telegrafo Hut or to the right towards the upstream station of the cable car and back respectively for the approach route.

Notes:

The Ferrata delle Taccole is an athletic ferrata and should be said with little climbing. The rock, as mentioned in the report, is very solid but smooth and with few natural grips that are not edges and cracks therefore ideal for people with good climbing skills. However, the route uses many metal brackets positioned to facilitate many challenging sections. Some of these are however quite distant from each other and it will be almost obligatory to pull the cable to be able to proceed. With these premises, it is a via ferrata that puts to the test and with strong exposure that will also satisfy the expert hiker. The view from the top is very beautiful with the Lake Garda below and the chains of the Brescian and Dolomite pre-Alps clearly visible from the top.

Opportunities:

The Ferrata delle Taccole is a challenging itinerary that will surely leave little energy on that day. It should however be said that if you can use the cable car for the climb, the route and the height difference change radically, allowing you to combine other routes as well. Going down to the valley you could opt for the neighbor Aided path of Val Sorda or you could opt for one of the many Via Ferrata at Lake Garda where there is no shortage of options with the easy Ferrata del Rio Sallagoni or the most difficult Ferrata Mori. If you wanted to take an easier route you could also opt for the Colodri Aided path or the Aided Path of Cavre.