Via Ferrata Knott

Introduction:

Review of the Knott Ferrata above Naturns in the province of Bolzano. The via ferrata concatenates multiple paths where most of the passages are easy except for a variant with some moderately difficult passages. Ferrata easily accessible by cable car.

Starting location:

The starting point is the valley station of the Unterstell cable car in Naturns in the province of Bolzano. Once in Bolzano we take the highway that leads us to Merano from which we take the state road that leads to Stelvio exiting at Naturno and following the directions for parking the cable car. Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

From the parking lot you have to go up to the top station of the cable car. Going up with the cable car you save 1h 30 'going up path 10 with clear directions from the parking lot. From the top station follow the sign that indicating path 24 to the viewing platform shows us that in 15 'we arrive at the start of the Knott Ferrata (20' from the top station of the cable car - 1h 45 'if traveled on foot).

Via Ferrata:

The Knott Ferrata consists of 4 routes with 3 escape routes inside. We describe here the 4 routes and possible combinations:

• From the access point lower yes follow the "Sally" route which rises up a wall of 50 m in altitude. There are two more challenging rocky hills and some short ledges and connecting ramps. In this section there is a slightly overhanging stretch that can be overcome with the help of some metal brackets. At this point in few steps we complete this part of the itinerary and we are in correspondence to the right of the suspension bridge and of the platform or to the left of an escape route (which can also act as an access route to the bridge avoiding the Sally stretch).
• Big Foot Bridge is a suspension bridge of about 20 meters aided with wide platforms for the feet to support the progression. The bridge is very stable and does not present any difficulty to be traveled. After the bridge we will have 3 options to complete the route: Turtle, Affele and Rocky
• The Turtle variant is the easiest of the options and climbs with some easy rocky jumps to the exit. These not particularly difficult jumps are aided with solid metal staff.
• From bridge you can always follow a slight slope towards the Turtle variant, the Affele variant. This one immediately goes back up metal ladder followed by two rocky leaps not difficult and well assisted with characteristic round brackets. If you wanted to increase the difficulty of the route, exit the bridge and immediately keep to the right along theexposed traverse Ocherle and then proceed in the direction of a unmarked dihedral to be traced. At this point one engages with the section described above which proceeds towards the staircase.
• The last stretch is Rocky which, once the bridge is finished and the cross Ocherle it remains about the same level along a series of not difficult but exposed traverses. We go up a steep first metal ladder and then continue on a series of traverses, we go around an edge and then on easy rocky jumps we end the hike to the right of the viewing platform.

Descent:

From the end of the via ferrata you can proceed on viewing platform for a well-deserved rest and gaze at the Val Senales valley below and then return to the top station of the cable car (20 'from the end of the ferrata) with which to return to the parking lot.

Notes:

The Knott via ferrata is an ideal route to start climbing via ferratas. There are no difficult passages but there are nevertheless a series of very varied passages that allow you to become familiar with the steps and work on the technique, perhaps reducing the traction on the cable to a minimum.

Opportunities:

The Knott Ferrata can be easily traveled after having traveled the Via Ferrata Hoachwool uphill. However, this second via ferrata is difficult and physically demanding, therefore, to be reserved for expert hikers.

In the case of inexperienced people but who wish to proceed on aided routes in the first vicinity there is in Merano la Via Ferrata Heini Holzer which is moderately difficult and can be the next step to increase difficulty after the Knott. Close to Merano a new via ferrata has been installed in 2020: Ferrata Ziel.

Lungo la statale dello Stelvio è possibile anche raggiungere la Ferrata di Trafoi in the Trafoi village.

Staying on an easy degree of difficulty you should descend in the direction of Trento and proceed to Ferrata Mendola at the Roen or the Via Ferrata Favogna, both medium difficulty routes.