Via Ferrata Madonnina of Coren

Introduction:

The Ferrata at the Madonnina del Coren is a pleasant ferrata that goes up the Corna Camoscera in an itinerary of medium difficulty without particular exposure. The route has a couple of slightly more difficult passages - a chimney and a cave - which overall make the route pleasant even for the more experienced Ferratists. To be avoided after heavy rains to avoid greatly increasing the difficulty associated with wet rock.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is the hamlet of Cavaglia in the municipality of Brembilla in the province of Bergamo. Once in Brembilla, go up to the right along a winding mountain road that ends at Cavaglia. At the end of the road we will have to find a roadside parking area.

Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

From the village go up a ramp towards the center of the village where we will immediately meet a marked path. We continue inside the wood on the CAI 596 up to a saddle: on the right we continue towards the Rifugio dei Lupi di Brembilla while on the left we take our path. Go up inside the bag and see the Corna Camoscera - our destination. We continue in steep ascent in the direction of the ferrata and the crag to a junction where the normal route is signposted to the right and the aided via ferrata to the left. We continue to the left for the last 10 minutes of steep path to the start of the Via Ferrata della Madonnina del Coren (40 'from the parking lot).

Via Ferrata:

The Ferrata of the Madonnina del Coren begins with a series of rocky steps to the right and subsequently with a short stretch of aided path until it enters a rocky canal. An easy step in split and out of the groove to then face a short vertical wall in which some brackets help us in the progression. We go up a slippery ramp and we arrive in front of a short leap that we cross to the left and we enter inside a second gully that is exceeded standing on the left side and then proceed briefly in split, more supported than the previous one. Once out of the gully, a short wall is faced and we are off the gully and take a long climb up a flight of steps without significant difficulties. After a few minutes of easy climb we reach a rocky rib of about 20 meters that can be climb upd in pleasant climbing. Once we reach the top of this stretch, we go down on its opposite side and climb up a second very tight vertical section.

After this vertical section we continue uphill between rocks and sections of aided path until the temporary end of the equipment. We follow the path of the path reaching the entrance of a cave. Enter the cave with the chain that gradually rises to the inside along the right wall. We will notice at the top a stuck boulder and that is where we will have to go through the climb. In front of us there are two particularly useful brackets in the first movements which, it could be worth doing, looking at the entrance of the big one taking advantage of a comfortable natural hold on the left side of the cave. Reassembled the first meters continue diagonally in the direction of the stone, climb over it and see the cave exit. Go up the second part of the cave diagonally, passing a second boulder.

At the exit of the cave we meet the key passage of the route. You must go up a gully with large boulders inside it. The groove starts out wide enough to then tighten at the top. The lower part of the groove is easier for tall people who will more easily be able to climb up the boulders and position themselves on the right side for the second section of the chimney. Pay attention to one of the first carabiner passages where the chain is a bit loose. Climb up the first part of the gully with the help of a pair of brackets we reach the second narrowest part.

We are now at the last pass bypassed by an escape route. Climb up a 10-12 meter vertical wall with good grips both right and left of the chain. After the climb we are in sight of the summit cross and therefore we end this pleasant via ferrata (1h from the start - 1h 40 'from the parking lot).

Descent:

Do not remove the harness at the end of the via ferrata since some aided downhill sections will be tackled. Once at the summit, continue in the opposite direction to where the ferrata took us. We go down some small jumps and then we enter the wood where, going down, we will meet first a section in disarampicata on some rocks often humid then they go down two metallic staircases. We continue along the path along the wood, following many hairpin bends, passing alongside climbing routes until we reach the crossroads encountered on approach. From that stretch, follow the path taken in the outward journey back to the car (1h from the end of the via ferrata - 2h 45 'total).

Notes:

The Ferrata of the Madonnina del Coren is to be avoided on days of unstable weather or subsequent to heavy rains due to the type of bottom and the rock that will be wet, considerably increasing the difficulties, otherwise moderate, of the climb.

Of the passages present, the chimney and the grotto deserve a mention. The first is certainly the more technical passage of the route and requires more attention. It is not an extremely physical passage but if you want to climb without forcing you must look carefully for the grips not always very close where good agility and hip opening helps. The cave is certainly the most exciting passage of the route and requires good concentration (and possibly also a frontal torch). It may be useful to climb it with the front facing the entrance to the cave.

Opportunities:

If this ferrata is finished, you want to do another good strike, an excellent possibility is to combine it with the Via Ferrata Maurizio to Alben, preferably along first the Mauritian and then the Madonnina of the Coren seen that the Maurizio is longer.

Alternatively you could combine a trip to the more challenging Ferrata to the Monte Ocone (attention to the length of the ferrata) or with some via ferratas of the Lecco area.