Via Ferrata Ra Pegna

Introduction:

Review of the new Ferrata Ra Pegna to the rocky monolith of the same name located between the Duca d'Aosta Hut and the Pomeses Hut near Cortina d'Ampezzo. Easy via ferrata within a short itinerary suitable for beginners and families.

Starting location:

There are two starting points for the itinerary:

1. It is possible to start from the road that leads to the Dibona Hut above Cortina. Going up from Cortina towards Passo Falzarego we follow the road that leads to the right to Rifugio Dibona. We continue uphill on the paved road to a junction where on the right we climb to the Rifugio Duce d'Aosta. This road is bumpy and it is advisable to park in the open space near the junction. This option is preferable if you want to combine the Ferrata Ra Bujela with Aided path Astaldi and get off at the car with a ring route. Directions for Google Maps available here.
2. Alternatively you can park in the large car park at the Baita Pie Tofana (1675 m) where the chairlift goes up to the Duca d'Aosta Hut. This option is preferable if you want to skip the approach and return to the chairlift, minimizing outward and return times, or if you want to combine this via ferrata with a longer loop route that includes the Aided path Olivieri. Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

To climb the Ferrata Ra Bujela you must reach the Rifugio Duca d'Aosta (2098 m). Depending on the starting point shown above, there are more approach options.

1. For itinerary 1 we follow the road that from the junction turns off to the right with signpost 405 that in about 2 Km (30 'from the parking lot) reaches the hut,
2. get on the chairlift to the hut or go along the Sentiero dei Camosci (trail sign 405) which goes up from the hut to the hut (1h 30 'from the parking lot).

From the Duca d'Aosta Hut, a chair lift connects it to the Pomedes Hut. The chair lift goes up into the valley between two monoliths clearly visible from the Hut: on the right the Ra Bujela where the Ferrata Maria and Andrea Ferrari ascend and on the left the Ra Pegna. Looking at the Ra Pegna we will notice a rocky rib on the left side. The start is under that rib. We climb towards the ski slopes until we meet a sign (provisional in 2017) on the left side that shows us the approach path. We go up slightly and reach the start (10 'from the Rifugio Duca d'Aosta).

Via Ferrata:

The via ferrata rises along the meeting point between the diagonal slab and a rocky rib forming a leaning dihedral. Let's go up rocks and easy rocky jumps for about ten minutes without encountering particular difficulties. When we are near a rocky roof we cover one ledge to the right to then climb back into diagonally to the right. Let's face a rather caught vertical leap (key passage) and we continue to climb rocks and stretches of aided path. We go upstairs last meters without difficulty and we are at the top of the monolith with a marvelous view of Punta Anna and the Tofane.

It is advisable not to remove the harness as we will have to descend some easy aided sections. We follow the path to the east and go down a few aided rocky jumps before reaching one ladder with which we go down a more pronounced leap ending the Ferrata Ra Pegna (45 'from the start - 1h from the Rifugio Duca d'Aosta).

Descent:

At the end of the Ferrata we turn to the right going down along the steep ski slope until you reach the already visible Duca d'Aosta Hut as soon as the road is finished (15 'from the end of the route - 1h 15' from the Rifugio Duca d'Aosta on the way). From here it is possible to return to the car park backwards along the approach path.

Notes:

The new Ra Pegna via ferrata is an easy via ferrata that has no difficult passages and, given the brevity of both the approach and the return, it is also passable by families.

Opportunities:

The Ferrata Ra Pegna is easily combined with the neighbor Ferrata to the Ra Bujela which is however more difficult and long than this. The area where this ferrata extends is full of aided itineraries. Going up towards the Pomedes hut you can walk the Aided path Astaldi or take the ascent to the Tofana di Mezzo along the first Ferrata Olivieri and then the Via Ferrata Aglio to Tofana di Mezzo. These two itineraries are much more demanding both in terms of duration and height difference. 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.