Via ferrata René de Pol

Description

Medium difficulty via ferrata that climbs the West Point of Forame, Cristallo Group, through exposed sections and foundations from the First World War. The route, being rarely visited, offers an opportunity for total immersion in nature and history.

From Cortina head towards the Rifugio Ospitale at 1,434 m, on the Cortina – Cimabanche state road. There you’ll be able to find a parking space for your car. From the restaurant, walk down the path leading to the Cortina-Dobbiaco cycle path and follow it towards Dobbiaco until you cross a wooden bridge. Here, in Pian del Forame, on the right, you’ll find the sign for the start of the route. The path winds steeply through the woods and along the way you’ll come across some military shelters dating back to the Great War. You’ll emerge at the edge of the rocks at a crossroads, with a wonderful view of the Croda Rossa, Tofane, Cristallo. Here follow the signs to the start of the scree leading to the start of the route, named after Renè de Pol.

The first section is a short traverse to the left. The metal cables will take you to face the “black wall”, which between channels, metal ladders and some exposed passages will take you to a ledge built at the time for military purposes, as a testimony to the history that has marked the Ampezzo Dolomites. The ledge must be followed until you reach a chimney, a more complex section of the via ferrata but still not very difficult. The climb up the chimney takes place on the left side with slightly athletic passages aided by rungs and metal cables. You’ll then find a twenty-meter-long equipped wall to climb to the right. Once you have passed it, you’ll find the last stretch of the via ferrata, which ends with a climb along a scree gully up to a path that leads to the summit of Punta Ovest del Forame, part of the Cristallo Group, at 2,318 m. From here you can admire a magnificent panorama of the Croda Rossa d’Ampezzo, Monte Cristallo and Popena. This via ferrata is not very popular, but if you want to immerse yourself in nature and history it is the perfect route, and the view of the Cristallo and the surrounding peaks is truly unparalleled. To return, descend from the opposite side of the climb via a steep path, which will first take you to Forcella Gialla (2,400 m), accessible via a scree slope, and then Forcella Verde (2,380 m), after an up and down along the ridge. Along the descent along the ridge you can admire several military bases from the First World War located on the crest of the mountain.

From Forcella Verde, take path 233 downhill back to Passo Cimabanche. From here, take the cycle path towards Cortina until you return to the Ristorante Ospitale.      Alternatively, take a bus from Cimabanche to Ospitale or use two cars, one in Cimabanche and one in Ospitale.