Long Weekend in the Dolomites (many photos)

[sarahlizzy]

Hi! First post in this forum, given that I usually hang out in the canyoneering forum, but I've got something a bit different today. Looking for something interesting to do after a week and a half in Zion, Zoe, Sylvia and I turned to the Italian Alps for a long weekend. We took some pictures:

We stayed in the town of Corvara. The werather was very rainy, and on our previous holiday in Utah this would have meant flash floods. Not so here though - the wooded slopes can absorb the water and many of the clouds were below us. However, we had to keep an eye out for thunderstorms - VFs are basically lightning conductors.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-1.jpg


A bit of a rest, some gear shopping and it was onto a cable car for our first, and very straightforward ferrata - VF Lagazuoi. This starts near the cable car station and takes you through some preserved WWI trenches before descending hundreds of metres inside the mountain in a network of tunnels built by the Italians to supply their trenches, and to try to undermine the Austrian positions and blow them off the side of the mountain with surprise high explosives. It's a big network, and without the signs inside them it would be easy to get lost in this 3D maze. I kept getting visions of Moria from the Lord of the Rings!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-2.jpg


Occasionally there is a window to the outside, like this one. They were either built to dispose of rubble (and carefully disguised - if the enemy saw the portals they would train their artillery on them), or as artillery placements. Much of the route is pitch dark though, and a head torch is essential.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-3.jpg


Eventually you drop out the bottom, and can wander round the base of the fortifications, which is still equipped as a via ferrata in places. Here is Zoe hanging on her VF kit.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-4.jpg


The next day saw us heading up onto the Sella Massif to do VF Piz Da Lech. This involved a long ride on a gondola, starting from around 5,000 feet near our hotel, followed by the chairlift up to around 8,000 feet, where I still had 3G on my phone and was able to post to Twitter and Facebook!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-5.jpg


Many of the chairlifts, gondalas and cable cars/aerial trams are kept running in the summer for hikers, ferraterists and other extreme sport participants...
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-6.jpg


...such as these guys. We hung around and watched them take off into the void. V. cool!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-7.jpg


A short hike took us to the start of the ferrata. For those who've not used one, a ferrata kit is pretty simple. You have a lanyard which has two carabiners, so that at least one is always clipped on. Having said that, much of the protection awarded by the cable is purely psychological...
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-8.jpg


...here are Sylvia and Zoe, on a section near the start. Every few metres the cable is attached to the rock with a peg. The problem is that on these climbing pitches, a lot of the pegs are near ground level, rendering the protection rather moot. Although the climbs are made easier by the ubiquity of the cable, which you can haul yourself up with, you're basically free-solo aid climbing for much of the time. The consequences of a fall are the same. Even if you only fall as far as an intermediate peg, the fall can be as high as factor 5. It was quite a head game at times.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-9.jpg


Here's a group catching us up. A fall here would be nice and bouncy!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-10.jpg


Some of the pegs are ... unusual! I'm not sure what this is all about!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-11.jpg


Here's zoe near the top of a pitch.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-12.jpg


And here is Sylvia on a traverse section.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-13.jpg


Finally, after a disturbingly exposed section at the top of a long ladder, where you have to stick your butt right out into space (with the cloud tops hundreds of feet below you), we reached the top. On the aforementioned section Zoe briefly developed religion, and by the time she'd finished the move this had turned to polytheism because she decided one god was insufficient for how frightened she felt! :haha: Here she is on the peak in her triumph though.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-14.jpg


The view from the top, over towards Piz Boe, was stunning, when we could see it between the clouds!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-15.jpg


Here is Sylvia looking suitably grizzled near the top. It was novel doing this stuff and hardly needing to carry any water - just a litre or so was plenty. Very different from desert hiking!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-16.jpg


The next day we took the cable car up to Belvedere peak, to take on Via Ferrata Delle Trincee. This was the hardest one on our itinerary, and we ended up bailing on a steep section at the start. Nice view across to Marmolada and the Val Di Fassa though.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-17.jpg


Here is the start of the ferrata, with some other ferratarists on it. I felt quite happy about doing this, but my enthusiasm was not shared by the other members of the group, who were uncomfortable with the level of climbing required...
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-18.jpg


...so we started to deploy "Plan B". I started up the ferrata, dragging my climbing rope behind me. About 15 metres in the air, I set up a hanging belay station. The intention was to use it to provide extra security for the other two, and even haul them up if need-be. We did get as far as the actual hauling (this was an interesting experience while dangling from a steel cable half way up a cliff, but I am very pleased that I was able to rig the necessary ropework to do this, and safely), but there was less enthusiasm to continue this activity from below, and so I lowered my climber to the ground, re-rigged the rope for rappel, and used it to get down myself, retrieving all my gear as I went. We're hoping to give this one another go next year.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-19.jpg


Our final day saw us with lots of time to kill before our night flight home, so we did a very short and exposed, but easier ferrata - VF Piz Da Cir. Despite being easier than Delle Trincee and Piz Da Lech, I was more scared here because of the exposure. Here are some others on one of the more exposed sections (it's a popular VF for groups).
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-20.jpg


And here is me, giving it a go. Nice cable, friend. Don't go anywhere now!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-21.jpg


The top has this steel cross, and about room for ten people. To get down you have to reverse your steps for the last few metres of ferrata, which leads to awkward situations, so we rapped off instead.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-22.jpg


This guy was up here with a bunch of children on a rope. He was lowering them down from the summit using the rope, and at a first glance looked like he knew what he was doing. However, he was using two screwgate carabiners - one as an anchor and a second as a belay to lower each child. The screwgates were not done up, and when his anchor 'biner opened, and I pointed it out to him, he shrugged and said that it didn't matter! In addition he wasn't using a belay device or even a munter hitch on his other screwgate to provide a belay - he was just holding the weight of each of each child directly. He was, in my opinion, going to kill someone if he keeps behaving like that :-http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-23.jpg


We got off the mountain and still had some time left, so took this bizarre ... contraption up to the foot of the Marmolada glacier. Marmolada is the highest peak in the dolomites, and at the foot of the glacier is a mountain refuge serving beer and hot food (I love how the Italians do this - even many via ferratas have pubs at the end, at 9,000 feet).
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-24.jpg


Nice view while you dine too! Similar air pressure to a long haul flight, but much better food!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-25.jpg


Outside, after lunch, we wandered over towards the foot of the glacier, past some interesting cairns!
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-26.jpg


It wasn't long before we encountered the ice.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-27.jpg




We hiked a little way up the glacier, not too far because it gets dangerous quite quickly, and constantly falling over in the snow on a steep slope loses its humour value quite quickly! We had a rest before sliding back down (sometimes on our feet, often on our butts!)
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-28.jpg


These guys had come down from the summit, doing proper glacier hiking. There are crevasses and stuff up there, apparently, and it's really steep and dangerous. We just played about on the terminal moraine, below the serious stuff.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-29.jpg


And then we got back onto the contraption of doom, jumped in the car, and drove back to the airport to face the horror of Ryanair once more.
http://www.sarahlizzy.com/Dolomites2010/Photo-30.jpg

[blueeyes]

:clap: Nice report! I love the more than one god comment :lol8:

[Cirrus2000]

:2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

Six thumbs up! Looks like a great experience. I've gotta try out a VF some time... Such a civilized way to do the outdoors, what with all the pubs and fine food. Thanks for sharing - great photos, too! Piz Da Cir looks really cool.

[Sombeech]

Excellent :2thumbs:

[sarahlizzy]

:2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

Six thumbs up! Looks like a great experience. I've gotta try out a VF some time... Such a civilized way to do the outdoors, what with all the pubs and fine food. Thanks for sharing - great photos, too! Piz Da Cir looks really cool.

Thanks! It was a lot of fun. I realise a VF might be the worst nightmare of the anti-bolts brigade, but there are a lot of Alps to go round, and it puts it into perspective when lots of them wander past and through trenches and artillery emplacements.

[ibenick]

Incredible stuff! :hail2thechief:

[Brian in SLC]

Wow, neat shots!

How was staying in Corvara? Hotel? Rates (if you don't mind my asking...). We stayed for a week just south of there in Canazei in September a few years back. Each had our own room for 25 euro per. Nice spot. Off season rates, to be sure. When the owner found out we were climbers, she made sure we stuffed ourselves for breakfast each morning. Too funny.

What are your VF rigs? Looks like some type of friction fall arrest, rather than a shock absorber rig like the Petzl/BD ones?

Did you guys fly into Milan?

Gotta be an easy pop over from the UK? Easyjet and/or Ryanair seem like fairly cheap options.

Rental car?

Really want to get back to Italy and hit Austria. Wonder how early October would be....? Hence the questions... I fancy that or a couple weeks climbing in the Peak and/or Lake districts...

Thanks!

[sarahlizzy]

Thanks Brian :)

Firstly, unbeknownst to us. it was a holiday weekend in Italy and accommodation was scarce. As a result we ended up with a suite in a very nice hotel with a spa, which was awesome but expensive (about €1000 for 3 nights half board). We could have got it much cheaper if we'd picked different dates, or booked much earlier, so we chalked the expense up to experience and made ample use of the spa facilities. Food was really good too!

Have stayed in Canazei previously, about 8 years ago - it's a nice place, but Corvara seemed to be a bit more useful for the routes we wanted to do.

VF rigs are indeed friction arrest types - they have the strangest belay plate style thing which has massive amounts of friction, rather than relying on tearing stitches. Psychologically it felt more comfortable to hang on that.

We flew into Treviso with Ryanair. It was a horrible experience and I will never fly with them again. Their approach to business seems to be inspired by Orwell's INGSOC. I have since discovered that Lufthansa fly from London to Munich for about the same price we ended up paying with Ryanair after all the extras, go at a civilised time of day, give you water for free and seats that recline, and Munich is only 3 hours drive to Corvara vs 2ish from Treviso. I would actually consider driving the entire way next time to avoid using Ryanair (it's about a thousand miles going via the Channel Tunnel - 15 hours according to Google). Alternatively, Eurostar to Paris and then the sleeper train to Venice would be a really civilised way to get there if I had the time and was willing to pay twice as much as it costs to fly.

I can't emphasise enough how truly awful the Ryanair experience was. They say they were inspired by SouthWest, but I flew SouthWest into Vegas when we did Zion this year, and in comparison SouthWest is the height of luxury, transparency and customer service. I might consider EasyJet, but the full service guys (like LuftHansa, BMI, etc.) can be close on price if you get creative with airports and schedules.

We rented a little diesel car, which handled nicely enough, but I'd never driven a diesel before (my own car is a Prius), and it was a manual, and the narrow power band meant for constant gear changes on those alpine roads. We also found that petrol stations in Italy go unmanned really early and since we'd used all our cash and the machines wouldn't accept UK credit cards for some reason, we had to return the car without filling it up. Something to watch out for.

I think October is too late for climbing/VF/hiking in the Dolomites - lifts will likely be closed because it's between the end of the hiking season and the start of the ski season. If you do make it over to the UK to climb though, and like sport climbing, do check out the Isle of Portland on the south coast - miles of limestone sea cliffs all bolted up for sport climbing, and it has a microclimate so can even be climbed in December/January in a mild winter.

Hey, if you do make it over here, look us up and maybe we can arrange to chat about canyons and such over some real ale :nod:

[Brian in SLC]

We flew into Treviso with Ryanair...I can't emphasise enough how truly awful the Ryanair experience was.

Good to know.


We rented a little diesel car, which handled nicely enough, but I'd never driven a diesel before (my own car is a Prius), and it was a manual, and the narrow power band meant for constant gear changes on those alpine roads.

So...how was driving on the "right" side of the road (ha ha)? Was it hard to get used to shifting, round-abouts, etc? I'm wondering how the opposite would be for me in the UK. Only time I've tried was in Thailand on a motorcycle and after a few adult beverages, uhhh, sorta forgot which side of the road was mine...(don't want to pull a Matthew Broderick).


I think October is too late for climbing/VF/hiking in the Dolomites - lifts will likely be closed because it's between the end of the hiking season and the start of the ski season.

For the high mountains, you're probably right. Was thinking lower elevation stuff (Val di Mello, Lecco, Arco, Berrgamo, Finale Ligure, etc). Going higher if there were unusually nice, clear, warmish weather. Was quite chilly in the early a.m. in late September on Sella Pass when we were there. Something in the sun would be good...


Hey, if you do make it over here, look us up and maybe we can arrange to chat about canyons and such over some real ale.

Yeah, a "proper ale", eh? Be great.

Was chattin' up a local feller here about logistics etc. Be fun to get to Cloggy, Gogarth, Stanage, etc etc. He suggested flying into Manchester. Also said, if the weather was crap, its fairly easy to book a cheap flight to the continent and head to Spain, Italy, France...

If anyone wants to opt in for two weeks in Europe/UK, give me a shout. In the not-quite-ready-to-panic stages of planning and haven't got a thing worked out yet, and, need to burn two weeks of vacation...and really jonsin' to get back to Europe. For reasons...well, heck, see the trip report above!

Cheers!

[sarahlizzy]

So...how was driving on the "right" side of the road (ha ha)? Was it hard to get used to shifting, round-abouts, etc? I'm wondering how the opposite would be for me in the UK. Only time I've tried was in Thailand on a motorcycle and after a few adult beverages, uhhh, sorta forgot which side of the road was mine...(don't want to pull a Matthew Broderick).

Shifting with my right hand came entirely naturally tbh, which is odd because I haven't driven a manual in anger for years. I did almost go the wrong way round a roundabout once...


For the high mountains, you're probably right. Was thinking lower elevation stuff (Val di Mello, Lecco, Arco, Berrgamo, Finale Ligure, etc).

Oh, right! Probably worth checking out the area round Lake Garda as well - it's very mild and there is some stuff round there to play on.

[Brian in SLC]

Any feel for early October in the Wilder Kaiser in Austria? Summit of their highest peak is only around 2300m. Heck, the town you stayed in is almost that high (well, not really but the range is a bunch lower than the Sella group). Kufstein (main town) is only at 500m.

Thanks for the info!

[sarahlizzy]

Any feel for early October in the Wilder Kaiser in Austria? Summit of their highest peak is only around 2300m. Heck, the town you stayed in is almost that high (well, not really but the range is a bunch lower than the Sella group). Kufstein (main town) is only at 500m.

Thanks for the info!

Never been to Austria, I'm afraid, so can't really help you there...

[sarahlizzy]

Speaking of the Sella Group, it still had snow on it (patches) last weekend.

[DaneDane]

Are these VFs rated using the climbing rating system?

[sarahlizzy]

No, they have a separate rating system, consisting of a technical grade and a mountain seriousness grade. Technical grades run from 1 to 5 (1 - hike with a wire, 2 - wire needed for protection from exposure, 3 - mild technical climbing skills required, 4 - moderate technical climbing skills required, 5 - expert), and seriousness is a, b or c, with a being easy to retreat from, unthreatening terrain, b is limited opportunity to escape, c is experienced mountaineers only.

The ones we did were, in order 1a, 3b, attempted 4b and retreated, and 2a.

[sarahlizzy]

I should add, there are also protected paths which have wires, and occasionally ladders and/or stemples, but which are not classed as via ferratas. People do those without VF kits, but if you have one it's still sensible to use it.

[Brian in SLC]

No, they have a separate rating system.

It seems like some of the ratings have components of climbing to them, though. In France, some of the ratings are the PD, D, TD type which indicate a general difficulty.

I've also seen where they give almost a free climbing type rating to them, as well. Good to know. Some of these routes can be very strenuous, and, if you're not used to being on your arms for some distance, could be really dangerous and frightening.

Interesting to watch different people do them...given their experience....

[Scott Card]

Great shots and write up. Thanks!!!:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs: (I agree with Kevin... 6 thumbs up)

[Don]

:2thumbs: :2thumbs: :2thumbs:

Six thumbs up! Looks like a great experience. I've gotta try out a VF some time... Such a civilized way to do the outdoors, what with all the pubs and fine food. Thanks for sharing - great photos, too! Piz Da Cir looks really cool.


Great shots and write up. Thanks!!!:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs: (I agree with Kevin... 6 thumbs up)

:2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs: The thumbs are really getting out of control in this thread.

Great TR though; I've got so much envy right now I could sub-in for a break-needing god.

[sarahlizzy]

I've also seen where they give almost a free climbing type rating to them, as well. Good to know. Some of these routes can be very strenuous, and, if you're not used to being on your arms for some distance, could be really dangerous and frightening.


Definitely. I'd say that being able to handle overhanging stuff at around 6a/6a+ in a gym, or V1-V2 for bouldering really helped with some of the cable hauling, especially since I don't have as much strength in my arms as some of the guys doing them, so technique matters.

ETA: Doing a bit of lead climbing almost certainly helps with the psychological aspect as well.

[Brian in SLC]

Definitely. I'd say that being able to handle overhanging stuff at around 6a/6a+ in a gym, or V1-V2 for bouldering really helped with some of the cable hauling, especially since I don't have as much strength in my arms as some of the guys doing them, so technique matters.

Its funny the "style" that is out there too. I seem to recall reading a bit in the Cicerone guidebook...

For instance, isn't the cable just for protection, you're supposed to climb the rock (or rungs) only? Makes it a bit more spicy game for sure.

Watched a French climber in Grenoble pass some German climbers who were kinda stuck on the VF on the Bastille. Smooth. Amazing route, set as if you're free climbing on a steep steep wall. Poor kids, who claimed to be fairly good climbers, were really bogged down at the seriously steep section.

I'll have to see if I can post the video (note to self)...

[sarahlizzy]

Its funny the "style" that is out there too. I seem to recall reading a bit in the Cicerone guidebook...

For instance, isn't the cable just for protection, you're supposed to climb the rock (or rungs) only? Makes it a bit more spicy game for sure.

Well, if it weren't for the bone-shattering possibility of the FRICKIN' FACTOR FIVE FALLS I would be much more sympathetic to that point of view. :scared:

As it is, you bet I'll be cable hauling! :nod:

[Brian in SLC]

Yeah, pretty much everyone does it...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci9pRUYxR_g

Smooth...fast...

Cheers!