Tuesday, March  19, 2024
Return to alavigne.net home

Sentiero Alpinistico
Angelo Pojesi


Mountain(s) / Location:
Monte Lessini / Vicentini Alps
Maximum Height:
1539 m / 5049 ft
Fletcher/Smith Rating: 2B  
Hofler/Werner Rating:   -  
[ Show on Satellite Locator Map ]
The Sentiero Alpinistico Angelo Pojesi is a collection of intermittent protected sections that provide an alternative and interesting connection between the Costa Media Ridge / Cima Carega and Passo Pertica and lower Val D'Illasi. The ferrata is located in the Monte Lessini / Vicentine Alps region north of Verona and Vicenza - a more southerly location when compared to the higher dolomites.
Giazza
This ferrata is probably not a destination unto itself for most people. I did this route a part of a loop that used the Via Ferrata Campanali on the ascent, and this ferrata (The Sentiero Alpinisto Angelo Pojesi) on the descent. I will therefore describe this route in the descending direction, starting at the Rifugio Fraccaroli and finishing at the car gate at the end of the road leading up from Giazza. For details on the access road to get to that gate, please see the first part of the description for the Via Ferrata Campanali.

For those wanting to work in an overnight stay, the Rifugio Passo Pertica is located pretty much right at the lower end of the Sentiero Alpinistico Angelo Pojesi.

Starting off from the Rifugio Fraccaroli near the summit of Cima Carega, head south for a few metres. You will immediately see the signs for paths 108 / 108b. You want to take path 108, which runs along the crest of the beautiful Costa Media Ridge, which you can see stretching away from you to the southwest.
108 along Costa Media
Costa Media ridge
Beautiful traversing path
The path is easy to follow and generally traverses along, gently rising or falling as it skirts some of the larger bumps along the ridge. Further on, the trail follows the very crest of the ridge. This entire section is stunningly beautiful, with expansive views in all directions.
Towards Madonnina Peak
Madonnina Peak
Lower Costa Media
The trail continues on, following the ridge as it continues to lose altitude towards the southwest. Along the way are a couple of minor bumps - first, the Cima Madonnina, with a big white Madonna and memorial plaque, and secondly Prayer Flag Peak, adorned with Tibetan Prayer Flags. Just a few metres before Prayer Flag Peak is a junction with a trail neading down off the ridge to the northwest. This is the trail that leads down to the top of the Sentiero Alpinistico Angelo Pojesi.
Hiking to Prayer Flag Peak
Junction to Ferrata
Prayer Flag Peak
The side-trail down to the ferrata first descends steep, grassy slopes - in places with some exposure, before entering the top of a increasingly-steep ravine. The vegetation becomes more sparse as the angle of the terrain gets steeper, and presently the top of the ferrata wires are reached at about 1970 metres / 6450 feet. This is the top end of the Sentiero Alpinistico and the start of the technical stuff. Total elevation loss from the ridgeline at Prayer Flag Peak to this point is about 150 metres / 500 feet.
Heading down to Ferrata
Steep path
Top of Ferrata
The ferrata starts off down a steep gully, on very clean rock with relatively few handholds. There are stemples in place where there is any sort of difficulty, hence the only '2' grading of the route. This pleasant downclimbing continues for several pitches.

Below this, the quality of rock in the gully decreases, and there are increasing sections of looser rock. This loose-rock and the location of the route in a gully/ravine means that one needs to be very careful about rockfall on other people who might be below you. Helmets are extra important on this section of the route. This lower section of the gully is also intermittently protected. There are short pitches of climbing with loose-scree downscrambling in between.
Via Ferrata Angelo Pojesi
A nice prow
Looser and less fun
The gully section ends below this, and a trail leads off, traversing up and around out of the gully on a sloping, vegetated shoulder. After rounding the shoulder, you will see that the route begins a traverse to the south that involves a fairly significant climb up an intermittently-protected slope.
Exiting the main gully
Re-ascent
Section of wooded path
At the top of the climb, the route becomes a regular hiking path for quite a while. The path soon winds very steeply down another vegetated slope (shoulder-high pine trees, mostly), getting a bit steeper as you get lower, until the vegetation ends and cliffy terrain resumes. The ferrata wire starts again, too, and there's a longish section of intermittently-protected path that traverses around a large gully/bowl. You can easily trace the line of the route if you look closely: it contours around the bowl and then along a narrow ledge on a sheer cliff.
Looking down to the finish
Lower traverses
Exposed Traverse
The protected path that runs along a ledge on the sheer cliff is the last section of ferrata; soon the commemorative plaques are reached and a trail disappears into the forest. A few metres of path through the forest brings you to the Passo Pertica and the Rifugio Passo Pertica, with the old military road just beyond.

The old military road is followed downhill, and in at most thirty minutes you are back at the trailhead / parking area.

The many sections of ferrata and the care required on the loose sections may make this climb take a bit longer than you might otherwise expect.
Lower end, VF Angelo Pojesi
Passo Pertica
Trailhead Start / Finish
Interactive trackmap with photo points - Sentiero Alpinistico Angelo Pojesi - click map to view


Quick Reference Ferrate Route Index

(*) Difficulty rating from the newer Cicerone Guide by Fletcher and Smith
(**) Difficulty rating from older Cicerone Guide by Hofler/Werner

[ via ferrata home page | overview & intro | full route list | satellite locator map | rating systems | best images ]

Send feedback or leave comments (note: comments in message board below are separate from those in above message board)
(897 messages)
(last message posted on Mon. Feb. 11, 04:44 EST 2019 by Anastasia)
Web Page & Design Copyright 2001-2024 by Andrew Lavigne. (Privacy Policy)