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

Sentiero
Astaldi


Mountain(s) / Location:
Tofana Group
Maximum Height:
2302 m / 7553 ft
Fletcher/Smith Rating: 1A  
Hofler/Werner Rating:   -  
[ Show on Satellite Locator Map ]
This is a great short-but-scenic route at south edge of the Tofana Group, not far from Cortina D'Ampezzo. The route is tucked in far down at the base of Punta Anna, along very colorful, slope-forming ochre-colored strata. It (the route) can easily be done without ferrata gear if you are comfortable with a little exposure. There is a wire throughout most of its length, if you need it.
Regional Locator Map
Elevation profile over distance
A tale of two routes
The route, as described here, starts and ends at Rifugio Dibona, which is reached off of a small winding side-road, initially paved, then gravel. The side-road starts off a few kilometres west of the junction of highways S48 and S638, west of Cortina D'Ampezzo. There is a large parking lot beside the Rifugio.

Looking up, you can see the towering bulk of Punta Anna (a fantastic and very much harder via ferrata climbs the Punta Anna - click here if you want to read about that). The sentiero Astaldi traverses along at the very bottom edge of the steep cliffs of Punta Anna, at the juncture where the steep cliffs give way to colorful slopes of softer rock.
Path 421
Hiking up
We climbed way up there!
Take path 421 north-east from the parking lot. The trail winds up in a scenic manner, switchbacking up steeply until it reaches a junction with the Sentiero Astaldi (continuing on on 421 brings you very shortly to the Rifugio Dibona and also the start of the Punta Anna Ferrata route).
Line of Sentiero
Junction
Beginning of Astaldi
Heading left at the junction, there is a bit of walking before the wire starts. You can see quite clearly now what this route is about to do, which is to hug the base of the steep cliffs and stay at the top edge of the very beautiful multi-colored and tilted strata of rock below. The footing is mostly good, packed, albeit sideways-sloping dirt. There is good grip, but the wire is there for support if needed.
courtesy PChen
Easy route
Titled strata
Easy path
For perhaps 30 minutes, the sentiero Astaldi undulates along the top of the colorful strata, contouring in and out of little alcoves. In places, the varying hardness of the different strata create a neat notched ledge that you walk inside. If the weather is nice, the combination of colors and views is fantastic. (For lighting purposes, this route is best done in this direction, east-to-west, in the morning. In the evening, it might be better to reverse the loop).
slightly airier
Beautiful colors
Rounding a corner
Cool ledge
Cool ledge
Cool ledge
Soon the pleasant traverse is over and the wire ends. From here, proceed down grassy slopes on un-marked paths until you reach trail 403, which you then follow back to the Rifugio Dibona's parking lot.
courtesy PChen
Mostly a hike
End of the route
Heading back to Dibona
Finishing up


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
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)