Ferrata Biasin

Overview

The Ferrata Gianni Biasin, located at Passo Pertica in the Piccole Dolomiti group, is a short but physically demanding route. It unfolds entirely within a deep and spectacular chimney-fissure, delivering a progression that is predominantly vertical and highly exposed. The metal fixtures are abundant, but their placement and the character of the rock often require you to integrate natural holds, making the climbing more technical than purely athletic. Its strategic position allows you to easily combine it with other via ferratas or equipped trails in the Carega massif, expanding your hiking possibilities.

Approach

The route starts from the Rifugio Revolto, situated at 1355 meters in Val d'Illasi. To reach it from the south, exit the A4 motorway at Verona Est or Soave, head toward Selva di Progno, and after passing the village, keep right at the junction to climb toward Giazza. From here, follow the main road, go around a wide hairpin turn to the left, and drive about 7 kilometers on asphalt-narrow in places-until you reach the refuge's parking lot. From Rifugio Revolto, ascend to the Rifugio al Passo Pertica (1530 m). The most direct approach is via a forest trail that cuts across the dirt road, taking about 20 minutes (30 minutes if you opt for the gravel road). From the refuge, the characteristic fissure housing the route is already visible to the right. An easy path leads from the building in about 10 minutes (30 minutes total from the parking lot) to the start of the Ferrata Biasin.

Via Ferrata

The steel cable begins about three meters high, to the left of a commemorative plaque. To clip in, you must overcome a short free-climbing passage of grade II. Once harnessed, you immediately enter the long chimney, tackling the first vertical meters, which are well-stepped. The cable guides a traverse that shifts from the left side to the right side of the fissure, where a long series of vertical metal rungs begins. The initial section is overhanging: it's advisable to move decisively to avoid tiring your arms too early. You gain height quickly and, using two pitons as holds, prepare for another shift to the right. With a straddle move, you reach the right side of the fissure, where a short, vertical, and exposed step with three stirrups leads to a narrow ledge. From here, the climb resumes vertically, always on wide metal rungs. In this section, the cable tends to drift away from the climbing line, putting strain on your arms. You then ascend the left side of a very exposed fissure, using a pinnacle for your feet and a well-placed piton inside the rock. The upper part of the chimney opens slightly: for a more efficient progression, it's useful to seek natural holds inside the fissure to avoid pulling too hard on the cable. You move inward, at the level of two wedged boulders that offer excellent support, then resume the vertical climb in the fissure, which narrows here (watch out for bulky backpacks). The route continues with strong verticality and exposure, gradually bending to the right following the gorge's line. You encounter a second wedged boulder in a passage that requires agility. After passing the last metal fixtures, you exit the fissure definitively in an airy section of a few meters. Turning right, you reach the summit register. A final step to the left of the register, climbing some easy rocks and ledges, brings you to the end of the equipment. The climbing time for the via ferrata is about 30 minutes from the start, for a total of one hour from the parking lot.

Descent

From the end of the route, follow the red trail markers to a junction. The left deviation continues on trail 108 toward Rifugio Fraccaroli and the possible ascent to Carega. The recommended way to return to Passo Pertica is instead to the right, which descends with a few short equipped sections along a steep slope to a dirt road. This connects Rifugio Pertica to Rifugio Scalorbi. Descending to the right, you reach the Rifugio al Passo Pertica in about 15 minutes from the end of the via ferrata, and from there in another 15 minutes you return to Rifugio Revolto. The total descent time is about 30 minutes, for a total itinerary time of one hour and thirty minutes.

Useful Notes

The Ferrata Biasin has been modernized with the addition of numerous metal rungs, which have reduced the original difficulties. It remains, however, an athletic, intense, and airy route. The particular placement of the fixtures tends to "push" the climber outward; for a smoother progression that is less tiring on the arms, it is very useful to seek holds on the rock, often just centimeters from the artificial supports. Pay attention to your backpack, which could get snagged in the narrowest section of the fissure, and to the danger of falling rocks throughout the chimney. The route is named after Giancarlo Biasin, a CAI academic and highly talented mountaineer, who conceived the idea and first equipped this route in the 1950s. The via ferrata retraces one of his grade V alpine climbs. Given its brevity, it is ideal for pairing with other equipped itineraries in the area, such as the nearby Sentiero Attrezzato Pojesi or the Ferrata Campalani.