Ferrata Bolver Lugli

Overview

The Ferrata Bolver Lugli, which leads to the Spallone del Cimon della Pala in the Dolomites, is a demanding alpine itinerary. It is a via ferrata classified as medium difficulty, but with numerous passages that require attention and physical strength. The excursion unfolds in a high-altitude setting, characterized by a long approach and an equally challenging return that involves using the lifts. Given the length and exposure, planning must be meticulous, with particular attention to weather forecasts.

Approach

The recommended starting point is the valley station of the Col Verde cable car, located in San Martino di Castrozza in Trentino. Reaching the area from Passo Rolle, just before a hairpin turn leaving the town, you'll find the lifts with ample parking available. To save about 500 meters of elevation gain, it is strongly advised to take the cable car up to the Col Verde station.

From the top station, continue uphill for a few minutes until you encounter a signpost pointing toward the ferrata. Keep left, following trail marker 706. The path starts pleasantly through the woods, then soon crosses wide, south-facing scree fields that can be tiring and hot. Proceed steadily uphill, ignoring the junction with trail 712, and continue north toward the imposing southeast walls of the Cimon della Pala. You'll reach the metal plaque for the Ferrata Bolver Lugli at about 2300 meters, roughly an hour's walk from the top station. This, however, is only the prelude: the true start lies a full 300 meters of elevation gain higher up.

From here, the route changes character. Following the red marks, you climb over rock slabs (up to grade II), traces on scree, and short equipped sections. The ascent becomes steep on a debris-covered and sometimes unstable surface, gaining altitude as San Martino di Castrozza disappears behind you. Finally, you reach the actual start of the ferrata, recognizable and equipped, after about an hour from the plaque and two hours total from the top cable car station.

Via Ferrata

The equipped route begins by moving diagonally left into a small gully, overcoming some rock steps and rounding a corner. Then you ascend a not particularly difficult chimney, with the cable on the right and good holds in the center. Exiting the chimney, after a short vertical section, you traverse a connecting stretch marked by red dots, from where you can see in the distance the goal of the return: the Col Rosetta cable car station.

Resuming the equipment, the cable rises diagonally, bypassing some boulders, and leads beneath a beautiful vertical wall. The rock offers excellent holds, and the climbing is pleasant and rewarding. After overcoming the wall, you tackle an exposed horizontal traverse with comfortable footholds, followed by a second vertical wall slightly more challenging than the first.

The route continues with variety: you turn right over ledges, climb a vertical section to a panoramic pulpit, and cross a slab. Here you encounter the first metal stirrup of the route before tackling a zigzag ascent. The upper part of this section emerges onto a horizontal traverse, from which you head vertically left in strong exposure.

You climb initially diagonally and then with short vertical sections to a wall that starts to the right of a crack. Here a series of solid stirrups aids progress, before continuing on smoother rock with less generous holds. The difficulty remains sustained. You tackle a dihedral with the cable on the right and squeeze into a narrow gully, where the rope runs on the right side; despite the tight spaces, good holds are found, and the exit is manageable. After rounding an airy corner, you climb a rather challenging and slightly overhanging passage, followed by a sloping dihedral and an inclined slab.

You are now in the final section of the route, where fatigue begins to set in, also due to the altitude, nearing 3000 meters. Compensating for this is the extraordinary panorama of the sharp Beppine peaks towering beside you. You ascend a stepped section toward a clear notch, which you cross. On the opposite side, the Bivacco Fiamme Gialle appears, and the landscape changes dramatically. A short equipped ridge section to the left, then a turn to the right, and you follow an obvious trail until you reach the Bivacco Fiamme Gialle at 3005 meters. The time for the ferrata is about 2 hours from the start, for a total of 4 hours from the top station.

Descent

From the Bivacco Fiamme Gialle, after admiring the view, the long return begins. The first stop is the Passo del Travignolo (2985 m), reachable via a mid-slope descent of about 15 minutes, being cautious of possible snowy sections. At the pass, you face a choice: ascend Cima Vezzana (3192 m, about 1 hour from the bivouac) or descend immediately into the Val dei Cantoni.

If you choose the summit, follow trail 716 north, crossing a usually snow-covered basin to the top. From here, you can decide to return to Passo del Travignolo (40 minutes) to descend the Val dei Cantoni, or take the Ferrata Gabitta Ignoti downhill and descend through Val Strutt, a longer route that requires considering the Bivacco Brunner as the only support point.

Opting for the descent via Val dei Cantoni (the shorter route), from Passo del Travignolo you descend a steep, usually snow-covered valley. The condition of the snowfield and the presence of crevasses vary seasonally. After about 20 minutes, an arrow indicates moving to the right side of the valley toward the rock to avoid a particularly steep section; here you encounter some short equipped stretches. Continue descending the valley, carefully tackling a couple of exposed traverses on snow. Once the valley ends (about 1 hour from the bivouac), follow trail 716 to the right, which cuts uphill toward Passo Bettega (2658 m).

At the pass, ignore the track to the left and descend to a junction: to the right, you descend steeply toward Col Verde; to the left, an easy trail leads to the Rifugio Pedrotti-Rosetta (2581 m) and then uphill to the top cable car station at Rifugio Rosetta (2678 m). The descent times are about 3 hours from the Bivacco Fiamme Gialle (7 hours total without ascending Cima Vezzana, 9 hours with the ascent).

Useful Notes

This is a long and demanding excursion with significant elevation gain in an alpine environment. The ferrata is only part of the route; the return and approach deserve equal consideration. It is essential to follow the red marks, especially in the section between the plaque and the start of the ferrata and during the ascent of Cima Vezzana. Solid experience in mountain and via ferrata terrain is required.

A very early start is recommended to tackle the approach in the shade and have enough time to return to the cable car before it closes, or to descend to San Martino on foot. At the beginning of the season, you'll encounter several snowfields, including steep ones (below the start, before the bivouac, in Val dei Cantoni, at Passo Bettega). For this reason, it is advisable to always carry crampons and trekking poles, assessing their use based on snow conditions.

If from Passo Bettega you choose to descend directly toward Col Verde on trail 716, be aware of some exposed sections with equipment not always in excellent condition, requiring a steady step and experience. The safer alternative is to ascend to Rifugio Rosetta and from there descend by cable car or via an easier trail. For mapping, a detailed map of the Paneveggio and Pale di San Martino Natural Park is recommended.