Ferrata Capitano Bilgeri

Overview

The via ferrata dedicated to Captain Bilgeri, an Austro-Hungarian officer, winds along the southern flank of Monte Piano, in the heart of the Sesto Dolomites. It is a long itinerary, with a significant approach in terms of elevation gain to cover in a limited time, but with modest alpine difficulty. The route is of great historical interest, crossing a vast Open-Air Museum of the Great War with remains of trenches, tunnels, and gun emplacements.

Approach

Access is from the road between Misurina and Dobbiaco. About 4 km after Misurina, past a wide hairpin turn to the right, you'll find a track in the woods. Park in a clearing (about 1600 m). From here, a steep, winding trail climbs through coniferous forest; at the various junctions, always keep left, heading toward Rifugio Bosi al Monte Piana (2205 m). After passing the refuge, the terrain eases: ignore the equipped trail to Monte Piana on the left and continue on a gentle traverse toward the museum area. Keeping north, you reach a crossroads and proceed straight to the start of the ferrata, which is marked. The approach takes about 2 hours and has a steady, physical pace, with the elevation gain concentrated in the first wooded section.

Via Ferrata

The equipped route begins at a yellow sign. You initially climb diagonally over compact rock, then tackle a dihedral climbed with a few rungs. The route continues on a slight ascent, rounds a corner, and arrives at a comfortable ledge exposed to the south. After short rocky steps, you reach a wooden bench, an ideal panoramic spot. Resume by following a ledge on the left, which leads to a fine chimney to be climbed in stemming position: this is the most characteristic and enjoyable passage of the route. Then you climb a gully, enter a second, narrower one (again in stemming), and ascend a chute keeping to the right, up to a small notch. From here, a few easy rocky steps to the right lead to a small ridge, whose traverse brings you to the summit plateau of Monte Piano (2305 m), with a majestic view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The ferrata takes about 1 hour, for a total of 3 hours from the start. The route is predominantly horizontal and exposed, developed along ledges and gullies, with a varied but never athletic pace.

Descent

From the summit of Monte Piano (2305 m), descend south on trail 6, which coincides with the Alta Via 3. The route alternates short equipped sections with evocative trenches and historic walkways, descending to a saddle. From here, a brief climb leads to the summit of Monte Piana (2324 m), then descends again to Rifugio Bosi. From the refuge, retrace the approach trail back to the parking area.

Useful Notes

The Ferrata Capitano Bilgeri is technically simple, with solid rock and frequent metal fixtures that ensure safety. It is never athletic or demanding, suitable even for those with little experience. Due to damage from Storm Vaia (2018), the historic route described may have difficult trail sections before and after Rifugio Bosi. Since 2020, an alternative route is therefore recommended, starting from Lago di Landro (South Tyrolean side), following trail 6/102 east and the signs for Monte Piano. From the summit, the descent can be made by exploring the network of tunnels and trenches (marker 6A) to the west, offering various options to return to Lago di Landro. The area is rich in options: among other recommended via ferratas in the Sesto Dolomites are the Ferrata Innerkofler De Luca on Monte Paterno, the Ferrata delle Scalette on Torre Toblin, and the Ferrata ai Costoni della Croda Rossa di Sesto.