Ferrata Cinquanta del Clap

Overview

The Ferrata Cinquanta del Clap is a high-altitude alpine route that culminates on the summit of Creton dei Culzei in the Carnic Alps. It offers a deeply rewarding hiking experience, distinguished by remarkable variety and an extensive stretch of protected terrain that blends technical passages with long crest sections, delivering exceptional views across the entire Carnic alpine arc. The entire route is very demanding, requiring careful attention during both the approach and the return, each of which is long and strenuous.

Approach

The starting point is the Pian di Casa ski center in the municipality of Pesariis (UD), reachable via State Road 465 of Forcella Lavardet. The spacious parking lot sits at 1236 meters elevation. From here, take the well-marked and popular Trail 201, heading toward Rifugio de Gasperi. The path starts with a moderate grade, ignoring the junctions for trails 202, 203, and 315 in succession, staying on the main track. The gradient gradually increases; you pass a cave and tackle some more exposed and loose sections, though these are protected by fixed ropes. You then reach Rifugio de Gasperi (1767 m, CAI of Tolmezzo) about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the start.

From the refuge, the objective is already clearly visible: the crest of Creton di Culzei. To reach the start of the via ferrata, head east along the Sentiero Attrezzato Corbellini (marked as trail 316). This route runs parallel to the ferrata but at a lower elevation, is extremely scenic, yet is subject to constant landslides that have altered its course over time. It winds along exposed ledges, grassy sections, ascents, and descents that skirt around ridges and gullies. The trail also includes a few short vertical sections recently equipped with stirrups, ladders, and rungs, as well as wooden walkways. After about 45 minutes from the refuge, passing two gullies, you reach a third. Here, while the main trail continues straight across meadows, follow an obvious track to the left, marked by a metal plaque, which quickly leads to the first fixed protections of the ferrata. The total time from the car is about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Via Ferrata

The first protected section climbs a sloping rock step beneath an overhang, with the cable running diagonally and the aid of a few stirrups. After this passage, you enter a steep rocky gully, following red blazes. Simple steps over stones, short sections on small rock outcrops, and easy climbs alternate, with metal protections at the more exposed points. You then reach a sloping wall, climbed in zig-zags along the cable, before descending into the lower part of the gully, partially re-ascending it, and moving left onto climbable rock. A small equipped notch allows you to switch sides, beginning a traverse to the right that leads into a vertical climb with increasing exposure beneath the south bastion of Creton di Culzei. From a grassy ledge, the target notch comes into view. Continue along a path and equipped ledges that skirt the gully, finally reaching the notch that marks the start of the equipped crest route (about 2 hours from the start). From here, if desired, you can end the hike by descending north toward the Sentiero Corbellini.

The equipped crest section leads to a large rock face. With the help of metal stirrups, you climb initially vertically, then to the right, continuing through vertical passages in strong exposure. You ascend an exposed pinnacle with a move to the left, then tackle a new face that, shifting to the right, skirts a roof and brings you back to the crest. This section is characterized by challenging and exposed passages. After a short descent, continue along the crest over a series of steps that cut to the left. Here the fixed protections end, and you follow a broad crest toward the prominent pulpit of Creton di Culzei.

Descend into a small gully to re-ascend on the opposite side up a vertical and exposed face, equipped with stirrups. Back on the crest, a series of moves over rocky steps leads to a new vertical face with good holds. Following the protection, the summit cross comes into view in the distance. Descend a few meters to move onto a sloping slab along the crest. Red marks now guide you along a high-altitude path. You reach a rather challenging chimney, climbed initially to the right then to the left. Continue alternating between equipped ascents and descents along gullies, until you reach the summit cross of Creton dei Culzei at 2458 meters. The time from the start of the ferrata is about 4 hours, for a total of about 6 hours and 30 minutes from the car.

Descent

From the summit, descend west following the track toward Forcella dell'Alpino. Caution: the descent begins on unstable scree, following red blazes, then becomes a steep section with short downclimbing moves, sometimes equipped and sometimes not. This is not a trivial route and requires maximum attention. Following the marks, you reach a narrow notch topped by a wedged boulder. Then enter a tight, rather loose gully. Following the signs for the Ferrata Gas (recommended choice), traverse horizontally on an equipped ledge, climb a few meters, then descend an equipped face, well-stepped and fitted with useful metal rungs on the smoothest vertical sections. Continue the equipped descent over short trail sections until rejoining the track coming down from the loose gully. From here, the descent continues with manageable difficulty but always requiring caution, until reaching Rifugio de Gasperi (about 2 hours from the summit, 8h 30' total). Return to the parking lot by retracing the approach trail (total about 9 hours and 30 minutes).

Useful Notes

The Ferrata dei Cinquanta del Clap is a difficult but extremely rewarding route. The equipped ascent is long, varied, and full of interesting passages, while the descent must be approached with caution. The ferrata can be divided into two main sections: the first in the gully, of medium difficulty, and the second along the crest, difficult with varied, exposed, and technical passages. It is essential to pay attention to the various unprotected points both on the ascent and descent, also due to the not always stable ground. After a period of closure due to missing equipment, the ferrata was officially reopened in the summer of 2019. Considered the "Super-Ferrata" of Friuli for its length and continuity rather than extreme technical difficulty, it requires excellent physical fitness and solid mental preparation. It was built between 1991 and 1992 by a group of local climbers, the "Cinquanta del Clap."