Ferrata del Coglians

Overview

The Ferrata Weg der 26er, which cuts across the imposing north face of Coglians (Hohe Warte), ranks among the most demanding equipped high-altitude ascents along the Italian-Austrian border. This lengthy route, recently renovated, requires a long approach and a return via a protected trail. Its length and considerable commitment suggest splitting it over two days, possibly using the refuges along the way.

Approach

The route begins at the Rifugio Tolazzi (1350 m), near the village of Collina in the province of Udine. From Forni Avoltri, follow signs for Collina to the end of the drivable road and the parking area.

From the parking lot, take the Sentiero dei Cramars (trail marker 144). The route initially follows a wide forest road, which then turns into a steeper but still manageable trail, with a possible shortcut marked. Ignore the right-hand turn for the Sentiero Spinotti (trail marker 145) and continue through open terrain to the Rifugio Lambertenghi Romanin (1955 m), reachable in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Past the refuge, climb in a few minutes to the Passo Volaia (1974 m), a border pass, then descend slightly toward the scenic Lago Volaia. Staying to the right of the lake to shorten the route, join trail 403, which climbs east over grassy slopes. The path continues across a scree field toward the Forcella del Valentintorl, following the first signs for the ferrata, marked "Weg der 26er" (trail marker 427). It's crucial to spot a poorly marked junction: just before the notch, you must veer right toward a saddle (2147 m), leaving the Forcella del Valentintorl to your left.

Turning south along trail marker 427-1, you'll find yourself at the base of a roughly fifty-meter wall, a short equipped section that serves as an introduction to the actual ferrata. After climbing this, descend across a broad scree slope (which may hold snowfields in season) at the foot of the imposing north face of Coglians. At a marked junction, ignore the left-hand track (trail marker 427-2) and continue straight to the start of the ferrata, indicated by an arrow and a metal plaque at 2276 meters. The total approach time is about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Via Ferrata

The Ferrata del Coglians immediately proves very demanding, especially in its first 150 meters. The initial section is vertical and athletic, with a sequence of moves that require careful management of strength. The equipment, though present, is not abundant, and the polished rock of the north face offers sparse holds.

The start immediately launches onto a high vertical wall, where the cable follows a logical line despite the lack of holds. With significant effort, you gain the first meters, then angle slightly left into a gully. Exposure is pronounced from the very first moves. You overcome a first slightly overhanging passage using a peg, then tackle a rock roof bypassed to the left with a challenging diagonal traverse. After a short ledge, the climb resumes vertically to a second roof, overcome with a very airy horizontal traverse on a few pegs.

This brings you to one of the route's most characteristic and difficult passages. Another roof is bypassed with a long leftward traverse across a polished slab, often damp. The movement demands complete adhesion, and after rounding the edge with a couple of decisive pulls, you reach another ledge.

The climb continues with a sequence of vertical passages, more slabby sections, and short gullies. After this series of moderate difficulties, you encounter another challenging traverse across a slab, similar to the previous one, to bypass yet another roof. Once past this obstacle, you arrive at a point where the equipment temporarily ends, concluding the hardest section. Continue on a scree track until you find the cable again.

The character of the route changes radically: you leave the compact wall for a more fractured morphology. The rock is less polished, and the passages, while still vertical, are more stepped and offer better holds. Be careful not to dislodge loose gravel and stones present in several spots. A final vertical and exposed gully leads to the coveted ridge watershed (about 2700 m), the state border between the north and south faces of Coglians. The pace becomes more continuous, but the exposure remains constant. The time so far is about 2 hours from the start.

The ridge, initially wide and rocky, gradually narrows to a knife-edge. The summit seems close but still requires patience to overcome a series of exposed passages, though not excessively difficult. Moving south, you tackle the final section, consisting of well-stepped and climbable rock, which finally leads to the summit of Coglians (Hohe Warte) at 2780 meters. Here you'll find a metal cross and a bell, with a breathtaking panorama over the Carnic Alps, the Austrian peaks, and, in the distance, the Antelao. The time for the ferrata is 3 hours, for a total of 5 hours and 30 minutes from the start of the hike.

Descent

From the summit, descend via the normal route (trail marker 143). The path begins on well-marked rock steps, then enters a steep scree slope on Italian territory. Reaching a junction at about 2330 meters (45 minutes from the summit), keep right toward the Sentiero Attrezzato Spinotti (trail marker 145), ignoring the straight continuation toward Forcella Monumenz.

The Sentiero Spinotti features several equipped sections: you'll encounter a curious descent across a slab with wooden steps, traverse a ledge, and descend a chimney using a solid metal ladder and a rope that allows you to lower yourself along an exposed outer wall. Finally reaching the main trail just below the Rifugio Lambertenghi Romanin, join the approach path to return to the Rifugio Tolazzi. The descent time from the summit is 3 hours and 30 minutes, for a total hike duration of about 9 hours.

Useful Notes

The ferrata lies in Austrian territory, so it's useful to remember the local names: Weg der 26er for the route and Hohe Warte for Coglians. The name commemorates the 26th Austrian battalion that built the route.

This is an undertaking in a severe, high-mountain environment. During the approach, snowfields are common, both in the gully toward the Forcella del Valentintorl and on the scree below the start. The first section of the ferrata is difficult, with at least a couple of passages considered "Very Difficult," especially on wet rock. The route is very exposed in its initial part and requires excellent physical and technical preparation. For the most challenging sections, it can be useful to know techniques for safely resting along the cable.