Ferrata delle Aquile

Overview

The Ferrata delle Aquile is a modern, fully equipped route that unfolds along the southeastern flank of Cima La Paganella. Its layout is unusual: it begins with a descent, continues with a long, airy traverse along a ledge, and finishes with a vertical climb up the Dente di Corno. The route features excellent cable and stirrup protection, and includes two suspension bridges and two distinctive helical ladders on the extreme variant. Warning: in July and August, the trail sees a very high number of hikers.

Approach

The starting point is the top station of the Andalo cable car, which leads to Cima La Paganella (2124 m). To reach Andalo, exit the A22 motorway at Trento Nord, continue toward Mezzolombardo, then follow signs for Fai della Paganella and Andalo. Just before the ski lifts, there is a free parking lot on the right.

From the cable car top station, take the first section of the chairlift down to Dosso Pela (1776 m). Once off, turn left onto the trail, which in five minutes leads to the chairlift for Cima La Paganella. At the summit, walk with a slight ascent toward a series of radio repeaters. Follow the wide gravel road to a junction. Taking the left trail, you descend briefly through dwarf pines to a well-marked junction for the ferrata, reaching the start in about 15 minutes from the station. Choosing the right path instead, you take the Sentiero Attrezzato delle Aquile, an easy but exposed route that runs along a ledge and arrives at the same junction in about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can hike from Andalo to Paganella on foot via trail F11, taking about 2 hours for 1000 meters of elevation gain.

Via Ferrata

The route, divided into sections marked by metal plaques, has an atypical progression, with a descending first part and an ascending second part.

The first section, the "Canalone Battisti", is a descent down a steep grassy gully, where the cable mainly serves as a handrail. Short sections of descent, ascent, and ledges alternate. After this sector, you reach the "Antro delle Pegore" plaque, which precedes a passage through the rock. Once out, you follow an easy ledge and begin a descent over small rocks with increasing exposure, requiring a steady foot but no technical difficulty.

Next comes "La Traversata degli Angeli", a highly exposed horizontal traverse that goes around a corner. At the start, you use natural holds, while the second part has some stirrups. A couple of moves require a bit of strength to transfer your carabiners. Right after the traverse, you face two sections of vertical downclimbing, very exposed but aided by metal holds. This is the first moderately difficult passage of the route. After these, you traverse left toward the "Conca d'Oro" plaque, beyond which begins the "Cengia Terlago", a mixed section of exposed traverses and ledges that skirts the wall of the Dente del Corno with little elevation change, reaching the west side.

Continue until you descend toward a horn connected to the mountain by two suspension bridges. After the "Ponti del Cielo" plaque and a short descent, you tackle the first bridge, stable and with excellent metal treads. Once across, you climb some rock steps to a ledge and ascend a short rocky pinnacle that leads to "Dos de la Merenda", a panoramic spot. Just below, the second, longer bridge starts; you can bypass it via an equipped trail. After the bridge (or the alternative trail), you climb a protected wall, traverse right, and descend into a grassy saddle where the routes rejoin.

Battito d'Ali Variant: Since 2019, this climbing variant has been active between the first and second bridges. Rated Extremely Difficult, it involves a pendulum to reach a steel cable about 7-8 meters away, followed by a vertical and overhanging wall with athletic moves and no stirrups. It is essential to use, in addition to your via ferrata kit, a short lanyard with a locking carabiner for the pendulum. The climb is demanding, and turning back is nearly impossible; once started, you must continue to the second bridge.

Shortly after the summit register, you reach the final junction. The normal route continues up the "Spigolo del Vento", a long rocky pillar partly equipped with stirrups, enjoyable to climb using comfortable natural holds as well. The final part consists of exposed but easy rock steps that lead to the large "Il Trono dell'Aquila" plaque. The "Extreme Variant - Il Volo dell'Aquila" instead requires descending a few meters and following a short rocky ledge, beyond which the first of the two helical ladders built with steel cables unfolds. The climb is not technically difficult, but it is challenging in terms of adrenaline and physical effort. After the first ladder, a short rock section leads to the second ladder, slightly harder. At the end, a third easy suspension bridge leads to a series of equipped rock steps that reach the same finish point. The via ferrata takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes from the start, for a total of about 2 hours from the cable car top station.

Descent

From the end of the ferrata, continue northwest on the trail that climbs toward Cima La Paganella. At a junction, keep left (the right slightly lengthens the route) and follow the steadily ascending trail until you reach the ski slope meadows and the cable car facilities. The return takes about 30 minutes from the end of the ferrata, for a total of about 2 hours and 30 minutes from the start of the hike. From here, you can descend to the valley by cable car.

Useful Notes

The equipment is recent and in excellent condition. One aspect to note is the very short distance between the bolts, which forces you to clip in frequently even on easy sections, though this increases safety. The suspension bridges are well-made. On the second bridge, the high cable for carabiners can be too high, making progression awkward; one solution is to clip one carabiner to the right cable and one to the left. The extreme variant with the helical ladders is a unique experience in Italy. To stop safely mid-ladder, it is advisable to carry a sling. Crowding on summer weekends is a critical factor that can cause bottlenecks and make the experience less enjoyable. It is strongly recommended to do the ferrata on weekdays or to start early in the morning when the lifts open. It is strictly forbidden to travel the route in the opposite direction.