Ferrata Sass de Rocia

Overview

The Sass de Rocia via ferrata is a short, technically straightforward route located near Laste in the province of Belluno. It makes an ideal first taste of vertical terrain, particularly well-suited to beginners or families looking to try an equipped route in safe conditions. The itinerary unfolds on a compact limestone face, where the vertical sections-excellently fitted with stirrups and ladders-almost entirely eliminate the need for actual climbing moves. The modest elevation gain and quick completion time also make it a good choice for days with tight weather windows or for an afternoon outing.

Approach

The starting point is the small hamlet of Ronch, near Laste. Once you reach the village, park in the central square. Just before entering the town, along the road, you'll see a sign marking the start of the forest trail leading to the ferrata's attack point. From the parking area, walk back a few meters on the asphalt road to pick up, on the left, the approach trail that climbs through the woods. The path is well-marked and presents no technical difficulties; in about 10 minutes it leads to the start of the Ferrata al Sass de Rocia (15 minutes total from the car park). The quick, straightforward approach immediately immerses you in the woodland environment that surrounds the base of the cliff.

Via Ferrata

From the attack point, you're immediately faced with a wall equipped with stirrups and a metal ladder, which kicks off the vertical section. Once past this first step, you enter a rocky cleft, ascending with the help of a fixed rope that serves as a handrail. This narrow passage between the walls of Sass de Rocia, offering an initial sense of enclosure and protection, leads to a metal ladder about 4 meters high. At the top of the ladder is a ledge that, after a few meters, makes a sharp left turn, bringing you beneath a smooth, vertical wall. The wall, devoid of natural holds, is fully equipped with numerous stirrups; the only slight difficulty is a short, slightly overhanging section. Above, you can already glimpse the first suspension bridge, hinting at a change in the route's rhythm.

Once past the wall, you emerge onto a small terrace; the gear turns left for a few meters before heading back up vertically with another series of stirrups, interrupted only by a brief traverse. You then exit the wall onto a sturdy suspension bridge that spans the gorge below-the same one you crossed at the entrance. This bridge marks a break from the vertical progression and introduces a more horizontal, panoramic phase. From here onward, the equipment follows an equipped trail. You climb a few easy rock steps among the mountain pines until you reach the second suspension bridge.

After crossing the bridge, a short section of trail, initially equipped, leads to the third bridge. Following another brief stretch of path, you finally arrive at the Bivacco Pian delle Stelle, the endpoint of the ferrata. The time on the equipped route is about 30 minutes from the attack point (45 minutes total from the car park). The itinerary alternates short bursts of verticality with walking sections in a balanced way, offering varied but never exhausting progression.

Descent

The descent can be done entirely by retracing the ascent route. Alternatively, after crossing the first two bridges and near the third (which would mark the start of the descent into the gorge), you can follow a track that bypasses the gorge itself. This alternative route first descends via a ladder, then joins, via a trail, the approach path used on the way up, allowing you to return to the parking area. This loop takes about 30 minutes from the bivouac, for a total of about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The loop option, using a ridge or mid-slope trail, avoids repeating the bridges and rounds out the experience with a different perspective on the route.

Useful Notes

This easy ferrata at Sass de Rocia is the simplest equipped route in the area of the Marmolada sub-group, home to historic routes like the Ferrata Eterna, those of Punta Penia, Col Ombert, and Colac. Continuing toward Passo Falzarego, you'll find two other beginner-friendly ferratas: the easy Ra Gusela and the slightly more challenging Ferrata all'Averau. Heading south instead, toward the Civetta, the offerings become more demanding with routes like the Fiamme Gialle, the Tissi, the Alleghesi, or the long Ferrata Costantini alla Moiazza. Its geographic position makes it an excellent introductory training ground before tackling the great Dolomite classics.