Ferrata Sasso della Croce e Sasso delle Dieci

Overview

This itinerary combines two distinct via ferratas: the Ferrata al Sass dla Crusc and the Ferrata a Cima Dieci. Starting from Badia in the Val Badia, the protected sections are of moderate difficulty, but the overall length, exposed unprotected passages, and elevation gain make this a route that requires careful consideration. The payoff comes with exceptional 360-degree panoramas spanning the Val Badia, the Sassolungo, the Sella Group, and the Dolomites of Cortina.

Approach

The starting point is the Rifugio Santa Croce, reached from Badia via the "La Crusc 1" and "La Crusc 2" chairlifts. Alternatively, you can hike up along trail 7, a walk of about an hour and a half. From the top station (2045 m), the imposing wall of the Sass dla Crusc dominates the view. Follow trail marker 7, passing a distinctive white church. The landscape gradually changes: the moderate path through the mountain pines becomes more assertive, aiming directly at the vertical face. The terrain grows more complex, with the route developing along an increasingly narrow and exposed ledge until you reach the start of the first via ferrata, about an hour from the chairlift.

Via Ferrata

The first protected section tackles an airy passage along a ledge, followed by a vertical pitch. The rhythm of the itinerary is established immediately: sections of cable alternate with highly exposed mid-height trails, often without protection. You ascend a sloping ramp with a cable on the left, then skirt the southwest face of the Sass dla Crusc on an exposed path. After a stretch of unroped rock steps, you face a passage with metal stirrups and an easy traverse that allows you to gain altitude. You then enter a long, narrow ledge protected by a cable, which demands a steady step due to its exposure. The route turns south to tackle the final stretch toward the Forcella dla Crusc, a steep, loose gully only partially equipped. The saddle is reached in 2 hours and 30 minutes total from the start.

From the saddle, a crossroads of trails, keep left to stay on the plateau that leads first to the Sass dla Crusc (2907 m, an optional but recommended summit) and then to Cima Dieci. The ridge trail, over unstable but not difficult scree, offers continuous panoramic views. The character of the second via ferrata is decidedly different: short but intense, very exposed, with some sections more challenging than the first. You ascend the south ridge for about fifty meters, tackling a series of vertical, exposed rock steps on solid rock. After a first small ledge, you overcome two demanding vertical sections. Once you round the ridge on the east side, the summit cross comes into view. A horizontal traverse leads to a chimney, climbed in a straddle position, before the final rock steps bring you to the summit plateau and the cross of Cima Dieci. The time from the saddle is 2 hours, for a total of 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Descent

The descent follows the same route as the ascent. The two via ferrata sections, tackled downhill, require greater attention and control, especially on the vertical passages and exposed trails. The descent time from the summit of Cima Dieci is about 3 hours, for a total of 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Useful Notes

This itinerary combines two via ferratas: the first to the Forcella dla Crusc can be classified as easy, with three short vertical sections that present no technical difficulty; the other protections serve exposed trails. The via ferrata to Cima Dieci is very exposed and requires a head for heights, proving challenging in its first half. This is a high-mountain route, long and with significant elevation gain, to be undertaken in excellent physical condition. Several sections of trail before the saddle are exposed and unprotected, not recommended for those lacking experience or a steady foot. Stable weather is essential given the length and the presence of protected sections in areas far from the start.