Ferrata Sci Club 18

Overview

The Ferrata Sci Club 18 is an athletic and demanding route set in the heart of the Ampezzo Dolomites. The itinerary starts from Cortina d'Ampezzo with a direct and highly exposed ascent, aiming for the top station of the Monte Faloria cable car. Its morphology-characterized by smooth slabs and progressions that often force you to pull on the cable-makes it suitable only for fit hikers with solid alpine experience. The cable car offers a valid option for the return.

Approach

The access begins from the hamlet of Sompièi, above Cortina d'Ampezzo. From the town center, follow the Strada Regionale delle Dolomiti toward Misurina and Auronzo di Cadore. After less than a kilometer, just before the "Alverà" sign, turn right onto the road leading to the cable car. Shortly before reaching it, a gravel track branches off to the left: park here, taking care not to block private spaces. The access point is easy to identify.

From the parking area, head east on a trail that aims for the cable car's upper station. This brings you to the intermediate station of Mandres, where clear signs mark the start of trail 206. This continues with a moderate gradient to the edge of the forest, then turns right, steepening and heading decisively toward the rock face of Monte Faloria. Numerous trail markers guide you to the point where you leave trail 206, keeping right to reach the start of the via ferrata, indicated by a small metal plaque bearing the year of construction. The approach takes about an hour.

Via Ferrata

Immediately to the right of the plaque, the Ferrata Sci Club 18 begins, and it is steep from the very start. The first meters demand a determined pull to overcome a short initial overhang. Once past it, you skirt a rocky roof to the right using solid metal stirrups. You continue gaining height quickly on a slightly overhanging section, up to a ledge that leads beneath a ridge.

After rounding the ridge, you face a long, smooth slab, where the polished rock makes climbing very difficult, often forcing you to pull on the cable. After about twenty meters, you reach a small terrace for a rest. Continue with a short, less steep section, followed by an ascending traverse to the right that, despite the polished rock, leads without excessive difficulty to a narrow ledge and then to another ridge. After overcoming a challenging step, you climb a vertical wall. In the upper part, the cable bends to the right for an exposed traverse supported by stirrups, which leads around a ridge and onto a panoramic ledge, from where you can see the cable car to the Rifugio Faloria.

Follow the ledge upward to the right, then tackle a new vertical section, this time richer in natural holds and therefore more climbable. The cable makes a few lateral deviations before heading straight up. Some stirrups help at the smoothest points, but this passage is less strenuous than the previous ones. At the top of this section, turn left and descend toward an unstable gully. Cross it, then follow a ledge that leads to the base of a ridge.

The ascent of the ridge begins with vertical but manageable meters, then opens into a particularly athletic vertical slab. The stirrups are spaced out, and the rock is once again smooth, making progress very demanding and physically draining. At the top of the slab, a rocky roof is overcome with the help of a short metal ladder. After a small terrace and another ledge section, you head straight up again for a few very difficult meters, before the rock becomes more climbable. This brings you to a chimney, reachable from the left via a traverse, which is pleasant to climb in a stemming position thanks to good holds on both walls.

A ledge descending slightly to the right leads to a diagonal traverse, initially easy, that ends with a three-meter slightly overhanging passage near a very exposed ridge. After rounding the ridge, a horizontal traverse leads to climbing some rocks to the right, toward a crack. Enter the crack, with the cable initially running to the right then shifting to the left. The ascent is done in a stemming position, mainly using holds on the right wall. Exiting the crack, you emerge onto a wide balcony, excellent for a break and for admiring the magnificent panorama of the Tofane.

The final section begins with a ledge ascending to the left that skirts a ridge, finally revealing the goal: the top station of the cable car. Just to the right, however, a imposing ridge equipped with numerous stirrups rises up. Climb the first vertical meters, then the ridge transforms into a dihedral with stirrups on both sides, which, together with good natural holds, eases progress. Exiting the dihedral, continue vertically on the right side with increasing exposure, following the many stirrups. The cable then bends to the right, rounding the ridge and ascending on its inner side, in relatively easy passages interrupted only by an athletic roof overcome with a stirrup.

Once the vertical slab is finished, follow a ledge interrupted by a vertical step equipped with stirrups. After overcoming it, continue with a slight descent toward an unprotected, debris-filled gully, then ascend to a col reached via a trail. From the col, a final vertical section equipped with stirrups leads to the summit ridge. Without particular difficulty, tackle the last equipped climbing sections: a ledge, a vertical step, and a traverse that rounds a ridge finally bring you to the end of the Ferrata Sci Club 18. The via ferrata takes about 2 hours, for a total of 3 hours including the approach.

Descent

Once at the destination, the Rifugio Faloria and the cable car station are in sight. For the return, you have two options: The first is to return on foot following trail 212 to the right toward Mandres. The descent is initially steep, then gentler, until it rejoins the outward junction at the intermediate cable car station. From there, retrace the approach trail back to the parking area. This option takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the end of the via ferrata. The second, quicker option is to take the cable car down to the intermediate station and from there retrace the approach trail (about 20 minutes from the intermediate station).

Useful Notes

The Ferrata Sci Club 18 has atypical characteristics for the Dolomites, not culminating on a traditional summit. The equipment is very recent, with a well-tensioned cable and abundant but not excessive stirrups. An important safety element is the presence of protection cones on the bolts, a crucial factor on such a vertical route where a potential fall factor could have serious consequences. The route is often criticized for its pursuit of pure difficulty, frequently engaging the arms and forcing you to pull on the cable. Exposure is marked throughout the entire route. It is absolutely forbidden to descend it. Given its athletic and demanding nature, it is rare to have energy left to tackle a second equipped itinerary on the same day.

Technical Analysis and Route Characteristics

Morphology and Development The itinerary unfolds entirely on the southwest face of Monte Faloria, a compact wall of predominantly smooth and polished dolomite. The route does not follow a natural line of ridge or gully but is set on a series of vertical slabs, ridges, and short ledges, often forcing artificial progressions. The rock, although solid, offers few natural holds, a characteristic that defines the technical nature of the via ferrata.

Rhythm and Progression The rhythm is discontinuous and physically demanding. The succession of vertical slabs and overhangs requires constant effort from the upper limbs, with limited pauses on the few small terraces and ledges. There are no relaxed walking sections; the progression is a sequence of technical ascents interspersed with short traverses or ledge passages. Exposure is constant and often considerable, contributing to the sense of commitment.

Character of the Route The via ferrata is predominantly vertical and athletic, with a marked technical character. The difficulty lies less in the exposure or height, and more in the nature of the rock (smooth) and the need for continuous pulling on the cable. It is a physically demanding route that especially engages the arms and torso. The panorama, although breathtaking over the Tofane and the Ampezzo basin, is almost a secondary backdrop compared to the concentration required by the pure progression. This is a "performance" itinerary, whose goal is overcoming a series of consecutive technical obstacles, rather than a traditional ascent in a Dolomite setting.