Furcela de Saslonch via ferrata

High above the Passo Sella, in the middle of the Sassolungo group, there is a new via ferrata that has plenty to offer climbers. This via ferrata is located at the rocky base of the Punta Cinquedita and runs along a ridge up to the Forcella Sassolungo. The via ferrata is not very long, but some challenging passages guarantee an adrenaline rush. Thanks to the nearby railway and the quick descent, the via ferrata can also be done as a half-day tour or combined with other activities, all surrounded by a unique mountain backdrop.

Coming from the Brenner motorway (A22), drive through the Val Gardena valley (SS242) to Plan de Gralba. After Plan de Gralba take the first turn to the right up to the Passo Sella (SS243). Park at the large paid car park next to the Hotel Passo Sella. In summer the Dolomite passes are very easy to reach by public transport. Line 471 runs every half hour from Val Gardena towards the Passo Sella.

Depending on how you want to spend the day, there are different options for this via ferrata. The easiest and quickest way to get there is to take the popular cable car from the Passo Sella to the Forcella Sassolungo (the first ride begins at 8:15 am). From the cable car, you have a great view of the rocky ridge on which the via ferrata runs. From the mountain station, take trail no. 525 down another 150 metres in altitude. The entrance is at the base of the rocky promontory at the foot of the Punta Cinquedita and is easily identifiable from the trail.

If you want to fill out your day's activities a bit, you can walk directly from the car park via trail no. 525 up to the entrance. You will have to climb 350 metres in altitude, but this allows you to start early and avoid a possible traffic jam at the via ferrata.

The via ferrata starts at the base of the rock and immediately begins with a B passage. The first C passage is a short distance away and you will immediately notice the distinctive character of this via ferrata. Again and again, there are tricky traverses that require sufficient arm strength. The route continues upwards along the ridge, past an impressive clamping block. Here you can take a deep breath and admire the impressive Dolomites. The peaks of the Sassolungo group (Punta Cinquedita, Sassolungo) tower above you, and to the east you can see the Sella Group, the Marmolada and behind it the Civetta.

After an easy stretch, the route goes up again more steeply via some B passages before turning left around the corner. A challenging C passage leads to a small bench where you can also find the route book. Here you should take the opportunity to rest again because the route continues over the increasingly exposed ridge and then past an impressive rock window.

About two-thirds of the way up, there is an emergency exit to the right. Shortly before the end of the climb, you have to balance over an airy bridge before arriving at the Forcella Sassolungo. Here the cosy Toni Demetz Hut awaits, offering plenty of food and drink for hungry and thirsty via ferrata climbers. Towards the west, the view opens up between steep rock faces to the Alpe di Siusi and the South Tyrolean mountains.

The descent is probably the shortest in the entire Alpine region. The via ferrata ends directly above the mountain station at the Toni Demtz Hut and the cable car quickly takes you back to the Passo Sella. If you want to return on foot, you can walk down to the Passo Sella in about an hour on the steep but well-maintained path no. 525.

As already mentioned in the introduction, this via ferrata is relatively short and experienced climbers are not likely to spend the whole day tackling it. However, there are several ways to tackle the via ferrata in the Forcella Sassolungo as a half-day tour or as the start of a longer day tour:

• One of the most popular hikes in Val Gardena is the Sassolungo circuit. For fit mountaineers, it is a good idea not to descend directly to the Passo Sella after the via ferrata, but to head west down to the Sassolungo Hut and from there via the Comici Hut and the Città dei Sassi back to the Passo Sella.
• An even longer variant is the link with the Oskar-Schuster via ferrata to the Plattkofel. The Oskar-Schuster alone is already a very long via ferrata, and mastering both in one day is reserved exclusively for fit mountaineers. A more pleasant alternative is to spend the night at the Toni Demetz or Sassolungo Hut. On the first day, you can do the via ferrata to the Forcella Sassolungo in the afternoon, spend the night in one of the huts and tackle the Oskar-Schuster via ferrata the following day.
• For climbers, there is the option of climbing a few more pitches in the small climbing garden directly on the Forcella Sassolungo after the via ferrata. The best way to do this is to take the train up and deposit your climbing equipment at the hut to have everything you need on hand after the via ferrata. Route descriptions are available directly at the hut.

• Tabacco No.05, Val Gardena. The Tabacco maps are also available via the app.
• AV map no. 52/I