Sci Club 18 is a challenging, sporty via ferrata above Cortina d’Ampezzo. Winding its way up the rock wall next to the Faloria cable car, it offers great views towards the city below and the Tofane mountain group in the distance.
Summary
Grade: D – view topo
Vertical: 360m ferrata, 650m total
Time: 45min approach, 2h30min ferrata, 5min descent, 3h20min total
Access / Parking: 46.5389,12.1399 – Google Maps or any Android maps app
Start via ferrata: 46.5336,12.1689 – Mapy.cz or any Android maps app
Download gpx track
Map and photos
Access
Parking coordinates in Cortina d’Ampezzo are for an area behind the cable car. You can find here free parking spots, but the paid parking lot at Funivia Faloria cable car is a good option too.
Approach to start
The times provided in the Summary section are for both the approach and descent via the cable car, which conveniently offers a via ferrata ticket. This ticket allows you to ascend up to the middle station and descend from the top. Please verify the operating hours and ticket prices on the official website. Alternatively, you have the option to hike the additional 200 meters in elevation from Cortina to reach the middle station of the cable car.
Regardless of whether you choose to hike or utilize the cable car, once you reach the middle station Mandres, simply follow the signposts along the well-marked hiking trail that leads to the start of the cable.
The route
This via ferrata is exposed, built with a tight cable which you can use to advance, although with some basic climbing skills you’ll have a greater time adding some of the natural rock holds in the mix, from time to time. The first vertical segments at start give you an idea of what to expect on the rest of the route. We found a short overhang to be the key point of the entire route, but other steep sections require your attention too.
Descent
From the end of the via ferrata, you can either take the cable car back to the starting point or opt for a hike lasting approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes along path 212, descending to Cortina.
Good to know
- Demanding D via ferrata, don’t underestimate it.
Donation box
I’m trying to keep this site ad free, supported by donations only, so if you found the info here useful, please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee or PayPal. I highly appreciate it, as this encourages me to keep adding new routes.
Video
Weather
Main sources
- bergsteigen.com (German)
- ferrate365.it
- we climbed the route on August 11, 2022