Sella Traversa - Day 2, Sella group high point, Piz Boe

Day 2 was a hiking day with smatterings of minor ferrata sections.  Roughly 7-8 miles and ~2,500ft of vertical, it was a wonderful day up in a lunar-like alpine setting.  One of the nice things about all day hiking or backpacking is the opportunity to chat with your mates.  Taking the opportunity to chat about winter adventures in the Sella w Max, I learned that not only is this an amazing summer playground, in Winter, it becomes a massive network off-piste drops and couloirs.  Hmmm, may just have to make another trip in colder times.

The day started off in classic chilly alpine weather, but quickly warmed as we headed up into the sun.

Morning light on soaring buttresses.

Morning trail welcoming us.

The high point of this traversa is Piz Boe, the highest point in the Sella group at 3152m.  It so happened that we reached this point at lunchtime, and wouldn't you know it there is a rifugio.

Holly coming up over the rise. 

Yes, another summit cross and rifugio. 

Splendid view of Marmolada glacier and Sella Rondo mt bike trails. 

The end of the day at Kostner Rifugio. Splendid food and rest stop. 

Sella Traversa - Day 1, Tridentina via ferrata

Having done a lap around the Sella Group on Mt Bike this trip, Sella Rondo, it seemed natural to do a traverse or Sella Traversa. Connecting with Guides Max and Alberto, we started near Corvara with the Tridentina via Ferrata. Apparently originally built in 1910, it is considered one of the most popular routes in the Dolomites due to easy access and of course a nice cappuccino waiting at a rifugio on top.  It was a delightful day of climbing and exposure. Once the guides understood we were climbers, they let us climb the faces next to the iron. Think ~2000ft of 5.5 to 5.9 climbing. The piece de resistance is the suspension bridge connecting the tower to the main massif.  Not for the faint of heart.  Loads of fun. Some pictures along the way below.

Bill and Holly getting pumped for the climb to start. Corvara (Alta Badia) down below. 

Ants on the rock.

Guide Alberto belaying Casey up.  Ain't taking no easy way out!

Yes, it was billed as popular.  However, there were no issues between groups.

Once again, one of the amazing things about the Italian Alps, is the plethora of Rifugio's high in the mountains.  The stop for the night is at the Rifugio Pisciadu.

Rifugio Pisciadu on a lunar lanscape.

Once settled in and refreshed with some food, some of us decided to take advantage of the nice day and time on our hands to scramble up Piz Pisciadu, ~3000m, above the rifugio.  FYI sometimes the word Piz is used and sometimes Cima.  Piz is the Laden word for peak and Cima is the Italian word for summit.  Same same.

Piz Pisciadu, route scrambles up the inclined slope in the sun.  Crosses on summits are as ubiquitous as rifugio's.

Dolomiti Artsy, Maybe

Some efforts on getting interesting perspectives and lighting along the way. 99% of good photos are being in the right place and right time and being aware.

Rustic houses above Reva Del Garda

Smiley Bastionne. 

Looking north from WW I bunker above Riva Del Garda.  

One of many tunnels on Ponale Road. 

Old farmhouse on Ponale Road. 

Sunrise on Dolomiti cliff. 

Sunrise clouds below Kostner Rufugio, Dolomiti. 

Sunrise clouds below Kostner Rufugio, Dolomiti. 

Sunrise clouds below Kostner Rufugio, Dolomiti. 

Sunrise clouds below Kostner Rufugio, Dolomiti. 

Sunrise clouds below Kostner Rufugio, Dolomiti. 

Kostner Rufugio. 

Piz ? From Piz Le Leche

Max. Looking towards Piz Boe

Piz Boe rising above the rest. 

Raven play along the vertical. 

Climbers on Le Leche Ferrata. 

Weird marmot art at hotel. 

Aged Venice buildings. 

Symmetry in Venice walkway. 

Nested art in Venice

Open door to hidden treasures. 

There Will Be Blood

Yeah, right, dramatic.  However, true.
The Sella Group is a high group of peaks, think of a massive mesa above Canazei.  There is a ring of ski areas at its base that one could essentially ski around riding gondolas and chair lists up and skiing down to circumnavigate the massif.  In addition, there are Nordic Ski races, running races, road bike rides and mt bike rides that accomplish the same goal, Sella Rondo.  Probably other obscure events I'm not aware of as well.  Our chosen mode of transportation was to mt bike around the Sella Group, a classic ride.

There are two ways to make the loop, clockwise and counter-clockwise.  The first being more downhill, advanced leaning, the second a little more uphill, but more mellow downhill.  We chose the first approach, clockwise.  Not that we were cocky, just looking for some adventurous riding.

The best way to do this is hire a guide from the Fassa Valley Guides.  They can show the route and add some color and perhaps secret paths along the way. We were grouped with four young Germans and Alex, our guide.  The loop consists of roughly 7 gondola and chairlift rides and ~3.5 Dolomiti (~12,000 ft) descending.

Not a GoPro kinda guy, but rather a stop and take pictures along the way type, here are some of the sights and scenes.

Top of the first Gondola - Dantercepies.

Humble in the presence of Gods.

How does one keep their focus on the trail when there is this above?

Gondola bike loading skill is important. Alex (guide in yellow shirt) gives some guidance.

Somewhere early before the mud treatment and blood letting.

Damn, it's just amazingly beautiful!

Good perspective of Marmolada Glacier and Punta Penia (climb from yesterday) from Porto Vescovo.

Getting near the end, Passo Pordoi above.  Single track through the left slope was classic CO-style.

Oh, yeah, the blood. Between the slimey mud, the slick roots, the drops, the rocks and fast descents all had fallen and were leaking body fluids to some extent or another. In the end we had big grins and nothing but praise for Alex for showing some of the "special" routes. Highly recommended. Bring the betadine. :)

Marmolada 2.0

It's been said that if Walt Disney designed mountains, he would have designed the Dolomites.  The are unlike any mountains I've seen around the world.  Perhaps why I come back. Canazei is a ski town in the heart of the Dolomites at the foot of the Sella Group, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We came for some climbing and more mt bike riding.  It has that special Tyrolian feel, smell and taste.

Bikes Dolomiti style.

Just about the back door.

Sunset. Peak we climb is high point left of center Punta Penia.

I climbed the classic Marmolada via ferrata in 2013 with some friends and persuaded Bill and Holly to give it a go.  Why do the Marmolada?  It's the oldest via ferrata in Italy dating back to 1908 when the Austrians (yes, this part of Italy was previous southern Austria, the Sud-Tyrol) were preparing for WWI.  Once again the efforts and extent people went to for war is amazing.  They made routes high up in the peaks to burrow in for cannon and sniper placements and burrowed under the glacier to build mini-cities.  Some interesting reading. Secondly, it's the only glacier in the Dolomiti.  Apparently soon to disappear in 50 years.  Secondly the summit, Punte Penia, is the highest point in the Dolomites. Not a challenging climb, but all those things noted above and amazing scenery make it worth a second go round.

The day started at the top of Feddaio Pass with an old chairlift ride to the toe of the glacier.

The route starts about an hour's walk from here.  Oddly, it was an extremely busy day on the mountain, one our local guide Tommaso had never seen before.  Luckily, it didn't hamper things.

Tommi, Bill and I enjoying the view en route to base of the climb.

A via ferrata is essentially a series of steel cables strung up along a route, sometimes with iron spikes, iron rungs or in some cases iron ladders placed in steep rock sections.  Sometimes the there is significant exposures, but almost always, there is stunning scenery.

Shots along the route.  It was a busy day and we made some brief friendships with climbers around us.  Ironically, we were the unusual visitors from America.

As clouds gathered, we worked our way to the top. Of course, there's a rufugio at the top and we stopped in for soup and tea before heading back down.  Could get used to this.

Clouds cleared for a bit for a nice summit shot prior to rambling down.

One mustn't relax on the route down for there are crevasses and steep ice to get down first. 

Final view up the route down the glacier and view to summit cross.

Was a very nice, casual tramp through the mountains.  Always good for the soul.  Ciao!