Dolomiti - Day 2

This morning we set out on our first via ferrata of the trip: VF Brigata Tridentina. Here is an overview of the route - it was basically a climb of 3 sections with a bit of a walk in between the 1st and the 2nd sections. 

We were both pretty scared and nervous this morning as we set out and drove from Alba around the Sella massif, which has these huge intimidating cliffs! 

Car park and approaching view of the first climb we did

Both of us were pretty nervous, but once we got going our nerves eased and it became enjoyable. The first part of the climb was easy and short, then there was a 20 min hike to the start of the next stage of the climb. This is when we saw the traffic jam of people ahead of us!

Start of the 2nd stage of climb, with trail of people winding up and to the left

It was really slow going, which was fine for awhile, but then started to get quite boring. At the junction for the 3rd and final part of the climb, Rhods and I peeled off and hiked up an alternate way to the refugio at the plateau.

Refugio at Al Pisciadù

We were a bit disappointed to leave the final stage of the climb, but by then we had already met our objective of getting our mojo back after we lost it at the end of last year's trip! It felt good to hike after standing around and slowly climbing up the cliff for several hours previously. We rested in the shade at the refugio "Al Pisciadù" and then came down a different way - Via Setus it is called - which turned out to be a very steep descent down a ravine. There was a cable to hang onto for the first few hundred meters, and there were people of all ages on the trail. We were surprised by how crowded this whole route was today - then again it was the Friday of a long weekend and perfect weather: sunny and 25 deg C/ 80 deg F so we shouldn't have been so surprised.

View of Marmolada with glaciers down the left shoulder

That evening we went for dinner at Cima Undici which is across the dam at Lago Fedaia. The full moon rising behind sunset-illuminated peaks as we approached the venue was breathtaking, although this photo makes the moon look so much smaller than it was in real life!