This seems like the only forum that could answer this, has anyone spent time in the Brenta doing the via ferrata's there? I'm having trouble deciding whether my wife and I should do Bocchette Alte. The guidebook rates it as 4C, recommends crampons and ice axe and small rope for getting down from Bocca Tuckett (really?) How difficult is it? We have no experience with via ferrata. We've done a fair amount of sport climbing but not so much in the last year since we had a baby, these days I'd say my relaxed comfort zone is probably 5.9 and my wife 5.8. I just don't know what to expect from these Via Ferrata's and don't want to get in over our heads. I don't know if the guidebooks are written from a hikers perspective for people who've never climbed before, or from a climbers perspective.

Here's our tentative plan: Start at Vallesinella and hike to Rif Tuckett, then do the SOSAT and Bochette Centrale via ferrata's and stay at Rifugio Alimonta. Day 2 Olivia Detassis and Bochette Alte VF's and head back to Vallesinella via Rif Tuckett. This way I figure the VF's get progressively more difficult, but day 2 comes with a lot of warnings in the guide book so that's my concern. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Hi, i think that the guidebook you have consulted really spokes from a hikers perspective!
There's nothing really difficult in Bocchette; the route is very popular and frequented and runs on a long succession of ledges sometimes exposed, equipped with iron ropes and stairways. The itinerary starts from Tuckett and ends to Brentei, so you have to go back to Vallesinella along the path from Brentei , not from Tuckett. If you climb, the only problems you can find are:
- the snow, there were important snow-falls last spring, so the snow is still covering some slopes not well exposed (an axe can be useful if you go now, not necessary if you'll go next month)
- the shelters are often full, so it's better you book.
Best wishes.
Alberto

AlbertoRampini wrote:Hi, i think that the guidebook you have consulted really spokes from a hikers perspective!
There's nothing really difficult in Bocchette; the route is very popular and frequented and runs on a long succession of ledges sometimes exposed, equipped with iron ropes and stairways. The itinerary starts from Tuckett and ends to Brentei, so you have to go back to Vallesinella along the path from Brentei , not from Tuckett. If you climb, the only problems you can find are:
- the snow, there were important snow-falls last spring, so the snow is still covering some slopes not well exposed (an axe can be useful if you go now, not necessary if you'll go next month)
- the shelters are often full, so it's better you book.
Best wishes.
Alberto

Ah ok thanks, we will be going mid-September. The guidebook made it sounds like Bocchette Alte was quite difficult so I just wanted to be sure we were getting in over our heads given our lack of Via Ferrata experience. I was under the impression the route could be done in either direction, do most people do it North to South (from Tuckett to Brentei)? Mid September will we need ice axe and crampons? I'd rather not drag them up if I don't need to.

And if you had to sort the Via Ferrata routes in the area from best to worst, most scenic, etc.. what order would you put them in? Just wondering which we should prioritize in case we have bad weather and only have one day: SOSAT, Bocchette Centrali, Bocchette Alte, Sentiero Livio Brentari?

Thanks!

Mid September will we need ice axe and crampons? wrote:

Usually the conditions in mid September don't involve the use of axe and crampons, but you must check up that the shelters will be still open, normally they close around the third week-end of September. Without any doubt the most scenic route and the easier is Bocchette Centrali between Bocca di Brenta and Bocca Armi, leading across the finest peaks as Campanile Basso and Campanile Alto with superb views over the majestic wall of Brenta Alta. You can start both from Brentei and Pedrotti Huts.
Bocchette Alte is a bit more difficult and a bit less scenic, but it quite deserves a visit and runs between Bocca Armi and Bocca di Tuckett.
The route could be done in either direction, but if you do it from S to N - from Brentei or Pedrotti to Alimonta then Tuckett - you will have the advantage of starting with the easier route and continue with the more difficult.

AlbertoRampini wrote:

Mid September will we need ice axe and crampons? wrote:

Usually the conditions in mid September don't involve the use of axe and crampons, but you must check up that the shelters will be still open, normally they close around the third week-end of September. Without any doubt the most scenic route and the easier is Bocchette Centrali between Bocca di Brenta and Bocca Armi, leading across the finest peaks as Campanile Basso and Campanile Alto with superb views over the majestic wall of Brenta Alta. You can start both from Brentei and Pedrotti Huts.
Bocchette Alte is a bit more difficult and a bit less scenic, but it quite deserves a visit and runs between Bocca Armi and Bocca di Tuckett.
The route could be done in either direction, but if you do it from S to N - from Brentei or Pedrotti to Alimonta then Tuckett - you will have the advantage of starting with the easier route and continue with the more difficult.

Yup shelters will still be open, I believe Alimonta and Tosa close September 28th. I think we'll do it S to N because as you said it increases the difficulty gradually.

On day 1 we could hike from Vallesinella to Rif Tuckett to SOSAT to Rif Brentei to Bocchette Centrali to Rif Alimonta

Or another option: Vallesinella to Brentei to #327 to Sentiero Ideale & Sentiero Livio Brentari Via Ferrata's to #358 to Rif Tosa/Pedrotti to Bocchette Centrali to Rif Alimonta.

Have you done the Ideale & Brentari Via Ferrata's? It's a bit of a detour so not sure if it's worth the extra time and effort but I'd be willing to tack it on if the scenery was exceptional. Here's a map if you don't have one handy http://goo.gl/ACQT3v

Thanks for all your help, it's not easy to find info on these in english!

From a vacation base in Viareggio, I did SOSAT on Friday July 10, 2014 from the Valisenella car park and descended to the Brentai hut for the night. The next day the three of us went up to the start of Centrali, climbed the 4-5 ladders up the rock fin that starts the route but went no further deciding to descend back to the car to return to the beach. While the rest of the group (6) went to Rome, I took trains/buses back to the Brenta alone Tues, July 15, hiked to Rif. Apostoli for the night, and on Wed did Ideale, Benini, had lunch at Pedrotti and finished the day at Rif. Alimonta after doing Centrali. Thursday, I did Alte and descended to Valisenella to catch a bus "home".
There was a lot of snow! Officially, Alte was closed but several parties including myself did it that week. Route finding is the big challenge. There are large sections, mostly flat to gently sloping that are buried and no marks are apparent for up to 500 meters at a stretch. A map was a must for me and I still lost time searching for the route in a number of places on nearly every route I did but particularly Alte and Benini because they involve multiple passes.
If you are a solid 5.9 sport climber used to exposure you should be just fine. With the exception of the ladders, which I used for support, I rarely used cables, did a lot of what I would call scrambling with exposure and never took my harness or safety gear out of my pack. I was happy as can be loving the exposure. If you are only a sport climber, do heed warnings about route finding, and alpine conditions, etc. Alte ranges from ~2700-3000 meters and we did get some grapule and a bit of rain. Although technically very easy for me, the route finding was not obvious and there was a lot of at times rather steep snow to go up or descend. I did have crampons and axe and used both but not always. I saw a pair of young ladies doing Centrali in trainers, no axes or poles, and seemed quite happy and comfortable. They did have harnesses and via ferrata kit.
Two other points. The guide books are not written from a rock climbers point of view although they do give the proper perspective from an alpinists view. I also found Italian signs and guide book times to be aggressive. In the states, I am used to handily beating suggested times by up to half. On SOSAT, the three of us did the hike to Tuckett close the suggested time but took 50% longer on SOSAT itself and then in the thick fog, not familiar with the terrain, were not certain where either Alimonta or Brentai huts were so that took some time to sort out.
Lastly, in just a weeks time the snow was visibly less and softer so by September who knows what conditions will be like.
By all means go. Just seeing the cliffs from the huts gets your blood boiling.
Enjoy,
Peter

I mistakenly said Benini. I meant Brentari.

pg55hodge wrote:From a vacation base in Viareggio, I did SOSAT on Friday July 10, 2014 from the Valisenella car park and descended to the Brentai hut for the night. The next day the three of us went up to the start of Centrali, climbed the 4-5 ladders up the rock fin that starts the route but went no further deciding to descend back to the car to return to the beach. While the rest of the group (6) went to Rome, I took trains/buses back to the Brenta alone Tues, July 15, hiked to Rif. Apostoli for the night, and on Wed did Ideale, Benini, had lunch at Pedrotti and finished the day at Rif. Alimonta after doing Centrali. Thursday, I did Alte and descended to Valisenella to catch a bus "home".
There was a lot of snow! Officially, Alte was closed but several parties including myself did it that week. Route finding is the big challenge. There are large sections, mostly flat to gently sloping that are buried and no marks are apparent for up to 500 meters at a stretch. A map was a must for me and I still lost time searching for the route in a number of places on nearly every route I did but particularly Alte and Benini because they involve multiple passes.
If you are a solid 5.9 sport climber used to exposure you should be just fine. With the exception of the ladders, which I used for support, I rarely used cables, did a lot of what I would call scrambling with exposure and never took my harness or safety gear out of my pack. I was happy as can be loving the exposure. If you are only a sport climber, do heed warnings about route finding, and alpine conditions, etc. Alte ranges from ~2700-3000 meters and we did get some grapule and a bit of rain. Although technically very easy for me, the route finding was not obvious and there was a lot of at times rather steep snow to go up or descend. I did have crampons and axe and used both but not always. I saw a pair of young ladies doing Centrali in trainers, no axes or poles, and seemed quite happy and comfortable. They did have harnesses and via ferrata kit.
Two other points. The guide books are not written from a rock climbers point of view although they do give the proper perspective from an alpinists view. I also found Italian signs and guide book times to be aggressive. In the states, I am used to handily beating suggested times by up to half. On SOSAT, the three of us did the hike to Tuckett close the suggested time but took 50% longer on SOSAT itself and then in the thick fog, not familiar with the terrain, were not certain where either Alimonta or Brentai huts were so that took some time to sort out.
Lastly, in just a weeks time the snow was visibly less and softer so by September who knows what conditions will be like.
By all means go. Just seeing the cliffs from the huts gets your blood boiling.
Enjoy,
Peter

Awesome, thanks so much. Who knows what conditions will be like mid september, but hopefully not too much snow. That you did it all without harness or lanyard definitely speaks volumes, unless you're Alex Honnold? So having done it all, if we only have two days one night.. what do you think would be the ideal itinerary if we are average speed?

On day 1 we do Vallesinella to Rif Tuckett to SOSAT to Rif Brentei to Centrali to Rif Alimonta. And then day 2: Alte and back to Vallesinella. - this would be the easy itinerary

Or day 1 we do Vallesinella to Rif Brentei to Ideale & Brentari to Rif Tosa/Pedrotti to Bocchette Centrali to Rif Alimonta - Is this too much for one day?
And day 2: Alte and back to Vallesinella - Would it be too much to do SOSAT after Alte? My book says it takes 6 hours to do Alte from Alimonta to Tuckett?

Or day 1 Vallesinella to SOSAT, Ideale, Brentari and overnight at Pedrotti. Then day 2 Centrali/Alte back to Vallesinella. Not sure if Alimonta is a better/more impressive area to spend a night than Pedrotti?

Thanks!

Your easy option is a long first day and if you start early and are fit is should be a comfortable outing and enjoyable. Bear in mind you start at 1513 M ascend to 2272 at Tuckett, end SOSAT at about 2400 M, descend to Rif. Brentai at 2182, reascend to 2400 for the start of Centrali with a descent to Alimonta for the night. Alte the next day.

Your 2nd option is not ideal (pun intended)...you would need to backtrack to do Ideale. However, hiking to Rif. Brentai then taking Sent. Martinazzi to Brentari to Rif. Pedrotti for lunch and then Centrali to Alimonta will be a solid day. Then Alte the second day. I would not bother with SOSAT after doing this.

I think all the huts are impressively located.

Wish I could go back!

pg55hodge wrote:Your easy option is a long first day and if you start early and are fit is should be a comfortable outing and enjoyable. Bear in mind you start at 1513 M ascend to 2272 at Tuckett, end SOSAT at about 2400 M, descend to Rif. Brentai at 2182, reascend to 2400 for the start of Centrali with a descent to Alimonta for the night. Alte the next day.

Your 2nd option is not ideal (pun intended)...you would need to backtrack to do Ideale. However, hiking to Rif. Brentai then taking Sent. Martinazzi to Brentari to Rif. Pedrotti for lunch and then Centrali to Alimonta will be a solid day.

Thanks, that would definitely be a solid day as it's 400m more elevation gain than my "easy" option which was already a solid day Brentari tops out at 2860m vs SOSAT 2450m, so it looks like it would be about 1750m total elevation gain for the day. I'm wondering if it's worth the added effort, if the views are markedly different/better than what I will see on SOSAT/Centrali/Alte? I guess another option would be staying at Pedrotti on day 1 if I did the Brentari detour, if as you say it is as impressive a setting as Alimonta, and then doing Centrali and Alte on day 2. That would even things out a bit

Update for anyone thinking of heading to the Brenta, we got bad weather and were in the fog both days but it was still a lot of fun. It just makes me want to return for 3-4 days and do it all. I don't think I clipped in once on the Centrali route, and maybe 2-3 times on the Alte. It's really all just easy scrambling mixed with some ladders and ledges. We came down both passes in the afternoon so we were able to glissade down on soft snow but going up in the morning, after rainfall the night before, I would have probably wanted crampons, especially to bocca di tuckett. Never saw a need for an ice axe, but early in the season I'm sure there's some snow up high. The fog is brutal though, hope anyone reading this is luckier than we were

Thanks for the update on your trip. I've been curious to know how you made out as I am 'back in the Brenta' vicariously through you. Mine was an truly an awesome experience.