Via Ferrata delle Trincee

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WWI Austrian trench route along the Padon ridge between Marmolada and Sella. Grade K3–K4. War tunnels, airy ridge, suspension bridge. One of the most historically significant via ferrata in the Dolomites. Starts from Passo Fedaia or Porta Vescovo cable car from Arabba.

Distance

1.2 km

Max elevation

2,727m (Monte Mesola)

Duration

6–7 hours total

Safety classification

DifficultyTechnical

GuideGuide required (safety)

GearTechnical gear

OfficialYes

MaintainedYes

Season

Summer to early autumn (~July–Sept), once the Padon ridge is snow- and ice-free. Outside that, snow, verglas and cold make the cabled, exposed sections dangerous.

Hazards

▲severe exposure
▲rockfall
▲storms
▲cold

View on the 3D map →View only — no download

The research behind this route

Via ferrata in the Dolomites — the WWI origin, the grading system explained, and the memorial plaques on the 'beginner' routes→70,400 cubic meters of ice, 11 lives, and a glacier that scientists say won't exist by 2040→

More routes in Dolomites

Alta Via 1 (The Classic)✓Alta Via 2 (The Hard Route)✓Seceda Ridgeline Tre Cime di Lavaredo Circuit✓

Dolomites articles →The whole encyclopedia →