Dolomiti : Lagazuoi 5Torri

It was threatening to rain on my last day in the Dolomites. 

Low clouds

Alberto decided to bring me into the mountains instead. Literally inside the heart of Monte Lagazuoi.

Lagazuoi and Cinque Torri were where World War I battles were fought between the Italians and the Austrian-Hungarians. There is an open-air museum in Cinque Torri which shows trenches that the Italians used as their second line of defence. 

Trenches in 5Torri

From the trenches, the Italians could look out for and/or fire their howitzers at their enemies on Monte Lagazuoi.

View of Monte Lagazuoi from 5Torri shelter

Firing from 1911 model 75/27 Eine Kanone Kaliber (howitzer)

Likewise, there is a open-air museum in the Monte Lagazuoi side, where the Austrian/Hungarian armies and later the Italians, dug shelters for men their and arms. From the carpark, we took an easy walk up to the Lagazuoi Gallery and entered a tunnel. Very soon, we found ourselves in the darkness and had to use our headlamps.

Once in a while, we would come across 'windows' which allowed in light and for us to have a peek of what was below us.

Officers' hut

We had glimpses of what it was like during the war - the mockups of artillery, beds, engine rooms... The soldiers would have oil lamps but the lamps would go off every time a mine was blown. It would have been depressing living in the dark and bitter cold, when food was also scarce.

Men's bunk

The marks of the mines were left everywhere - from the black mountain walls and scree to the jagged walls of the tunnels inside the mountain:

Dolomiti : Rock climbing at Cinque Torri

I do not know what possessed me when I said "the next time I come to the Dolomites, I will give rock climbing a try". (We might have been discussing about via ferrata and Alberto told Richard and I that he has converted his clients to rock climbing. I really cannot remember.) Little did I know that Alberto had the same idea, only he thought of it before I did and he was thinking of doing it NOW. @@ I did not even suspect it when he asked me on Day 5 for the size of my shoes (I thought he was going to find me some hardy boots for long distance trekking). 天啊！我还没有做好心理准备！

We checked the weather forecast at the end of Day 5 and confirmed that the weather was not going to hold for a long trek over the weekend. Consequently, we agreed on rock climbing for Day 6 and play by ear for Day 7. 

To cut the long story short, I found myself borrowing rock climbing shoes, driving to Bain de Dònes and taking a chairlift to Cinque Torri:

The Cinque Torri, as the name implies, has 5 towers. We first practised on a few walls of Torre Inglese. Alberto first went through the basic climbing techniques with me. Then he free-climbed up the wall, put the rope through the anchor point, abseiled down and held the rope at the bottom of the wall while I climbed up.

Each time we started on a new wall, I would first observe how Alberto free-climbed to the anchor point (with no secured rope, he must have chosen the safest and easiest route right?) and attempt to the same. When I say "attempt", it is really because initially, the macro picture would be lost once I get on the rock. Subsequently, I learnt to lean out further to see where to go. 

Free-climb up

Put rope through anchor point

Ideally, when rock climbing, one moves a few small steps before moving the hands and continuing with another few small steps. I tended to go at a "one hand, one foot, one hand, one foot" sequence, like climbing a ladder. It took a while for me to get used to not climbing the rock like a ladder. 

Along the way, Alberto would give me some pointers if I looked really lost. Otherwise, he would just leave me to decide where to go on the rock wall and how. I like this teaching approach because I could make and learn from my mistakes. I would be totally confused and panicked if someone were to shout instructions at me constantly (it would interrupt the conversations I would have inside my head).

My turn

Abseil down

Alberto, before his disappearing act
on Torre Quarta Bassa

I thought that the day had ended when Alberto started to make a move to the next tower - Torre Quarta Bassa. We were going to do a real belaying! This was how it went - Alberto free-climbed to the anchor point and put the rope through it. He would give me a shout and I climbed up to meet him. This process continued until we reached the peak.

Once Alberto disappeared around the corner above, I would have no idea how he climbed. I therefore had to work out the route on my own. 

I thought I would be a piece of wreck when I climbed but it was surprisingly therapeutic and it had a calming effect on me. Alberto had chosen a really easy tower, I did not have to worry about anyone but myself and more importantly, I did not have to look down (except at my feet).

Resting at the 2nd belay point and looking down from the same spot
Photo credit for picture on the left: Alberto

There were 3 terrifying parts on Torre Quarta Bassa:
1. There were 2 people standing on a ledge (like the one above) and I had to stretch across their bodies and climbed over them
2. The peak was shaped like "⊿", which meant that there was a slope when I got to the top (not a table top as I would like it to be)

3. Alberto lowered me down too quickly for my liking!

On top of Torre Quarta Bassa with Alberto

View from peak of Torre Quarta Bassa
Foreground: My first practice walls
Background: Punta Anna

Child (on the wall) and instructor (on the ground) 
training on my first practice wall
(as seen from the peak of Torre Quarta Bassa)

After he threw me off the peak, Alberto boogied his way down

WWI trench

The day did not end here. I became a tourist again and visited the World War I trenches a few steps from Cinque Torri.

Then I had one of the best meals in a hut. (Tip: When asked 'which hut do you want to go to?', always answer with 'the one with the best food'.)

Casunziei all' ampezzana

Salame di cioccolato con salsa alla vaniglia

Hugo

Dolomiti : Ferrata Punta Anna

This was supposed to be the most difficult via ferrata we did all week - technical difficulty 2.5, exposure 3.2, physical demand 4, scenery 4.4. We had a minor debate on top of Punta Anna if it was indeed the most difficult thus far - Richard and Alberto thought so (because of the exposure) but I thought Tridentina was the most difficult. Trust the experts. I only realised as I was writing this, that we ascended from 2,037m to 2,731m in less than 3 hours - double or triple the displacements we had done thus far.

I think what made this via ferrata physically more demanding was that there were more vertical walls to scale (as opposed to doing switchbacks on the wall).

Photo credit: Alberto

Finally! 1 photograph which does not show me grabbing on to the cable
Photo credit: Richard

Photo credit: Richard

The vertical walls looked more difficult than the act of doing it. We knew the drill by then - secure oneself to the cable or ladder and trap the carabiner, then find a comfortable place to put the free hand and feet. Move. Repeat the same. When it got tricky, Alberto would highlight what to do. I spent slightly more time on this via ferrata analysing where best to put my hand and feet, only because I wanted to be more selective and efficient, and not just take the most obvious positions that require full stretches of arms and legs. (Sometimes, I would cheat by using sheer energy to power up and then go on to reprimand myself in my head. Note to self. Note to self.) 

Arch

In any case, I did not think we were really worried about ourselves. We were more worried for someone who was rock climbing on Tofana de Rozes but did not move for an hour. When he finally moved, I was so happy we did not have to call for rescue. Then Alberto took a picture of some fellow climbers and I asked for €3,000 in exchange for the all-important-full-of-danger-looking photograph. They must not be accountants because they only charged us €1,000 for taking a photograph for us. Where is my $$$?

The 2 guys who owe us $$$

From left: Richard, Alberto

On top of Punta Anna

View from Punta Anna 

On the descent, we saw 2 men who were not on the marked route and Alberto shouted to alert them. They were adamant that their map had said so/ they have gone down the route before. *Shake head* 

The correct way to descend from Punta Anna would be to do a switchback or run vertically down a "soft" scree. Richard and Alberto ran as I "gracefully" "jogged" down. I honestly thought that at the very cautious rate I was going, it would take 5 hours. 

Getting down the scree
Photo credit: Alberto

Exit
Left: Tofana de Rozes, Right: Punta Anna

As it was Richard's last via ferrata with us, Alberto thought we could be tourists for the rest of the day. After our descent, we saved our stomach and drove to Bob Bar for a great sandwich. Afterwhich, we went into the Cortina town centre to do some sight-seeing and to have an all-important gelato:                                          

Thank you Richard for treating us to gelato!

Richard, Alberto and I agreed that we had been fortunate all week with the weather. Richard had thoroughly enjoyed the vie ferrate. For me, I thought that everything was scary but otherwise, awesome - a contradiction, I know. In all seriousness, the joke we had among us, that "if you want a pee-in-your-pants experience, wear your diapers and sign up for the via ferrata with Alberto", was really more of a reflection from me - that I am glad I was given the opportunity and that I did give the via ferrata a go even though I was/am/will be scared. I had a lot of things in my favour - Alberto, Richard, the weather, scenery and food - and they more than made up for the fear I had to put up with. Have fear but just do it. It was definitely worth it. 

Dolomiti : Ferrata Oskar Schuster

I finally found someone with smaller hiking shoes than mine!

Richard had taken a break from via ferrata to do his own trekking. I joined the Trenti family and Alberto on via ferrata Oskar Schuster at Sasso Piato. Albi (7 years old) and Pietro (9 years old) bounced off their car to greet Alberto with much enthusiasm. I was introduced and Alberto went on to gushed at how much Albi has grown since the year before (when the smallest harness was still too big for him).

Alberto, Elli, Albi, Francesco, Pietro

We took a skinny cable car (standing room for 2 only) to the section between Cinque Dita and Sassolungo and found ourselves above the basin of Sassopiatto.

From left: Sasso Levante Grohmann, Cinque Dita, Sassolungo 

Conca del Sassopiatto

It was windy and we had to put on layers as we walked through the valley. The approach to the via ferrata was long and together with the scree which we had to walk on, I thought it would be a challenge for children. Surprisingly, there were many children on this trek and both Pietro and Albi handled the distance and difficult parts very well.

Second part of approach to via ferrata Oskar Schuster

For the ascent, Alberto was roped to the children while Francesco, Elli and I had a go on our own pace at free-climbing and on the via ferrata. There were relatively more free-climbing (as compared to the previous days). On the first part, I climbed ahead and on the second part, Francesco did so. I was also more enthusiastic with taking photographs of the people and scenery around me. 

The via ferrata seemed easier and shorter than Ferrata Piccolo Cir but websites rank the exposure, physical and technical difficulty level of Ferrata Oskar Schuster higher than that for Piccolo Cir. I guess it must be because I have gone through the more difficult ones on days 2 and 3 with Alberto (and as such felt relatively more comfortable). (Well, I also had to pretend that it was not difficult because if the 2 children could do it, I could not jolly well cry right?)

Looks easy right? I don't think so, at least not for the children ... 

Alberto was very patient with the children, answering their questions to everything along the way and also giving encouragement and instructions on the via ferrata. No wonder the children bounced off the car to greet him and their parents trusted him with them.

After the via ferrata, we walked for a bit more to the top:

On top of Sassopiato
Photo source: Alberto

We had a quick lunch and made our way down the valley on the other side. If the approach was long, the descent was even longer:

View from descent

Grande Albi e Piccolo Albi

This was the longest trek I did in the Dolomites and it was really more trek than via ferrata, with the whole loop taking no less than 7 hours. 

Little Albi may have feet smaller than mine but he sure took everything in his strides! Francesco and Elli must have been so proud of Pietro and Albi for being brave and for their perseverance. I am truly impressed! I guess it also shows that it is never too young to teach the children to love the nature and exercising - they probably have less fear, learn and adapt faster than adults do. Bring your children to the mountains!

Thank you for the lovely day, Francesco, Elli, Pietro, Albi and Alberto! Grazie!

On my way home and feeling truly blessed