Val Gardena

Via ferrata Oscar Schuster

Moyen

The via ferrata Oscar Schuster is an easy one also suitable for beginners. The way to the starting point is not difficult and you can make it shorter taking the funicular to the forcella. Anyway reaching the summit you will have an astonishing view to the Seiser Alm, the Schlern and also the valley.

With the bus or with the car starting from Selva up to Passo Sella.

From Selva Val Gardena you can reach the Passo Sella either by bus or by car. Park at the Passo Sella refuge near the valley station of the Forcella del Sassolungo cable car.

Take the track to the Forcella del Sassolungo (1.5 hours walk 525 from Passo Sella). From the fork on path 525 go down steeply to the Vicenza refuge for about 350m and turn left into the Sasso Piatto cirque on the red marked path. The entrance is on the right side of the cirque, in front of it there is almost always an old snow field.

The track starts on a ramp which is at the beginning secured (A), then with easy climb it brings you until its end. A crossing follows on the upper edge of a heap of debris up to a steep channel. Through this channel, very exposed to rockfall, you climb uninsured until you reach a saddle (2853m). From here you have a splendid view of the Piani di Cunfin, where you’ll find again the insurance of wire ropes. Then on a short part of the wall (B) to the right in a canal (A/B) and to a rock with a blockage (A/B). After a crossing exposed to another channel (A/B). Then you climb up a wall of slabs (B) from the Madonna (a small statue attached to the rock) to the large stepped ramp. The ramp often has a rocky area and leads to the exit, which is located a few meters to the right of the summit. The path is marked in red.

Crossing the huge south-western flank with gravel and a few small steps of rock on path 527 to the Sasso Piatto refuge or even before it, at about 2485m you already descend to the left directly to the path of Federico Augusto (abbreviation ¼ hours of time saving). On this path, passing through the Sandro Pertini and Federico Augusto refuges, you return to the Sella Pass (total 1100 m, 3 hours).