Ferrata Gianni Costantini

This is a long and fairly difficult Ferrata – one of the biggest and best in the range. Plan on 8-12 hours to do this route car to car. The route ascends first to the summit of Cima Cresta delle Masenade, crosses a high ridge and finally ascends to the summit of Moiazza sud. It ascends over 1500 meters in vertical altitude and has over a mile of cabled climbing and huge sections of non-cabled hiking including snowfields. Plan for the better part of the day to do this route (and be sure the weather forecast is good) and consider an ice axe if there is still much snow around.
The initial portion of the route goes up and left traversing above the loose gully below for a considerable distance until it turns upwards and ascends the main cliff that is visible. After 40-60 minutes you will leave the cable and start walking uphill to the next wall. Here you encounter the crux – an overhanging left traversing section that then enters a steep cabled gully that moves up and rightward then straight up. After about 40 minutes this section of cable exits out into a scree bowl with a sign posting saying “Pala del Belia.” From here walk right, rejoin the cable in a gully, then ascend up intermittent cable/scree to the summit of Cima Cresta delle Masenade. From this summit you can look left (NW) to the final summit destination and hour or so away. Far down to the north across snow fields you should be able to see a small Bivouac hut (Bivouac Grisetti) – an option for a descent exists down to there then back SE to the road and your car should the need (weather) arise. To finish the route, traverse left along the top of the ridgeline/snow crest down to the low point known as Forcella delle Masenade (From here you can descend to the bivouac if you have an ice axe). Continue climbing back up the ridge now, crossing some steep scree and snow out to the right to another section of cable. Traverse right along the cable then up over a steep section onto another section of steep scree and snow. Hike up and left along this slope to the visible notch/pass. At this pass/notch the path divides. Turn right and climb the cable to the summit of Moiazza sud. Great views of Civetta and the towers at the south end of the Civetta Massif are had from here. Also look straight down to the West and spot Bivouac Ghedini Moiazza. If this hut is buried in snow, it suggests you cannot descend via that trail and will need to return the way you ascended.

Parking: Park at Passo Duran right next to the refugio. This pass is up the tiny road leading north east out of Agordo, or an hour south of Cortina.
Approach: Hike up the well worn deeply trenched path behind the refugio / Passo Duran following signs for Refugio Carestiato. You will encounter a road as you go up the path. Turn left and hike along the road until you reach Rifugio Carestiato in about 45 minutes. From here turn towards the mountains and you can see the start of the route straight ahead. The cable runs up and left diagonally along the cliff below the vegetated rock. Walk along the posted trail from the refugio up to start of the route.
Descent: You have 3 options for descent. You can descend the cable the way you came up. You can descend back to Forcella delle Masenade then down to Bivouac Grisetti (might need an ice axe) and then turn back to the road leading south to Passo Duran, or you can return to the junction at the notch you left to go to the final summit and turn west heading along the path towards the Bivouac Ghedini (if it was not buried in snow when you looked from the summit – if snow did bury it, this path is unsafe without full ice gear, rope and protection due to the cable being under the snow and very steep exposed couloirs). This path is a partially cabled path that works its way along the side of the mountain heading west to the bivouac. At this point, you could go north through the scree bowl to Rifugio Vazzoler if you want to spend the night there, but to get back to your car, head through the pass going south along the cable and down steep slabs and scree until you hit path 554. Turn left heading back to Rifugio Carestiato. Good place for a beer here, or at Duran, or there is excellent Pizza, music and entertainment just down the hill in Agordo.

Helmet, harness and gloves, Ferrata rigging, possibly ice axe and crampons, optional rope for snow work.