VF Stella Alpina to Monte Agner summit

One of the long hard testpieces of Dolomites. Tough in terms of:
* length of sustained steep climbing
* length of commitment
* total vertical to the summit

Some interesting difficult Via Ferrata climbing, but as a complete outing continuing on to Monte Agner summit, or even to reach a normally-chosen descent route, the ratio of interesting challenging climbing to labor + unpleasant steep looseness might seem pretty low.
. . . (What would make this route more attractive is to fInd a rare lucky day when the ski lift was operating in summer season).

Many parties will prefer to start up the afternoon before for dinner and sleep at Rifugio Scarpa-Gerkian, a nice modern mountain refuge / hotel / hut with a big view.

Difficulty VF-specific rating
. . Austrian AlpinVerlag : C/D on scale of A to F (where F is Extrem).
. . UK Cicerone : 5 on scale of 1 to 5.

For lots more detail about this route, see print guidebooks:
* Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites: volume 2 : by John Fletcher + Graham Smith (Cicerone)
. . . (pretty helpful for this route, except for parking).

* Klettersteigführer Dolomiten-Südtirol-Gardasee : by Axel Jentzsch-Rabik, Andreas Jentzsch, Dieter Wissekal (AlpinVerlag)
. . . (much key info is in numeric/symbolic form for those who don't read much German, and there is an English-language overview for this route).

. . . and . . .
- - > this Trip Report on MP

. . . (Name sometimes called "Edelweiss Klettersteig").

Directions: Follow the steel cable. Not well protected (using a normal VF kit with normal VF procedure) -- see further below for more detail and non-normal options.

Above the top of the main VF climbing section, follow paint markings and cairns across steep slopes with loose rock and slippery dirt and grass, also some more short easy VF cable sections -- until reach the Bivouac Giancarlo Biasin shelter (possible turn-around point).

To reach the summit (VF-specific rating around B on scale of A to F), find steel cable next to Bivouac, go NW then N along this with some downs + ups. Reach the W ridge around (N46.2767 E11.9504), then up that with some more cable and lots of scrambling to the summit.

Descent: From the Bivouac Biasin shelter, climbers would normally descend the Normal route or (only if snow conditions are favorable) VF Canalone (with lots of steep loose rock and slippery dirt, and at least one section across snow which might be frozen hard icy).
. . . Need to check with guardian of the Rifugio about conditions (especially snow) of VF Canalone before attempting to descend it.

Either route goes back to near the Rifugio Scarpa hut, then can reverse the approach route hiking down to Parking.

- - > See VF Canalone on this Map
. . . . . (with downloadable GPS track)
. . . (except that it was deleted by REI staff Oct 2018: Maybe they'll put it back?)

Statistics:
* vertical of VF main climbing part : +300 meters
* Length of serious climbing : 370 meters

to Bivouac Biasin from Frassene village overnight parking:
* vertical uphill : +1580 meters
. . . (perhaps +100 meters less if park above village).
* horizontal distance : 6.2 km

Monte Agner summit from Frassene village overnight parking:
* vertical uphill : +1800 meters
. . . (perhaps +100 meters less if park above village).
* horizontal distance : 6.7 km

warning: If using a normal Via Ferrata kit with normal VF procedures, falling on this route would likely result in serious injury (even death), because many of the cable anchors are not well located for Protection. Therefore if you fall, you're likely to hit something bad.

Start from Parking below or above the village of Frassene. Next hike up to Rifugio Scarpa-Gerkian. Next follow signs for Via Ferrata on trail with ups + downs + curves. Continue on trail after Normal route bears off right. Later turn off Left for VF Stella Alpina (where VF Canalone approach goes straight or a bit rightward). Meet the first cable, follow that up and right across short steep wall. After that more hiking and scrambling following paint markings and cairns, to reach bottom start of main VF climbing section.

- - > See on this Map
. . . . (with downloadable GPS track).
. . . (except that it was deleted by REI staff Oct 2018: Maybe they'll put it back?)

waypoints:
* Parking legal overnight below Frassene village : (N46.2529 E11.9841) : (elev 1085 m)
* Parking near end of narrow asphalt road above village : (N46.2532 E11.9787) : (1170 m)
* Parking along dirt/gravel section before reach closure gate : (N46.2551 E11.9796) : (1190 m)
* Rifugio Scarpa-Gurekian hut : (N46.2597 E11.9612) : (elev 1735m)
. . . (with ski lift top station below just a bit NE, it it ever operates in summer).
* Junction of trails : (N46.2634 E11.9559)
. . . Normal route goes off R (NE?).
* Junction of trails : (N46.2656 E11.9550)
. . . Approach to VF Canalone bears R (N).
* VF short low section : (N46.2664 E11.9546)
* VF Stella Alpina main bottom start : (N46.2673 E11.9539) . (elev ~ 2070m)
* VF Stella Alpina top of serious climbing : (N46.2669 E11.9530) . (elev ~ 2365m)
* Bivouac Giancarlo Biasin : (N46.2747 E11.9512) . (elev 2655m)
. . . meet descent routes: VF Canalone or Normal route.
* Monte Agner summit : (N46.2764 E11.9528)
* Junction of descent trails : ()
. . . Getting down to VF Canalone goes R (SW). Normal route continues bear L / straight E.
* VF Canalone serious climbing bottom : (N46.2683 E11.9549)
* permanent snow/ice below VF Canalone : (N46.2680 E11.9550)

This route is protected in most of its non-easy segments by fixed hardware: Steel cable attached to the rock with anchor posts. So most climbers have a "normal" via ferrata kit attached to their harness, and clip the carabiners on the leashes/lanyards of the kit to the steel cable. So if they fall, the carabiner(s) slide down until the hit the next lower steel post that attaches the cable to the rock. Then the climber falls a few feet farther until the leash/lanyard catches on the harness.

Sounds good, but the big problem is that the specific location / placement of many of the cable-attachment posts on this route (like with most VFs) are not designed for Protection in case of a fall. Instead the placements are designed mainly to keep the cable taut and in useful configuration so the climber can grasp it and pull on it for Aid. Also perhaps designed to save money on hardware and time on installation and maintenance. So in many situations on this route (like with most VFs), if you actually take a fall, you're likely to hit something bad. And you might fall fairly far before hitting it. So (if using a normal VF kit with normal VF procedure) climbing on this route in a style where you might actually fall is a really bad idea.

So the Protection rating by rock-climbing standards is at best PG-13 (like with most VFs). But some VF experts have said this route is not well protected even by Via Ferrata standards, so likely it's better to think it as having a Protection rating of R.
. . . (assuming a normal VF kit with normal VF procedure).

Consider also that even if your ability with a chosen climbing style is so strong that you can confidently climb some section without any chance of falling . . . this rock is dolomite, not granite. Like limestone, it breaks. Consider also that since most climbers on this route are grasping and pulling on the steel cable, not holds on the rock -- so many handholds have not been tested (recently or perhaps ever). So if choose to climb "free" you could take a fall and hit something bad even though it's not your fault.

Therefore, best to consider other non-normal equipment and protection strategies if trying to climb in "free" style. Two major ones are: Getting a rope belay by a partner from above, or Using a special VF kit (e.g. Skylotec Skyrider) which works like a top-rope-solo self-belay on steel cable of appropriate diameter.