Corvara Blog – Alta Badia Walks, Via Ferrata & more…

This was a week that was full of a diversity in experiences and hilarious exploits typical of a week with Collett’s. As often occurs in peak season, numbers have been high on Via Ferratas, with the shining sun offering delicious mountain days out for all.

Looking up at Via Ferrata Cirspitze 2A - Passo Gardena

‘Cirspitze (a 2B Via Ferrata) Monday’, as it has become colloquially known, became a group affair when the Corvara, Arabba & Pedraces teams join forces, producing a team of first time Via Ferrata enthusiasts and 5 Via Ferrata organisers. Counter intuitive to any preconceived ideas, the large numbers were not at all a hindrance, but an opportunity for a group of  individuals to help one another out within an abnormal situation. It really is amazing how a few hundred meters and a rather large vertical drop brings people together!

At the start of Via Ferrata Cirspitze 2A

The bridge on Via Ferrata della Trincee above Arabba

Thursday heralded a new day for many of these once first time Via Ferrata enthusiasts, with a group of brave souls (after one of two easier routes on previous days) puckering up the courage to attempt Trincee (4B Via Ferrata, out of Arabba), which was arranged by Via Ferrata organisers Freya and Chris. After the somewhat tricky first 150 meters of this historic and exposed slab of volcanic rock, the group split into two groups of differing speeds. Both groups enjoyed the day immensely, with myself and Freya reveling in the hilarious antics of one particular Liverpool based guest who kept the group bent over laughing during times of possible peril. Both groups met near the end of the route and enjoyed a swift instant coffee from an authentic Italian coffee machine (apparently the best coffee machine coffee in the world) before riding the Porta Vescovo cable car home to a cool beer, a hearty meal and a warm bed.

WWI Barracks on Via Ferrata Della Trincee
Translates to 'Way of the Trenches' and today still has many ruins and remains left over from the first world war.

Other than outdoor adventures upon precarious mountain peaks, more and more walks are being added to our program every week, with three walks now leaving Corvara on most days. The protected path of Munt de Ghardinacia (from Predraces on the Puez Odle Massif), and the scenic walk of Nuvolau (near Cinque Torre) have been highly praised by all those partaking in the walks.

Wildflower Walks at Cinque Torre on the Falzarego Pass

Of the fauna and flora, the wildflowers continue to be replaced by new  and differing species. Fire lilies have replaced the white wild carrots on the hill sides, with the infamous devils claw beginning to flower atop crags frequented by everyone’s favorite bird, the Alpine Chough. The local Marmot populations are also become more and more erratic in their activities, with squeaks and squawks being emitted at irregular intervals. And on that note, the Marmots have not been the only thing squeaking and squawking over the past week. The annual jazz festival has come out of hibernation and into the spot light, with live acts listened to by keen ears every night this week. A notably brilliant performance was seen in the “P Funk Band”, a marching band of dancing musicians whose enthusiasm for their craft diffused through the crowd, resulting in a barrage of extremely bad dancing, but also a lot of fun.

Devil's claw - Physoplexus comosum

So that was the week that was, finished for now until the week that will be in several days time.

Chris Gordon