Lago di Fedaia - Punta Penia (Marmolada) (Via ferrata Marmolada)

Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo (to here possible over a border crossing Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on a highway in the direction of Videm / Udine to exit Tolmezzo. From Tolmezzo we follow the road in the direction of village Ampezzo and mountain pass Passo Mauria. The road then descends and it brings us to a crossroad, where we continue left (possible also right) in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. At all next crossroads, we follow the signs for Cortina d'Ampezzo and then we follow the signs for Alpine mountain pass Passo di Falzarego. Already in the first part of the ascent towards the mountain pass Falzarego we will get to a crossroad, where signs for mountain pass Passo di Giau (2233 meters) and Marmolada point us to the left. The road behind the mountain pass Giau starts descending and lower we follow it through the settlements in the direction of Marmolada or mountain pass Passo di Fedaia. The road which then again starts ascending higher brings us on a mountain pass Fedaia, and we follow it over on the other side of the lake, where we park on a parking lot near the mountain hut Rifugio Castiglioni Marmolada.
Access from Primorska: We drive on a highway in the direction of Padova, but only to a highway junction, where we continue in the direction of Veneto and Belluno. Near Belluno the highway ends, and we follow the road ahead in the direction of Belluno, where at the larger crossroad we continue right in the direction of the town Agordo. From the mentioned town ahead we follow frequent signs for Marmolada or mountain pass Passo di Fedaia. When we get to the mentioned mountain pass we follow the road on the west side of the lake, where we go left on the road which runs over a dam and then we park on the upper large parking lot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we go on the path 606 following the signs “Punta Penia, Rif. Pian dei Fiacconi”. The path is at first ascending through rare dwarf pines and bushes a little left from a cableway, which runs towards the mountain hut Pian dei Fiacconi. The path then brings us out of the dwarf pines and soon turns to the right and brings us on the west side of the cableway. Here the path starts ascending below the steep mountain walls of the peak Col di Bousc (2494m) towards the south. Next follows few ascents in zig-zags and we are already on a saddle Col di Bousc (2438m). On the saddle where there is a crossing, we continue left in the direction of the mountain hut Pian dei Fiacconi.
Further, we are ascending on rocky terrain towards the southeast. From the path on which we are ascending all the time wonderful views are opening up in the direction towards Marmolada and also towards the north where Piz Boe stands out. When we again get closer to the cableway, the path turns slightly to the right and to the hut where there is usually a lot of people follows only a short undemanding ascent.
From the mountain hut, we return few meters back and at the crossing, we go on the path 606 following the signs “Via Ferrata, Forcella Marmolada”. The path further for quite some time in a gentle descent crosses a slope towards the west. The path at the crossing descends for approximately 200 altitude meters. At the descent, we will cross a stream and a little from the path, we will also notice a smaller waterfall. The path then again starts ascending and turns to the left and it brings us to first quite gentle snow field. In the morning the snow is usually frozen, so already here is recommended to use crampons. After the first snow field a short ascent follows on a poorly visible footpath which is marked with cairns, and then we start ascending on a slightly steeper snow field towards the notch Forcella Marmolada. The last few meters the snow field is already quite steep and some caution is needed. From the end of snow field then a short ascent follows by the steel cable to the notch Forcella Marmolada, where joins the path from the south side.
On the notch, we continue left and we start ascending on a steep slope with the help of stemples. After that, the path turns slightly to the right and for a short time leads on a ridge, where a view opens up on the south side. Further, the path again avoids the ridge a little to the left and is then for quite some time ascending by the steel cable on numerous stemples and iron spikes. Such a path again brings us on a well-secured ridge on which we are then ascending towards the east. In the last part, the path becomes less steep and then follows a short crossing of a gentle snow field. Snow is here usually already softened enough, that the use of crampons isn't urgently needed.
Next follows a short undemanding ascent to the cottage, where from the left side joins a normal path over a glacier. From here we have then only few steps of easy walking to the highest peak of Dolomites.

On the way: Col de Bous (2438m), Rifugio Pian dei Fiacconi (2626m), Forcella Marmolada (2896m)