A new adventure in the heart of Ciampac
Summer 2026 brings exciting news for all via ferrata enthusiasts: the Ferrata Crepa Neigra has been completed, allowing you to ascend the iconic Ciampac monolith following an equipped path.
This route is classified as EEA-PD (moderately difficult), with some short, more challenging sections and a truly panoramic view. It’s also perfect for beginners to this discipline, who, with a mountain guide, will be able to admire some of the most beautiful Dolomite peaks during the ascent, from the Colac and Marmolada to the majestic Sella Group and Sassolungo. Its difficulty level also makes it suitable for children aged 8 and up.
The recommended access to the via ferrata is from Sella Brunech (2,428m), first taking the cable car and then the chairlift. Once you reach Sella Brunech, continue along the ridge path with a slight up and down to Pian de Sele, then start to climb the slopes of Crepa Neigra. The start of the via ferrata can also be reached from the arrival of the Alba-Ciampac cable car (2,160m), walking uphill towards Pian de Sele (2,346 m) for about 45 minutes.
The via ferrata itself extends along a 700-meter route, with an elevation gain of 120 meters, and the estimated ascent time is about an hour and a half/two hours. After an initial vertical section on the south side, the second section runs horizontally along the eastern side of the mountain, concluding with a final ascent to the north. Escape routes are located approximately halfway along the route. Medium-high exposure along the entire route.
Once you reach the summit (2,535m), from which you can admire a 360-degree view of the surrounding panorama, you descend along another short equipped path for about 20 minutes, then continue on the path that in 30 minutes and 100 meters of vertical drop takes you to Pian di Sele. From there, you can follow the path towards Sella Brunech or go down to the Ciampac basin.
For geology enthusiasts
The summit on which the via ferrata is developed consists of a distinctive type of sedimentary rock, different from the limestone and dolomite that typically characterize the Dolomites: a conglomerate. Conglomerate forms from the lithification of ancient gravel composed of rounded pebbles. This transformation, known as diagenesis, encompasses a series of physical and chemical processes that, over very long periods of time (often millions of years), “cement” loose sediments into solid rock.
Geologists refer to these rocks as the Marmolada Conglomerate, part of the Wengen Formation, dating back to the Triassic period (Ladinian stage, approximately 230 million years ago). The Wengen Formation, of which the Marmolada Conglomerate represents the oldest and coarsest units, originated from the erosion and dismantling of pre-existing volcanic edifices. During that time, several volcanic systems were active in the Dolomites region, most notably those in the Predazzo area and those located between Marmolada and Monzoni. Evidence of this latter volcanic system can still be observed on the north-eastern slope of Crepa Neigra, approximately halfway up the mountainside, where a distinctive inclined rock layer crops out.
Once volcanic activity ceased, erosion rapidly began to dismantle the Marmolada volcanic edifice. The coarsest debris was transported by rivers and streams and accumulated in the surrounding areas, forming partially submerged beaches and delta-cones. Along the via ferrata, you can clearly observe pebbles of volcanic origin derived from the dismantling of these ancient volcanoes. Some of these clasts reach remarkable sizes, up to approximately one metre in diameter.
So, was there a sea here? In a sense, yes — though not “here” as we see it today. During the Triassic, the Dolomites region was located at tropical latitudes along the margin of the ancient Tethys Ocean. The environment was characterized by extensive carbonate platforms (similar to modern atolls) interspersed with active volcanic systems.
Text by Mirko Demozzi
References:
- Bosellini, A. – Geology of the Dolomites
- Abbà, T. – Understanding the Geology of Veneto, Vol. 1 & 2
- Dolomites Wolrd Heritage Geotrails, Dolomites UNESCO