How to get there:
This mountain may be accessed from 2 different sides. This report describes the route
from Obereggen, a ski resort on the west side. This is perhaps the easiest route.
Obereggen is located at N46.38443, E11.52524. This is about 18 kilometer (straight line)
south-east of Bolzano.
Route:
One may take a chair-lift to gain the initial 500 meter in order to get close to tree line
elevation just above 2000 meter.
As you exit the lift, you will immediately see trail signs, in particular trail/route #18.
Follow this, the trail zig-zags directly uphill. Continue up to an area with many nice rock
formations, the trail is horizontal here before a final, short climb up a small gully that
leads to a col. From here, you can see
the Latemar mountain on the far side of a large bowl.
Take the trail going left in order to reach a distinct col at N46.38156, E11.56629, elevation about 2590 meter.
A via ferrata trail starts from this col and traverses below on the south side of the summit. A clear and easy
trail (no exposure) forks left from this (main) trail (higher up) in order to access the summit.
The via ferrata is not very difficult (rated B/C), but almost everyone would use the cable for protection in the
most exposed and steep parts of this route.
Comments:
This is quite a facinating climb witH interesting terrain and good scenery.
I had a fairly long drive from our hotel in Soleno, but still able to start my trek
around 1015. Gaining elevation on a nice zig-zag trail,
I was soon up in the little valley with
interesting rock formations all around.
Next, emerging from the short gully uphill, the landscape
changed and Latemar came into view.
A nice day, with quite many people on the trails, but few seemed headed for the Latemar summit.
It took about 30 minutes to gain the col that sort of marks the beginning of
the via ferrata part of the route.
I put on my helmet, harness and via ferrata kit, then continued.
The route was quite fun, a few steepish traverses where the cable was nice to have, also a couple
of places where the route would cross some gigantic cracks.
Only one short section with uphill climbing.
I caught up with 2 guys, perhaps 15 years younger. One of them asked if I could reveal
my age. When he heard 74, he quickly responded: "I guess you are not in this sort of terrain for
the first time?" I smiled and replied that I had been in the Dolomites before, but quite many
years ago. They subsequently lagged behind, and I soon lost sight of them.
After I forked left and uphill to climb the summit, I noticed that they had continued
the main trail traverse. Obviously not interested in the peak, only in the via ferrata route.
I was at the summit about 3 hours after starting.
A nice madonna had replaced the traditional cross.
Good views and nobody around.
I spent 10 minutes on top, then started back. I had a pretty long drive and wanted to be back
with the lift before 1600. I had purchased a round-trip ticket, but forgot to ask when they
ended service. This worked well, I was there at 1550. However, the lift would run until after
1800, so no hurry. I had a cold radler before taking the lift back down.
