Caratteristica: Passaggio chiave a tetto strapiombante

The Ferrata dei Piceni is a recent route and the only via ferrata delle Marche, near Pioraco (Macerata). It is overall easy, but has a couple of athletic traits that require a minimum of training; short and low altitude, you can travel almost all year round.

The SP 361 goes up towards Pioraco; before the village, in correspondence of the sign "Cartiere di Fabriano", after about 200 meters you take on the left an asphalted road uphill until a small church where to park (you can see the signs of the ferrata). Starting point on Google Maps. Follow the CAI signs in the woods to the red plate that marks the beginning of the ferrata (30' from the parking lot).

The first equipped section is downhill and serves as a handrail; then there are parts equipped in the wood, of low difficulty, on rock at times muschiata (attention to adherence). You reach a wall with a slightly overhanging attack that climbs vertically with different cambres; the road follows a rather vertical line, exploiting abundant cambres on polished rock. After a horizontal stretch you get to the key passage: a vertical wall with overhanging roof that requires discreet force of arms in the first two changes of carabiner (the artificial brackets help, but it is not underrated). Passed the wall, a short ladder and still cambre, moving to the right, lead to the end of the ferrata, where is the book of the signatures (30', 1h from the parking lot).

Interesting way in a little known environment: the smoothed rock and abundance of cambre mark the progression. Suitable for neophytes, with a couple of more athletic steps requiring a minimum of training.

The trail goes up to a crossroads with the signs for the return, which takes place in the woods (20' from the end, 1h 20' total).

There are no other equipped routes in the surroundings. The nearest are on Gran Sasso: la Ferrata Danesi, the Ferrata Ricci and, on the southern slope, the Ferrata al Bivacco Bafile and the long Path of the Centenary; in Umbria the Ferrata delle Gole del Serra.