Gruppo: Alpi Carniche – Comelico

The Path Atrezzato d’Ambros runs along the well-known Cresta Pitturina, on the border between Italy and Austria, between Monte Cavallino and Cima Vallona. It is a very exposed but never too difficult ridge itinerary, with very beautiful views of the Carnic Alps and the nearby Sesto Dolomites.

Starting from Malga Melin, in the municipality of San Nicolò di Comelico (BL), reachable on a narrow road but asphalted by the town of Sega Digon, along the SS 52 Carnica that connects San Candido (BZ) with Venzone (UD) (open up Google Maps). From Casera Melin (1673 m) follow the signs to the north for the path 144, directed to Bivacco Piva and the Path of Ambros: climb steep first on 161, then holding the right on 144, going up a long series of hairpin bends up to Bivacco Piva (2250 m, 1h15 from the parking lot), from the unusual form that recalls a military tent. Just before the bivouac you follow the signs to the right to Cima Vallona, on the path 191; climb steeply towards Cima Vallona until you find a track that detaches to the left and leads to a fork. Near the fork, on the Italian-Austrian border, there is the attack of the Ambros Path (30′ from the Piva Bivacco, 1h45 from the parking lot).

The road develops along the sharp border ridge that ends at Monte Cavallino. It rises for about fifteen meters, mainly diagonally and with easy transverses, up to a stretch not protected of crest, decidedly exposed but without difficulty. A second equipped section goes on the left side of the wire, on the Italian side; it descends a few meters towards a rocky point and you walk through cenges and beams, exposed but never challenging, up to a cave already visible from the crest. You climb on some small rocks and you reach a second and a third gallery, where a front torch is useful because of the rather unstable background; exit, a staircase leads to the ridge. Continue on the sharp crest up to a wide grassy saddle, where you ignore a way of escape, and continue little below the thread, first on the Italian side, then on the Austrian side and finally in more marked descent on the Italian side; at the end of the descent you face carefully a fireplace. You will then reach an equipped fork, besides which you will find the key passage: a short traverse but on plate, above the average of the street — not difficult, but to deal with carefully. Continue along with a stretch of descent on the wall of 8-10 meters, well attached, then a stretch of connection up to a canal equipped with ridge; return on the crest, in good exposure, alternate stretches not equipped to a stretch equipped up to the highest point of the crest. The path leads finally to the end of the street, at a marble block that marks the border between Italy and Austria (2h from the attack, about 4h overall).

Although it is called a well-equipped path, it has some vertical climbs that approach it more to a ferrata: there are no particular technical difficulties, except for 3-4 more challenging points, but — as often happens in the ridge paths — the exhibition is strong along almost all the way.

High mountain summer itinerary (max. 2486 m). Constant exposure and presence of unprotected traits require steady pace, experience and stable time.

From the end of the road it is possible to reach the nearby peak of Cavallino (1h gone, 1h45 gone and back) continuing on the crest and following the traces on the gland up to some small rocks and on the summit cross. The return to Casera Melin takes place on the left, on the Italian side, taking the path 160, parallel to the crest just crossed, up to Bivacco Piva and then back along the path (2h from the end of the ferrata, about 6h overall). There are some shorter reentry routes that avoid bivouac, but are more impervious.