Regione: Piemonte

The Ferrata of Pont Canavese is a very satisfying and complete itinerary, rich in different passages — plates, diedri, beams, overhanging walls, suspended bridges. The equipment is abundant and makes a line that would otherwise require excellent climbing skills; the athletic variant is extremely difficult and physically intense, among the hardest in Italy.

You reach Pont Canavese (Turin) and you pass it along the SP460 circumvallation; in Sarrò, on the right, a large terrace with a green gate is a parking lot. Starting point on Google Maps. Next to an information board you pass the gate (not closed) and follow the signs for the ferrata: a dirt road uphill narrows soon on a path, which climbs steep until the attack (15' from the parking lot).

The first and last section is easy and lean. The ferrata begins with a ramp in the woods, then a plaque full of brackets and handles leads to a crossroads: on the right the variant Efficile, athletic and overhanging; on the left the variant Editely Difficile, with a couple of exposed but not athletic passages. Both have a suspended bridge (stable and avoidable) and gather about metà itinerary, where on the right there is an escape route.

Extremely Difficult Variant: the abundance of brackets deceives, because the required force is remarkable. After the first metres, you will arrive under a first imposing overhanging, which moves to the left (probable key passage); bypassing the edge you will climb a vertical placconata well supplied with cambre, not difficult, where it is refled. A short equipped path leads to a second overhanging wall, much easier; it goes up and moves right towards the suspended bridge. Beyond the bridge you pass a short overhanging with brackets, then a diagonal traverse on the left until a 4 meters overhanging but well equipped wall; you arrive under a rocky roof, wandering left with a delicate passage, and after a few steps you face a last wall first vertical and then overhanging, which closes the variant entering the wood.

Moderately Difficult: from the crossroads you move diagonally to the left on easy passages equipped to the suspended bridge (also avoidable with a stretch equipped below). Beyond the bridge, continue diagonally until you turn a corner and face a more challenging leap; then climb more vertically up to a long wall with the most exposed and adrenaline passage of the variant, where you get around in full exposure a edge under a rocky roof ( easier than you look on the ground) using the brackets, until you return to the wood and rejoin the difficult variant.

Assemble the lines, climb a beautiful vertical wall with brackets that reduce the difficulties, then move to stretches in light overhanging but never hard; after a right turn you go up a vertical wall and move to the left on brackets to bypass a roof (the most challenging passage after the meeting), until a dih beyond which begins the last, easy section: granite plates rested with brackets and handles.

The normal way is difficult, varied and exposed; the athletic variant is extremely difficult and physically very intense.

Low altitude: practicable most of the year with dry rock.

From the end you reach a marked crossroads; both options report to the parking space in 30-40'. On the right you go down the trail in the woods, then steeper, until Pont Canavese, where you keep the right along the state road to the car. On the left you descend towards the hamlet of Piancerese and, following a sign in the village, you return to the valley at the parking lot (about 3h 30' total).

About an hour's drive: the Ferrata di Covarey, il Sentiero Attrezzato dell'Infernone, la Ferrata Nito Staich and, in the lower Val di Susa, the Ferrata Rocca Bianca e la Ferrata Carlo Giorda.