La Spirlónga via Val Ru da Molín-Fratta del Santo-Forcella de la Spirlónga

Premise

This route was traveled on May 30, 2025, and all subsequent observations and considerations are fully valid only for that day.

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From La Stanga to the start of the southeast gully descending from the Forcella de la Spirlónga

Take the CAI 502 next to the Restaurant Bar at La Stanga and easily reach, under a phone antenna, the junction between the trails to Val de Piero and Val Ru da Molin.

Turn left towards Val Ru da Molin and comfortably ascend northwards with increasing exposure towards the bottom of Val Cordevole.

There is a short section that can be defined as a "true ledge" on a solid, "narrow" path, then turn right to enter Val Ru da Molin.

The path continues narrow, passing the side with the "Cógoi de le Procuratíe" (a quote from Piero Rossi) and then reaches the stream crossing opposite a large overhang with dry stone walls.

On the other side, the path gains some elevation with a short steep stretch, then traverses to the entrance of the gully descending from the Forcella de la Spirlónga.

Along the way, there is an old landslide (but with a now consolidated ground track) and a "technical passage" with exposure where you place your hands.

At the gully entrance, there is a red paint inscription "SPIRLONGA" with an arrow indicating the direction.

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Ascent to the Forcella de la Spirlónga from Val Ru da Molín

After the very first meters, cairns lead you out of the bottom of the gully to the left to climb in a not-too-dense forest where cut branches can also be found.

Then return to the gully floor for a good, easy and fun stretch until a large blackish rock where I saw a red mark with an arrow pointing left again into the wooded flank; looking just beyond the rock, you can notice a good drop that would prevent continuation at the bottom.

After some easy turns, the trail enters the steep, but without problems you reach a saddle with a cliff on the other side.

Here turn right on the path following the saddle's crest flat and then ascending steeply.

You reach a key point, in my opinion, for orientation, especially descending.

The trail turns right passing under a fallen larch tree with all branches cut (real marking cuts), continuing along a narrow and exposed viaz-style stretch.

Then it turns left to ascend a ridge almost in the open field, and guided by cairns, you descend again to the bottom of the main gully.

Today there was water at the entry point, and I continued ascending the gully first on the right grasses then moving to the left.

Shortly you reach below a high band of black rocks that anticipates the final series of impassable drops at the bottom of the gully.

At the start of the black rocks on the right, there is a cairn indicating the exit trace, which ascends steeply for a stretch (I also saw a couple of red marks here) and then turns right to cross a secondary forested ravine.

Then cairns and cut branches lead diagonally up through the forest to an evident ledge, but you must not take it.

You must follow the various signs, now descending slightly, leading to the entrance of a beautiful ledge ledge preceded by an exposed passage rated as I+ in various guides (solid rock anyway).

After the nice ledge, continue again in the forest of the Fratta del Santo area, with multiple animal tracks that can confuse, so better stay focused on cairns and cut branches to avoid losing time.

At some point, you must turn with a big switchback left to enter the final ledge heading to the Forcella de la Spirlónga.

All guides indicate a red arrow at the turn, but the arrow (somewhat strange in shape) is not very visible to the ascent climber as it is inside the switchback and after a couple of cairns that have already given the correct direction.

The final ledge begins with an easy "true path" in sparse various vegetation, then re-enters denser woods where the ground path becomes patchy, with usual "false traces" of animals.

However, cairns are present, and here too, you must be careful not to lose time.

You thus reach the most technical and delicate finale: the ledge ends against a rocky band that drops steeply below, surmounted by a strip of "hanging grass."

Since they seemed quite continuous, compact and very hanging, I decided to try with crampons.

After a few meters, it seemed the right choice (right for me; everyone has their criteria) and continued this way.

The small trees present are too spaced for continuous belaying, and you must make some small level changes on the trace which, although not obvious at first, is continuous in its narrowness and exposure.

The evaluation by Sani and Bristot is an equivalent grade I+.

Passing beside a large solitary beech, I found a cord with a carabiner: it may seem a "rudimentary pulley," and if going in a group, it is better to properly rig it yourself.

Following a cut branch, ascend a small rock (delicate descent here on the return) to enter the "reassuring" forest from which you descend shortly to the Forcella de la Spirlónga.

The arrival is obstructed by a large fallen beech, at the base of which I found a glass jar with a small guestbook.

I only looked at the first page, with the first signature in 2013 and the second... in 2015: not a high frequency in that period, even considering it is not easy to notice the jar.

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Final ascent to Spirlonga from the Forcella de la Spirlónga

Premise: in all reports I have read (in books and elsewhere), I found various divergences in particular instructions within a defined general framework.

The general framework is a first section below the subpeak where I verified on site the existence of a couple of different marked lines.

Then there is a final section considered the "normal route" passing to the right towards the subpeak ascent (always marked), and a possible variant on the other side which I do not know if or how it is marked.

Therefore, I would not worry about particular divergences if you have read a lot about it because you just have to go slowly and follow the many cut branches (few cairns): however, you must never lose them❗

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From the pass, climb straight into the dense forest, quickly reaching a large rock gendarme that is passed on its right.

Then enter the "territory of dwarf pines" and here I simply followed the cut branches in the steep and winding trace up to a rocky band.

Here, turn right for a less steep diagonal and reach an elongated grassy clearing.

Climb the meadow, paying attention again to cut branches below the rocky band of the subpeak.

It is a long, quite winding stretch with sometimes narrow passages between the dwarf pines, but you always pass among the branches without going over them: at various points, you pull yourself up, evaluating obviously "good and less good dwarf pines."

At the arrival point below the rocky band of the subpeak, I found a cairn and a large cut branch moved to its right.

I went right entering a beautiful and easy basin in dense forest.

Climbing the basin, you pass just below the pass that divides the rocky mass of the subpeak from that of the summit (naturally, I made a 4-5 meters diversion from the track for a look).

You thus arrive below the key passage of this "normal route."

Sani and Bristot write "a fissure about ten meters of lower grade III"; Mason writes "2 meters of grade III"; Piero Rossi writes "a small overhang of a couple of meters (IV)"; etc.

Actually, in my opinion, it is about ten meters where, at least today, you reach the key 2-3 meter stretch with feet on dirt-stained holds.

Feasible if dry, but today it was partially wet: recent rains had not been well absorbed at this point.

However, I found a cord attached to the dwarf pine at the head of the notch and climbed balancing with it.

Today, without the cord and with wet conditions, I would not have climbed and would have tried the final route passing on the other side of the subpeak (although for this final, a bit of descent would be necessary).

From above the notch, stay just left of the rocky crest with an obligatory path passing over a solid but very narrow and exposed mini-ledge: there is a cairn, and here Sani and Bristot rate it as grade II – evidently horizontal grade II.

Then cross a small gully with "crooked" entrance and exit, and after a couple of grade I steps you reach the summit without difficulties.

The last cut branches are very useful for taking the correct direction when descending.

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Descent from Spirlonga to the Forcella de la Spirlónga

The intention was to replicate the ascent step-by-step, but before reaching the above-mentioned grassy clearing, I noticed a wide corridor among the dwarf pines with many cut branches marking it.

I tried this variation, and this descent line is almost straight and very clear, while to follow the ascent route I would have had to continue turning right.

Then at some point, I saw on my right a ridge of small rocks that "was separating me" from the way followed in ascent which was not very far away.

Here, I preferred to "interrupt the experiment" and cut right among not-too-dense dwarf pines to reconnect to the already known and certainly well-marked route.

Maybe the two routes meet somewhere below, but ascending I did not notice a possible junction point.