Boràl de l’Órs - Monte Coro - Zéngia del Re - Cengia Van del Castèl

Premise

This route was hiked on June 19, 2018, and all subsequent observations and considerations fully apply only to that day.

I do not describe the well-known CAI sections of the entire normal route to Monte Coro which passes by the Rifugio Furio Bianchet.

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From La Stanga through Val Ru da Molín up to the ascent junction for Boràl de l’Órs

Take CAI 502 next to the Ristorante Bar alla Stanga and easily reach, below a telephone antenna, the junction between the paths to Val de Piero and Val Ru da Molín.

Turn left towards Val Ru da Molín and comfortably ascend northward with the exposure increasing towards the end of Val Cordevole.

There is a short stretch that can be defined as a “true ledge” on solid but “narrow” path, then turn right to enter Val Ru da Molín.

Pass the flank with the "Cógoi de le Procuratíe" (quote from Piero Rossi) and reach, after a long traverse, the point where the Ru da Molín drainage is crossed.

Proceed on the other side – left ascent direction or right hydrographic side – passing the junction with the path ascending to La Spirlonga, and then a short landslide section of the path which is easily bypassed.

(Those interested in La Spirlonga can refer to the route → La Spirlónga via Val Ru da Molín-Fratta del Santo-Forcella de la Spirlónga).

Continue for a long distance on the same side until the trail markers (mostly cairns and cut branches) make you cross the drainage again, now without water flow.

In fact, there are a couple of "marked" alternatives and both are fine: one continues for a short stretch in the streambed.

On the other side continue on a path until entering the drainage for the last section.

Now the cairns guide you through fun passages among boulders where hands can be used but never at the level of true climbing if you are careful.

Thus, reach the ascent junction (to the left) for Boràl de l’Órs located just before some caves under a rock ledge.

There is a cairn just inside the ascent path.

Shortly after the junction there is a shelter under a huge boulder in the middle of the drainage and another junction (with several cairns and an arrow) in the La Crosèra area where rightward you would ascend towards Forzelón, a junction also marked by red inscriptions on the rock.

If you notice these latter signs, you must backtrack a few dozen linear meters.

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It is important to know Val Ru da Molín well because it is also “used” in descent at the end of various hikes; examples include:

• Southwest Median Ledge of Burèl from Le Forzeléte to Fratta del Moro
• Colón de Costa Bramosa with South Viaz, Colón del Forzelón and Fratta del Moro
• Forzelón Loop (Val de Piero → Val Ru da Molín) and Colón del Forzelón

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Ascent of Boràl de l’Órs up to Forcella del Boràl de l’Órs

The beginning is a fairly continuous path but caution is needed to stay on the ground trace when it becomes faint.

Cairns and cut branches help, with few red marks.

After at least 300 meters of elevation gain, you should spot sheets of metal on the ground of a former shelter, indicating a steep forested hollow.

Reach a low rock ledge (red arrow at the base) with some not difficult I° grade movements, which precedes a “quasi-ledge” to the left leading into a mostly grassy hollow.

Before the head of the hollow exit right through a small wood and, following red marks, enter the long (still grassy) hollow that ascends up to Forcella del Boràl de l’Órs.

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From Forcella del Boràl de l’Órs to the junction for the Zéngia del Re start

From the pass, you almost immediately join the CAI path of the normal route to the Monte Coro summit, and ascend up to the base of the well-known narrow gully enclosed between two high and vertical rock walls.

To reach Monte Coro’s summit you would enter the gully to the left, whereas for the start of the Zéngia del Re you go straight ahead along initially almost flat traces.

Before reaching the base of the gully, you also pass in front of the exit point of the Cengia Van del Castèl or Cengia dei Camosci, but… it’s useless to explain it now since it will be very clear at the end of the hike.

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Approach to the start of the Zéngia del Re

From the junction with the normal route to Monte Coro’s summit, follow the faint traces up to a characteristic “struck larch” of which only the trunk remains without any branches.

After the “struck larch,” enter directly into Van della Rejìna or Van de la Rìsena as shown in the photo published with a red circle indicating the direction.

It is quite steep; if you stumble, you won’t end up in the valley like on ledges but you will be seriously injured.

You can take many lines; I made a loop to the right and then returned left.

You can also choose to stay much more to the right towards the ridge of Pale dei Camòrz and cut down at the end.

From that point, there would be a beautiful complete view of Zéngia del Re—as I saw in a guide—but the good light comes in the early afternoon.

At the time of my passage, the Zéngia del Re was entirely in shadow and not photographable from afar.

Zéngia del Re starts on the left at the bottom of Van della Rejìna or Van de la Rìsena.

Unfortunately, I forgot to document photographically the “Grand Hotel Monte Coro”: it is a so-called natural shelter—excellent for emergencies—located at the edge of the trail before reaching the “struck larch.”

(However, I published an aerial photo—number 56 of 64—of this natural shelter in the route → Boràl del Làip, Pale Magre, Pala Longa, Costa del Castelàz and Monte Coro)

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Zéngia del Re

Famous and generally described as “vertiginous” with two key passages, especially the first in the current direction of travel.

The rest of the ledge trace is “fairly” comfortable and clean, and if not for the (large) drop beside, it could be considered barely demanding.

However, it is very demanding precisely because you must be immune to vertigo and fear of heights in general.

It is short and does not require prolonged concentration.

Technically, I find more challenging the ascent of the gully on exit (only regarding hand and foot technique) and especially the narrow ridge leading to Monte Coro’s western Spallone: the ridge start is much more airy and vertiginous than Zéngia del Re.

Returning to the two key passages:

• The first is the most famous and photographed in guides, where a slight rock overhang forces you to place your feet on a small foothold (with grassy “loppa”) lower than the ledge line and truly “on the edge of the void”; you have to somewhat hang (or balance) with your hands and all this amounts to a II° grade; however, when I saw it, I simply knelt and “crept” under the slight overhang; it works with small backpacks and nothing hanging on the inside lateral side (especially no poles as they are not used on this ledge).
• The second is a “Cat’s Step” where you are halfway between kneeling and almost lying down; in fact, just before there is another shorter one which is safer than the outer passage that the ledge trace would take you on.

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Connecting ridge between Zéngia del Re and Cengia Van del Castèl or Cengia dei Camosci

First meters flat, narrow, and almost tightrope walking: solid rock here, impossible not to look down and into the distance, exciting but ATTENTION!

Then some meters climb at I° grade, even II°, but perhaps I did not carefully look for less steep passages because I always sought solid ones, which do exist among many lines that are not solid.

Then it levels out and is more comfortable until the base of Monte Coro's Western Spallone: here you are exactly below a great photo spot a few meters beyond Monte Coro’s summit (previously visited during this version of the hike).

This point is very important because it is the junction where the Cengia Van del Castèl starts or from where you can return directly to the CAI trail leading down to Rifugio Bianchet.

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Cengia Van del Castèl or Cengia dei Camosci or Viàz dei Camosci

First of all, it is very long and involves a prolonged commitment of concentration.

In my opinion, it is unthinkable to face it without “Fer da Tac,” that is lawn or forest crampons.

Difficulty divides it clearly into two, with the first part between waypoints 27 and 28, i.e., between Monte Coro’s west and south spallones.

In my opinion, there is no comparison between the exposure of this stretch and the much-publicized Zéngia del Re: this one wins!

Only with a drone could one objectively document what this stretch really is.

I took some photos forward and some backward when I could turn to rest my legs working always the same way, BUT NO SIDE TWIST TO TRY ANY PANORAMIC PHOTOS: IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME.

Two key passages are also marked here, both in the very first part.

The first is actually very narrow, but sticking close to the wall it is manageable: it is needless to emphasize that “even the backpack must be narrow” with nothing attached outside.

Poles are not hung because they are much used on this grassy ledge, and attention must be given to managing them in this type of passage.

The second key passage is THE TRUE KEY PASSAGE OF THE ENTIRE HIKE.

I did not risk any photos.

It's a bit like the first key passage of Zéngia del Re with the difference that you cannot crawl because the base is narrower, the side is not all solid rock where you can balance with your hands (the point is found by looking VERY carefully), the feet stand on minimal soil footholds (clearly soil resting on something more solid, but still soil), and the exposure is of several orders of magnitude higher.

It works confidently with crampons and without too much looking at the over 1,000 meters under your backside (meaning your buttock side) hanging.

Then it widens a bit, narrows a bit, there is more margin for maneuver but I see no margin for error.

After rounding Monte Coro’s South Spallone (cairn at the bypass point), the ledge becomes a true grassy bench, always quite to fairly steep, but wide enough to feel more comfortable.

Indeed, all the various guides I have consulted indicate the bypass of Monte Coro’s South Spallone corresponding to a characteristic small rocky tower located a few meters above the cairn.

When I arrived near the tower—which is visible even from afar—I noticed a trace continuing almost flat outwards: I followed it out of curiosity and reached the spot with the cairn.

Then I saw from the other side that it easily connected with the continuation of the ledge.

In the end, one can say there are two equally valid possibilities to overcome this spectacular point.

Having bypassed Monte Coro’s South Spallone, progression must remain cautious; exposure is less evident but still very marked.

It narrows at only one point but it is nothing compared to the key passage of the first part.

At the end of the ledge, you immediately rejoin the CAI route of Monte Coro’s normal path, and for this hike descend to Rifugio Furio Bianchet and then onto SR 203 at Casa de la Vècia.