Forzèla Covolèra - Zéngia del Pa' Furlàn - Forzèla dei Pón

Premise

This route was traveled on June 22, 2020, and all observations and subsequent considerations fully apply only to that day.

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From Gena Bassa to Forzèla (Forcella) Covolèra or Cogolèra

After the usual paved stretch up to Gena Alta, take the forest road beside the fountain and, a few meters before the end, turn right onto a small path crossing the valley bottom of Val Soffia just above a beautiful small waterfall.

Here begins a long stretch always marked with (very) faded red dots and cairns.

Climb decisively above Val Pisson up to a small ledge almost at the fork (barely visible) for Forzèla dei Cóvoi Brusàdi.

Then continue gently undulating, above Val dei Forti, until crossing the valley bottom of Val Covolera, followed immediately by a steep climb.

A couple of shorter climbs follow until a traverse through beech woods where (at 1,330 meters according to the guide) you leave the right-hydrological path of Val dei Forti to turn left and enter the left-hydrological side (right when ascending) of Val Covolera.

I wouldn’t fixate on the altitude 1,330 because my GPS always shows slightly different values, and you can turn onto several faint tracks with at least 10/15 meters difference in elevation between the lowest and the highest.

(In my opinion, the most comfortable ground impression is the lowest one, at the start of which there are two large cairns on either side of some clustered beeches – another reference is a low and dark rocky band just above the path of the right Val dei Forti at that point.)

After the first meters from the turn, the path becomes more evident.

It is often exposed and especially has suddenly a couple of short sections where it is REALLY EXPOSED like a “viàz di razza.”

Before crossing the valley bottom again from right to left ascending, there is a tiny rock arch that precedes about 2/3 meters of exposed and loose ground under a low overhanging rock, forcing a “twisting passage.”

The crossing of the valley bottom is on a flat rock slab with a couple of very obvious cairns: here you must immediately climb up on the other side to start bypassing the first rock drop at the valley bottom.

Looking towards the opposite bank, you notice small cairns on the left, but these don’t belong here because they are for the path coming from Forzèla dei Cóvoi Brusàdi (see track of → Forzèla dei Cóvoi Brusadi and Casèra Piscalòr).

You need to climb a short section of the hollow further right: there is a marker (a long red line) on the left of the entrance and a cairn a few meters above in the center.

Soon after the cairn, turn right for an exposed cut through dwarf pines, then a few meters of a shelf with a cairn, finishing on a rock platform above the drop at another large cairn with a red dot at its base (the last paint mark I saw for the rest of the ascent).

Continue through the valley bottom until the main stream bends to the right near an impassable waterfall: the bypass has a similar pattern to the previous one and is a bit longer.

Climb a valley opening to the left, then ascend diagonally to the right inside a cut through dwarf pines which also ascends a short ridge along the steepest slope line; then traverse back to enter the valley bottom again with several descent points: I descended immediately even if cairns guide forward return.

Now comes the key point of this first part.

Continue in the valley bottom until you find an easy gully of various rocks on the left, which you need to partially climb: here you definitely leave the valley bottom of Val Covolera.

The altitude is 1,550 according to the guide: I calibrated my altimeter at 1,550 and found the exit point at 1,590 meters.

Just after starting the climb, there is a gully fully to the right with a cairn, then another cairn on the right, and then the cairns shift to the left: one is found resting against the left side of the gully with another just above on the side: here you must note the start of the dwarf pine cut to follow while exiting.

The cut is very comfortable and leads, traversing, up to a grassy clearing beneath a dark rocky band and a light cairn at its base.

On the right toward the arrival direction, an easy gully (3 meters wide) opens which, not visible from below, after a few meters splits: go left and before the head, exit left at the start of a dwarf pine cut.

Now the type of markings to identify changes: you enter an area of sparse vegetation with small traverses, brief level changes, and mixed ground between grass and gravel.

Proceed with a few cairns and especially by following felled branches that guide you among the many visible variants.

You reach the edge of the summit rock band of Covolere Alte which you follow by cut dwarf pines going left.

Then the track descends from the rock band edge and you must reprogram your criteria for recognizing orientation signs.

The dwarf pines thicken with narrow, labyrinthine passages that do not allow medium-distance visibility.

You must be extremely concentrated on the cuts of branches: they are there, always close, but overall visibility is poor and you must not miss one: carefully you can always see from one to the other.

In these dwarf pines and marking conditions, the difference between arriving at Forcella Covolera almost rested or completely exhausted is very subtle.

Before the pass there is a free stretch, but you re-enter the thicket with branch cuts for the last few meters.

From the pass (a narrow notch) there is visibility only towards Val Ferùch, and it is a beautiful view.

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Traverse of Zéngia del Pa’ Furlàn

From Forcella Covolera descend a few steep meters near right rocks to the real start of the ledge going right.

Then there is little to say: it is beautiful and you must enjoy it.

You make a series of semicircles to follow the various cirques on this side of Covolera.

Given that on ledges you NEVER think in terms of speed, it took me twice as long as I could have, still safely: I was always stopping to look and admire the various perspectives.

Clearly it is exposed like a real ledge, but not “continuously anxiety-inducing”: few and short delicate passages.

The end is above a grassy terrace.

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From the northeast end of Zéngia del Pa’ Furlàn to the terrace continuing towards crossing Val Ferùch

A few meters before the rock band interruption on the right towards the arrival, there is a cairn that can be considered the end of Zéngia del Pa’ Furlàn and is the reference for starting a possible descent for a return via Zéngia Bruta del Covolèra.

The rock band is interrupted by the chute descending from Forzèla dei Arnèr.

You must enter the chute by a path that just enters above an absolutely impassable drop.

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Here I want to quote what the guide writes describing this stretch in reverse, i.e. descending from Forzèla dei Arnèr.

“Shortly before meeting an impassable drop, veer onto the right hydrological bank, crossing a chute (attention!) and reaching (around 1730 m) a large grassy terrace at the north-west base of Zima del Bus del Diàol.”

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What does “shortly before” (i.e. after in today's case) mean and what does “attention!” mean?

The indicated altitude of 1,730 is correct according to my pressure altimeter and the GPS terminal in GPS+GLONASS mode (however, I published the track from another terminal using GPS+GALILEO, which recorded more precise lines but gave much lower altitude values today).

The altitude of 1,730 is roughly the same as the end of Zéngia del Pa’ Furlàn, which should be visible at the same height once the delicate crossing is completed (and it was).

In my opinion, it is better to enter the chute (the one marked “attention!” in the guide) as soon as possible, because the problem is not the floor of the chute, which is stepped and solid with few stones, but the climb up the opposite side done on rocks of good II° grade at most with MUCH optimism.

I went up and down the chute (1 to 3 meters wide) entirely and there is no optimal ascent: either it is direct with minimal and poorly formed grips, or somewhat diagonal but still precarious and very exposed.

It is clear a climber passes easily, but it can be very challenging for a hiker.

The higher you traverse, the more VERY EXPOSED rock steps you'll find descending to reach the terrace at 1,730 meters.

If traversing the opposite way, in my opinion, a short rope is needed for lowering into the chute, securing on dwarf pines.

I noticed from the main chute of Forzèla dei Arnèr three exit points to access the chute, and the best seems the one from the first rock platform just above the chute entrance.

Once in the chute… everyone decides where to climb out on the other side based on personal preference.

However, if you ascend the opposite side at the lowest part, you reach a second and very easy chute with less vertical development, from which you can clearly see (descending slightly) a couple of animal corridors through the dwarf pines for the final exit: I tried both and the lower one is perfect to access the next terrace at the same altitude as Zéngia del Pa’ Furlàn.

I deleted all tests from the GPS recording, but the remaining data are not reliable to follow due to normal inaccuracies in such narrow and confined spaces.

Even photos don’t give clues: only a drone could provide a clarifying view.

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Crossing Val Ferùch to reach Forzèla dei Pón or Forcella dei Pom

Finally reaching the grassy terrace, start a gentle ascent without precise tracks but intuitive lines.

The guide indicates that the obligatory crossing point of the valley bottom of Val Ferùch is at altitude 1,730, reachable descending on easy rocks, thus ascending slightly before.

Honestly, my GPS today more reliable for altitude and pressure altimeter gave me a crossing altitude higher, between 1,770 and 1,780 meters.

Anyway, ascending, you clearly see the only practicable climb point on the opposite side of the valley bottom, taking you a bit higher (the flat base of the passage is visible only just before arrival).

Two channels converge to the passage, and I descended on the ridge dividing them.

At the bottom, the ridge becomes almost vertical, but on the right side there is a “micro channel notch” that actually lets you descend almost easily.

On the other side, everything is intuitive, the ground impression is clear, and it is partly exposed up to a not difficult channel of compact gravel and scree (between rock band and dwarf pines) that leads to CAI 871 trail (as well as Alta Via dei Monti del Sole) in the traverse before the final narrow ascent to Forzèla dei Pón.

Now among cairns, red dots, white-red and white-blue markers, attention is still needed but with good visibility you don’t get lost until the pass.

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Return from Forzèla dei Pón or Forcella dei Pom via right Val Ferùch and Bivacco Valdo

I do not think it is wise to tackle this descent segment to Bivacco Valdo without someone in the group who has already done it ascending, able to “set the pace and methods” of advance.

Compared to the ascent, note that in this descent red or white-blue markers are a bit less identifiable: always sufficient to avoid getting lost, but more attention is required, and as always look ahead and re-check with glances back.

The general route sense is very simple: you stay on the “large elevated terrace” on the right hydrological side above Val Ferùch.

In particular, the good track is quite twisty in various stretches, and since it runs at the edges of very steep slopes, concentration is needed.

The descent from Forzèla dei Pón starts with a nice steep slope through rocks and grassy bands until exiting the high narrow section of Val Ferùch.

Then turn right and descend with a long diagonal near a rock band above the head of a wide, long, and steep slab.

Down the slab with some final steps where hands are very useful (indeed indispensable): the first technical passage can be avoided by lowering through a characteristic hole in the rock – then there is the longest series of passages about grade I.

After the large slab, it is a series of more or less steep diagonals with more or less small drops: obviously, there will be a steep and large cut through dwarf pines on a rock base and another channel always with a rocky bottom (initially on stones then compact).

With another diagonal, you reach a group of compact descending rocks where you must climb a very short but very exposed and well-gripped passage: descending is easy while ascending would be more difficult to interpret for unknown hikers.

From here continue until entering a small wood and exit on the other side with an easy climb leading to the ledge section connecting to Circo della Boràla and then to Bivacco Valdo.

The ledge is certainly exposed but not worrisome except for a brief unstable passage near a small landslide.

From Bivacco Valdo follow tracks and markers: in the first part of the descent felled branches help a lot (there is a variant continuing down after Bivacco Valdo, but the official route indicated just before arriving at the bivouac from Circo della Boràla is clearer).

Then it continues mostly on often exposed paths until joining a more evident path descending from Forcella Zana.

Shortly after joining you cross the bottom of Val Soffia passing from left to right hydrological side, and through increasingly comfortable traces return to Gena Alta at the fork where the paved road ends on the outbound journey.

Among the increasingly comfortable traces, there are still some exposed steps, a couple of safety “handrail cables,” and a real small rock drop equipped with ladder and cable.