Forzèla de la Caza Granda and Forzèla dei Pón

ASCENT TO FORZÈLA DE LA CAZA GRANDA OR FORCELLA DELLA CACCIA GRANDE

After the usual paved stretch to Gena Alta, take the forest road next to the fountain and at the end turn, at two cairns, to cross a small stream just above a waterfall.

A long stretch begins here, always marked with (very) faded red dots and cairns.

The ground trail footprint is almost always clearly visible but narrow, and attention is needed to see the various signs.

You are above Val Pisson and then above Val dei Forti, crossing the watershed of Val Covolera and reaching a short rocky gully not difficult to climb that leads near a large cave/shelter suitable for refuge in case of emergency.

From here traverse right to a short connecting ledge that leads to the bottom of a large gully: a few dozen meters of somewhat steep ascent and you reach “Al Boschet”.

From the small wood you climb left almost along the line of greatest slope, still with some even more faded red dots than before and few cairns.

Before reaching the rocky band that bounds the wood above, exit to the left and cover the last few dozen meters in an easy rocky gully among dwarf pines.

From the rocky band, climb the upper part of Val dei Forti following signs and traces to Pósta al Sass, a somewhat impressive cirque of scree and boulders.

From here I initially followed the “variant A” indicated in the Monti del Sole guide by Sommavilla and Celi.

On the right side (in the direction of arrival) of the cirque, you notice a large ledge rising, always to the right, flanking various caves and cavities.

At the end of the ledge turn left and climb a steep but not difficult gully made of mixed rock, scree, or compact earth with dwarf pines: at the end of this you reach a saddle with dwarf pines.

From the saddle I abandoned the above “variant A” (after examining the next gully from a distance) and followed the route suggested by Mason in “The Book of Ledges”.

Immediately after the saddle, take to the left a narrow but compact ledge that descends slightly, then runs flat for a few meters to a cairn on a left switchback.

From the switchback, return uphill always along the ledge (a bit wider), meet another cairn, and in a few dozen meters reach a small saddle with some dwarf pines.

The trace from this saddle rounds a ridge and descends, still for a few meters, right onto the other slope to a cairn located in the center of a rocky gully passage.

This is the key point: you must “break through” the band of dwarf pines ahead, but if you continue flat on the ground trace you end up at an “unhealthy” drop.

From the cairn descend (to the left from arrival direction) into the rocky gully for about ten linear meters (maybe less) and, after pushing aside the first dwarf pines by hand, you will find a free and comfortable corridor that bypasses a low rocky band (this “easier descent” is not mentioned in Mason's book).

You do not walk over the dwarf pines, and the search takes place in only a few square meters.

Follow the corridor for 40 or 50 linear meters and reach the base of a wide gully with an irregular bottom (but more than passable) among rocks, small protruding ridges, and scree.

Climb the gully and in a few minutes reach the MAGICAL amphitheater below Croda Bianca.

From the amphitheater you can clearly see above the trail of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole and, to the left at a lower level, the final grassy corridor that enters the dwarf pines of Forzèla de la Caza Granda.

From here, with a semicircle, I reached the high route, then left it to stay a few meters higher to try some better photos, and finally returned to the marked traces to reach the final dwarf pine clearings of Forzèla de la Caza Granda.

In this last part the slope is relatively gentle, and some detours can be made.

CROSSING FROM FORZÈLA DE LA CAZA GRANDA TO FORZÈLA DEI PÓN

Start in a cut of dwarf pines and immediately pass under a cave “adapted” as a bivouac which is good to know for emergencies on long crossings.

In 5 minutes from the cave reach the head of a long gully – mixed compact rock and stones – to descend: “according to my GPS” about 115 meters of altitude loss on a fairly constant steep slope that should be done carefully.

Exit to the left (at one of the many white-blue signs of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole) for a short cut of dwarf pines leading to another steep descent (also in dwarf pines) about 30 meters of altitude loss.

Here begins a system of beautiful ledges and traces heading towards Forzèla dei Pón: carefully follow the ever-present red dots and white-blue signs; look ahead for signs but also check behind.

There are several narrow passages with, in my opinion, only one truly delicate for exposure, slope, and “slightly unclean walking or almost climbing base”.

At a certain point, a sharp pull where you must use your hands starts the ascent to Forzèla dei Pón: this ascent is not a unique solution like the descent from Forzèla de la Caza Granda, but proceeds with steep pulls of varying lengths alternated with easier stretches; “according to my GPS” about 160 meters total altitude gain.

A few meters before Forzèla dei Pón you will notice to the left a cave possibly usable as an emergency bivouac.

DESCENT FROM FORZÈLA DEI PÓN OR FORCELLA DEI POM

I have already written “my ascent vision” of this entire section in the hike Bivacco Valdo – Forzèla dei Pón – Forcella Zana.

Compared to the ascent, keep in mind that in this descent the red or white-blue trail marks are a bit less visible: still sufficient not to get lost, but more attention is needed, and as always, look forward and recheck by looking back.

The general direction of the route is very simple: you are on the “large elevated bench” on the right side of the valley above Val Feruch.

However, the good trace is quite twisted in various stretches, and since it runs along the edges of very steep slopes, concentration is necessary.

The descent from Forzèla dei Pón begins with a nice steep section between rocks and grassy strips until exiting the high narrow part of Val Feruch.

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

Down the slab with some final steps where hands are helpful: a technical passage can be avoided by descending through a characteristic hole in the rock.

From here follow a series of diagonals more or less steep and with more or less small drops: clearly for everyone will be a steep and wide cut among dwarf pines on a rocky base and another gully also with a rocky bottom (initially with stones then compact).

With another diagonal reach a group of compact descending rocks where you must climb a very short but well-gripped and exposed passage: descending is easy but ascending it would be harder to interpret if you don't know it.

From there continue until entering a small wood and exit on the other side with an easy climb that leads to the ledge connecting the Circo della Borala and then to Bivacco Valdo.

The ledge is certainly exposed but not worrying except for a short unstable passage at a small landslide.

From Bivacco Valdo follow traces and signs (a partly unclear stretch and a variant shortly after the start) along a somewhat exposed path to the junction with the trail descending from Forcella Zana.

Soon after, cross the bottom of Val Soffia passing from the left to the right side, and along increasingly easier traces return to Gena Alta at the asphalt end junction from the outward trip.

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