Monte Cristallo - crossing

We take the cable car (0830-1630 - €17.00) to Rifugio Son Forca (2200m). We start to climb steeply up a scree gully, along an old ski slope, up to the Forcella Staunies saddle (2906 m). Near the former upper cable car station and the partly ruined bivouac, we will see the start of the Ivano Dibona via ferrata, named after the Austro-Hungarian mountain hunter and guide from Cortina. This via ferrata is rated "B", but it is rather a secured ridge traverse with several exposed sections. The via ferrata follows an old Austro-Hungarian military trail from World War I, indicated by military huts seemingly carved right into the rock face in another part of the route. We cross a rope bridge, famous from the movie "Cliffhanger." After about two hours from the start of the via ferrata, we arrive at the Forcella Padeon saddle (2763 m), where the newly restored Ricovero Buffa di Perrero bivy, formerly a military hut, is located. We start to descend gently and after about 1.5 hours reach a junction where we can either continue towards Ospitale or descend and return to the upper cable car station where we started in the morning. This route can also be used in case of deteriorating weather or strict timing. After another approximately 1.5 km of gradual descent, we reach the Forcella Zurlon saddle (2344 m), continue west along the route and after another 2 km descend to the forest level at the Val Padeon junction. Here we turn right on route 203, which leads us in under an hour to Ospitale.