The Treacherous Climb Up Italy’s Alta Via 4

Hiking is one of the most amazing pastimes in human history. Some people like to hike in the forest on trails near their house and other people like to go all out and trek through another country to discover the best heights. Hiking comes in extreme forms when people decide to venture into the mountains and no longer the hills. These are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and there are many locations that offer stunning representations of nature.

Alpine Hiking

One of the best places in the world to hike is in the Italian Alps. More specifically, of these many beautiful and breathtaking vistas, it’s the Via Ferratas that many people flock to for nature’s glorious eye candy and the thrill of adventure. There are several Vias, but perhaps the most picturesque is Italy’s Alta Via 4.

Italian Ferratas Necessary Equipment

When you go out for a hiking expedition, you don’t want to be at a loss for equipment. There’s nothing worse than being ill-prepared for a hike along the side of sheer cliffs. You will need a trekking pole, hiking boots, and people to hike with. In some parts of the trail, there are cable wires, iron rungs and bolted ladders installed by soldiers during World War I that inexperienced hikers can use. These are the famous Italian Ferratas. If you wish to climb these routes, you’ll need a ferrata kit which includes a harness, helmet, locking carabiners, and webbing lanyard. You can either purchase your own equipment or rent a kit from a local outfitter for less than $50 for a week.

The Best Routes

While any route may be a pleasant way to find gorgeous views of the Italian Alps system, there are certainly routes that stand out from the rest of the pack. The Sentiero Bonacossa is the most used route because it has the most accessible means of getting from point A to point B. Unlike most of the other trails, the Sentiero Bonacossa is the best in that it lines up well with the hut systems as well as has the greatest accessibility out of all the routes along the trail.

The Alpine Hut System

It may seem obvious but any trail taken through the Alps is not a one-day trip. It will take several days perhaps if people are willing to go at a leisurely pace and not sacrifice precious energy rushing up to the top. This is where the Alpine Hut system comes to play. These huts are dispersed along the routes where people can stop by and grab a bite of Venison Ravioli or Caprese salad. One of the most notable of these huts is called the Tre Scarperi hut which is located near the Campo di Dentro Valley.

Testing Your Limits

Hiking into the Italian Alps is never easy no matter how prepared you are or what you’ve been told. There are so many experiences that can go array and you are quickly reminded of your place in nature and how mortal you truly are. Despite this, people make the trek into the rocky peaks of Italy’s Alta Via 4. Treking such extreme heights and feats of human tenacity are possibly one of the honorable things a human can do.