Via ferrata with Alpine Guide in Cortina.

Doing a via ferrata with an Alpine Guide in Cortina means discovering the Dolomites in safety and confidence.
If you’ve booked a via ferrata with me, Enrico Maioni – Alpine Guide in Cortina d’Ampezzo –, this page provides all the practical information you need to arrive prepared and enjoy your experience to the fullest.
The via ferratas around Cortina are a fantastic way to discover the Dolomites from a different perspective — closer to the rock and to nature.
With an experienced guide by your side, you can enjoy them safely and with the right touch of adventure.

What to know before your via ferrata

A via ferrata is an exciting experience, accessible to many, but like any mountain activity, it requires some care and a bit of preparation. Below you’ll find practical information and useful tips to help you enjoy your day in a relaxed, fun, and safe way.

What I provide

For each participant, I provide a harness, helmet, and a via ferrata set (lanyard)—all certified gear, regularly checked and maintained. The equipment is included in the price.

Gloves are not provided

Gloves are not mandatory, but highly recommended.
They are a handy accessory: they protect your hands while gripping the cable and help reduce the risk of small blisters or abrasions.

I usually suggest full-finger gloves, as they offer better protection and keep your hands warmer.
Half-finger models are fine too, but they don’t always provide enough protection: on longer ferratas, you may easily end up with a few blisters or sore spots on your hands.

💡 Tip: If you don’t already have them, you can purchase them online directly from this website. By clicking on the images, you’ll be redirected to Amazon, where you can easily and safely complete your purchase.

If you prefer, you can also find them easily in sports shops in Cortina.

This website participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Some links may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and help support my work.

What kind of shoes to wear

The best choice for via ferratas is approach shoes—lightweight with a firm, grippy sole.
They offer good stability on rocky sections and comfort on the approach and descent paths.
Avoid running or sneakers: they might be acceptable on the ferrata itself, but during the descent – especially on gravelly or scree terrain – they don’t provide sufficient grip or protection.

When we meet

I always enjoy meeting my guests the day before the excursion, around 6:00 p.m., directly at their hotel or apartment if they are staying in Cortina. It’s a nice opportunity to meet in person, talk about the plan, and go over the final details for the following day.
Alternatively, we can meet at the office of the Cortina Alpine Guides, right in the center of town.

On the day of the via ferrata, if you’re staying in Cortina, I’ll be happy to pick you up at your hotel and bring you back there at the end of the day. My car can accommodate up to four people.

Sometimes, on the agreed day of our outing, my guests come from outside Cortina and are not staying in town. In this case, we meet directly in the morning at a location decided together the day before. We arrange the meeting point easily via email or WhatsApp, based on the chosen itinerary and the most convenient logistics.

Starting early is essential

In recent years, via ferratas have become extremely popular, and during the high season, it’s common to find crowds on the most famous routes.
This phenomenon, part of the broader issue of overtourism, unfortunately also affects some areas of the Dolomites: too many people on the same route at the same time can spoil the experience – and sometimes even compromise safety.

Starting early allows us to avoid the crowds and enjoy the mountain in peace, surrounded by silence, crisp air, and respect for the environment.

The atmosphere of the early morning hours is truly special – this is the real mountain, the one I love to share with my guests.

There’s also a practical reason: during summer, afternoon thunderstorms are pretty frequent in the Dolomites, so setting off early means we can finish the ferrata safely and enjoy a relaxed, well-planned day.

The mountain sets the pace

In the mountains, rushing never helps.
Starting too fast may feel right at first, but it almost always leads to getting tired sooner and losing your natural rhythm. In the end, it’s the mountain that sets the pace — not us.

And it’s not only about walking.
The mountains are not a place to “tick off”, but a place to truly experience. The most beautiful moments can’t be forced: they arrive slowly, almost quietly — the light changing, colors that last only a few minutes, that instant when everything becomes still.

The Enrosadira (Alpenglow) is one of those moments: you can’t schedule it, and you can’t chase it. Maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special. I talk more about it in my article dedicated to the Enrosadira in the Dolomites.

A note about the duration of your via ferrata

Every via ferrata is different, and the time needed to complete it can vary depending on the chosen route, mountain conditions, and the pace of the participants.

The agreed price covers the entire activity and the professional guiding service, rather than the number of hours it takes to complete it.

What to bring in your backpack

Your backpack should be large enough to hold the via ferrata equipment – around 20-25 liters is ideal.
In addition to the gear, I recommend bringing:

Water (at least 1 liter, more on hot days).
Some snacks or energy bars.
A light windproof or waterproof jacket.
A headlamp or flashlight – very useful if we pass through any of the WWI tunnels common in the Dolomites.
A light headband to protect your ears from the wind.
Sunscreen.

If you have any doubts about what to wear or bring, feel free to contact me – I’ll be happy to help you choose the right gear depending on the season and the selected route.

Safety and professionalism

I’ve always been devoted to my work as a mountain guide, sharing the beauty of the Dolomites with others.
I know every detail of the via ferratas around Cortina. In the past, together with my colleagues, I also took part in the construction and maintenance of several via ferratas in the area – a fascinating but demanding job.
Today, I’m glad to leave this work to the younger guides, while I focus on what I enjoy most: accompanying people in the mountains and sharing my experience with them.