UKC

What sort of equipment is needed to explore the Lagazuoi tunnels? Are they Via Ferrata or do I need to take more climbing gear?

Me and my girlfriend are planning to get the cable up to then walk back down and explore the Kaiserjaeger path and the Lagazuoi tunnels?

Any advice on this would be great.

In reply to minty1984:

From memory, more of a cabled path. Headtorch useful, path a bit slippy.

In reply to Mike-W-99:
So climbing or via ferrata gear not necessary then?

In reply to minty1984:

Helmet essential (especially for me), but didn't need VF kit on the 3 occasions I did it.

BUT, on each of those occasions they had opened up more of the tunnels, so it is possible you might be able to explore further now - there was a bridge somewhere we never found, but it was very foggy on the last occasion.

If you have VF kit, you may as well take it, but you won't need it for simply descending the tunnels

In reply to minty1984:
Did it a couple of days ago to dodge the awful weather - a really cool outing to be honest. Decent headtorch and helmet are the only essential kit. The cable is really just there as a handrail on the stairs but, as someone else above said, if you have a VF kit I guess there's no harm in putting it in the sack if you're in doubt - I wouldn't buy/rent one for the purpose though. Definitely no need for any climbing kit. We explored along Martini ledge as well, where the Italians were based on the mountain I believe, from near the bottom entrance/exit of the tunnels - some interesting restored buildings etc worth checking out if you can. There seemed to be sign posts pointing you in the direction of the interesting bits. There are a few maps of the tunnel system on the walls which help to make sure you don't miss anything - we walked up via the 'ridge gallery' section of tunnel and then down via the 'spiral gallery'. There are lots of wee offshoot tunnels all over, but navigating is pretty intuitive when you're in there to be honest. Have fun.

In reply to fuzzysheep01

Bad weather indeed! Sat through about 10 bad thunder and hail storms in our campervan on wednesday!....

Thanks for the info. The tunnels sound like a great day out. We dont have VF gear but will not bother renting it now.

In reply to minty1984:

You absolutely need a helmet and head torch for any of the Dolomite tunnels! Banged my (encased) head numerous times in the Lagazuoi tunnels. No harness necessary. Amazing and sad places.

In reply to minty1984:

Only done them once. We went up and got the cable car down. I think this is the best way, when we did it the steps were pretty slippery so we felt going up was much easier.

In reply to minty1984:

I think the best way is to go up the tunnels and down the Kaiserjaeger path. A helmet and head torch is needed. Definitely no need for VF kit in the tunnels, though some people like it for the Kaiserjaeger path. If you've got climbing experience you shouldn't need any though.

In reply to minty1984:

Head torch is pretty much mandatory. Helmet is a good idea as there are some low ceilings.

Decent footwear is good, and gloves may be handy as you will probably be using the cable as a hand rail.

In reply to minty1984:

As others have said head torch is essential and I would highly recommend a helmet as whilst the rock is solid it's also low in places.

If you want a walk, go up the path to the left of the cable car (can't remember name) there are a few short sections we did use lanyards for, but would have been happy without as really easy scrambling. One short (solid) bridge) and look out for the tunnels - well worth exploring off the path.

Coming down through the main tunnels (from cable car or walk up) is excellent and well worth doing, as others have said the cable is really just a handrail so we never bothered with lanyards even though we had them with us.

Another well worth doing trip if you like tunnels (you will need lanyards and headtorch) is VF Giovanni Lipella. The first part of the route is inside tunnels and easy going and there is a bailout from where you could reverse the route or traverse over to the descent used for Col De Bos. The next section is sustained grade 3 and it's a long way up to Tres Deita, the top section we didn't do but apparently gets even harder.

In reply to minty1984:

Head Torch, and steady shoes, it gets abit slippy. Also the tunnel is abit low so maybe a helmet if youre tall.

Pretty cold at times, so pack a fleece.