Via ferrata 'Laurenzi Molignon'

The  Laurenzi via ferrata is located within the Molignon massif and ideally connects the northernmost part of the Catinaccio with the Alpe di Tires. This position makes it posible to be walked in both directions. From the Antermoia refuge to the Alpe di Tires mountain hut, the via ferrata is mostly uphill and in particular the three vertical sections.

APPROACH
Head to the south end of the pond in the direction of the Antermoia pass. A few hundred meters after the end of the lake you can hardly see, on the right, a trace of the scree that leads to the beginning of the path.

The channel immediately forks. Follow the left branch following some old and faded red trail signs. At the top of the canal, on the right, is the starting point.

THE FERRATA
Once you wear the via ferrata equipment, you can "attack" the path by passing a first vertical wall with a lesser rock in the first few meters than in the rest of the path.

Cross slightly to the left and exceed these first vertical meters.

The last meters of this first jump are full of holds and more fun in progression. The cable is interrupted briefly, leaving room for rocks to rise free (1st -2nd degree) where you find some vertical equipped jumps that invite you to use the cable only as self-insurance. Still some steps in fun climbing and you reach a path that "cuts" to the left the rocky wall that leads to a long series of unequipped rocks until you reach the top of this first rocky outpost (Molignon di Dentro 2850 m).

From here begins a long transfer on the ridge characterized by much more exposed rocks than the previous ones and sometimes to overcome dis-climbing. The bottom is often slippery and therefore this series of factors mean that the most demanding part of the Laurenzi ferrata is the unequipped one. Losing altitude in a loophole is located, along the right of the latter, the book of signatures and a battered cable that facilitates the achievement of some metal ring spindles to which you can insure with the harness langes.

You enter a characteristic crack, you pass a large boulder embedded in it and you get to the upper dropout from where the second vertical stretch of the via ferrata starts.

The rock facilitates the ascent making the progression really fun and soon returns to the ridge where it begins an alternation of short and continuous ups and downs that are generally protected with cable and with rather sustained exposure.

In particular, we reach the base of an edge that represents the third vertical section of the road and which maintains the same climbing characteristics as the previous ones. At the end of the edge of the edge again begins a long progression in the ridge with a fair variety of passages for which alternate ridge sections with exposed crosspieces and some simple steps equipped. This is a part of the ridge definitely tiring but very rewarding from the point of view of the landscape and landscape.

Slowly you reach the summit of Molignon di Fuori at 2780 m that offers a magnificent view of the Catinaccio and the Vajolet towers, the Sassopiatto, Denti di Terrarossa and the various Dolomite groups that surround it.

We leave behind us part of the ridge and begin the descent initially following the various little stone, then trace of the trail well marked and then down along easy rocks in the direction of the Molignon pass meeting only in the last few meters of the descent still a few meters of cable.

From here, a trail of the half-way path quickly leads to the nearby signposting where you can take off harness and decide where to continue the excursion depending on the chosen destination. From the signposting it is possible to continue for the nearby Molignon pass (2598 m) and, after the descent into the underlying valley, go up again to the Principe pass (2601 m) or continue towards the nearby Alpe di Tires mountain hut at 2440 m.

CONSIDERATIONS
Laurenzi is indeed a via ferrata but it is dominated by many climbing parts which are exposed and non-equipped.

The characteristics of the equipped part make it advisable in the Antermoia - Tires sense because, if it is crossed in the opposite direction, there are the vertical equipped stretches constantly in descent.