- Active & Green
Ferrata del Torrione Porro
It is a moderate difficulty ferrata that develops in Valmalenco.
The Ferrata to Torrione Porro is a moderate difficulty ferrata that develops in Valmalenco. The via ferrata is abundantly equipped and does not present any considerable technical difficulties even in the second most exposed part of the route. From the peak you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Ventina glacier and the Disgrazia group.
Starting point of the itinerary is Chiareggio in the municipality of Chiesa in Valmalenco. To reach Chiareggio from Sondrio, take the Valmalenco provincial road. Once in Chiareggio, park your car and walk to the bridge over stream Mallero from where the mule track begins and takes you to Gerli-Porro refuge in about 1 hour. After passing the refuge, continue along the path to Pirola lake until you reach a signpost indicating many routes, including the ferrata. Follow the path on the left to attack the via ferrata and go up some bends to a fork in which the ascent of the via ferrata and the normal one are separate. You will easily reach the red sign where the ferrata begins (30 ′ from the refuge - 1h 30 ′ from the parking lot).
The equipment starts near an ascending ramp to the right. This ramp runs without problems up to the first vertical equipment with lots of brackets. The ferrata starts with some short rocky jumps and diagonal sections until it reaches another diagonal ramp where the cable is a handrail.
Now we reach the second part of the ferrata, much more vertical and exposed, although technically not difficult thanks to the abundance of brackets and handles. The ferrata has 3 long walls with these characteristics.
One of these walls has an exposed stretch where the more physical effort is required.
At the end of the ferrata we will be able to evaluate whether to continue to the left and climb to the top of Torrione Porro (50 ′ from the attack - 2h 30 ' in total) or to the right crossing the path of the normal route towards the valley.
From the altar on the summit we will continue along the normal route that takes back to the fork of the outward journey. Then downhill towards the refuge and to the car parking (1h 30 ' from the summit - 4h in total).
The ferrata is recent (2016) and presents equipment in excellent condition. The equipment is abundant and in some cases even too much. This greatly reduces the technical difficulties of the climbing which is also suitable for people with moderate experience.
From the peak you can enjoy a beautiful view of Disgrazia Group and Ventina Glacier. As indicated by a sign at the end of the climb, the descent is prohibited.
Ferrata features:
Maximum altitude: 2435 m
Approach: 1:30 h
Difference in altitude Itinerary: 823 m
Ferrata: 0:50 h
Ferrata height difference: 195 m
Itinerary: 4:00 h
Source: www.ferrate365.it/vie-ferrate/ferrata-torrione-porro/