Ferrata Possnecker to Piz Selva

You may build your tent in the camp Miravalle in Campitello di Fassa next to Canezei. There is electricity included in the overnight fee and you may find this camp cozier than the camp Marmolada in Canazei. You need a camping electricity adapter, which can be bought in Campitello di Fassa, in a small shop attached to a hotel at the end of the town towards Canezei.
In the morning go by a car to the Passo Sella (2244m). You can park your car free there and if you are there at about 8:30, you will definitely have no issue to find a place for your car. There is no pointer, no labels, but we took the way in the best NE direction. There are not so many ways, so it is no problem.

After about 25 minutes you reach the start of the ferrata. There is a label “Possnecker Klettersteig” on the rock letting you know. This is the time you have to gear up. The first part is really difficult, serious and steep route up.

The other resources are warning that there are sections without any rope, free climbing of the difficulty 2. Even if you had done some of rock climbing before, you may be worried about the rucksack on your back. If you don’t want to risk anything, why not to practice free climbing from the very beginning? I mean using the steal rope only for safety and do not touch it for the sake of progress.
It goes well, the rock is solid, dry and clean. Moreover, you don’t have to spend money for ferrata gloves. Points for hands and feet are easy to recognize after hundreds of years of usage. There is no need to waste time by looking for them. It’s pleasant climbing!

Finally it’s here. The passage without steal rope is simple. It is a chimney, with very little exposition and actually you have nowhere to fall down. I cannot imagine that anybody has problems here if he is strong enough to go over the initial section below. I am approaching to the beginning of the secured part again on the picture.
It is fine to have the rope, but sometimes the rope stays exactly where I would like to move.

Later the ferrata seams to finish and after about 20 minutes of the ascent you may think the mountain is over. What a surprise! In fact you are just after the middle of the ascent to the summit.
The top of Piz Selva is on the picture in the direction of little stone men. You will face pieces of ferrata, but much easier now.

About 100 meters under the summit you find amazing small and narrow rock towers. You don’t need to climb them.
In case of bad weather perhaps a cave can be useful on N46.51440 E11.78902 / 2794m.

Finaly you reach the top about 3h since the start in Passo Sella. The summit of Piz Selva (2941m) is decorated by a cross with some amulets and stone men. You will see a significant part of Dolomites from the summit. On the picture there are Langkofel (3181m) on the right and Plattkofel (2958) on the left. You have been watching this group all the time since the morning.
You will see Piz Boe, the tallest mountain of the Sella Group on the opposite site. Piz Boe will accompany you the rest of the day on the way down. It has a very imperial look.

Another astonishing thing you have to notice is the large Sella Plateau. You will have to go around all of it. It’s quite a pleasant walk but rather long. We descant to north-east towards Piz Gralba and Piz Miara.

I assume that in every team discussions start in the saddle behind Piz Miara, where you find a crossroad on the waypoint N46.52336 E11.79694. There is a small footpath turning to the right. Considering the direction, it may be a quicker way. There are maps also displaying it. However, in the real life there are no signs, no way numbers etc. Later you will see the very steep walley assumed to be used for the descent, full of loose stones – hardly recommendable.

We took the way no. 649 along the edge of the plateau. See the mountain Piz Boe on the picture from this area. You will miss a couple of crossroads and part of your journey goes together with the way no. 666, so don’t get panic if you see 666 instead of 649.
The really important crossing labels are before the way to Rif. Boe on N46.52144 E11.82162. You will find the crossroad close to strange diagrams on the ground, see on the picture on the bottom. Is the big stone star a signal to UFO?
You will be on the way from Piz Selva for 1h 45min and still only 50 meters under the top of Piz Selva!

The speed of the descent is much quicker on the way no. 647. You will observe the ending of the shortcut, which was advised to avoid.
I haven’t noticed any source of water during the day. Just before reaching the car road you can’t miss a marvelous waterfall. I am not sure if it is recommendable, but I drank it. Don’t think about swimming. It is pretty cold even for drinking.

The end of the way no. 647 leads to the car road under Passo Sella (turning no. 7). Unfortunately the number of footpaths is higher, so follow the noise of car and climb the road up as soon as possible. Otherwise you may lose your altitude.
It is about 2 km back to the car up in Passo Sella. Rather annoying. You may be lucky to take a quicker way over the wood few times, but the second shortcut is a pain.
You should be at the car at about 16:00, so it is 7 1/2 hour trip including breaks.
Notice the number of paragliders above of Passo Sella on the picture. It was a beautiful day, wasn’t it? When will you find time to sort out all of the pictures you made?

Hey, you! How about to write some review of this guide in everytrail.com. It will help me to improve the next guide.