Kaiserjägersteig

The Kaiserjägersteig (Italian: Sentiero dei Kaserjäger) is a Via Ferrata to the summit of Lagazuoi Piccolo. The route is graded “A” (Austrian gradation) or “K1” (German gradation) and therefore best described as “easy”. The route starts at the Falzarego pass and goes up along the south Face of Lagazuoi Piccolo. It is one of two Via Ferrata routes present on the south face of Lagazuoi. The other route is the Galleria/ Tunnel Via Ferrata. The Kaiserjägersteig is named after the Austrian soldiers who fought against the Italians on Lagazuoi during the first world war. The word Jäger (meaning "hunter" or "huntsman") is a characteristic term used for light infantry or light infantrymen in German-speaking military context.

The Kaiserjägersteig can be combined with the Galleria/Tunnel Via Ferrata to create a nice roundtour. It is also possible to descend using the Lagazuoi cablecar, but only in summer when the cablecar is operating. The route is a combination of a hiking trail and a "true" Via Ferrata. The most famous asset of the route is the large wooden hanging bridge along the route that enables climbers to cross a large ravine. The route takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete starting from the Falzarego Pass and up to the summit of Lagazuoi Piccolo. The best time for climbing this route is during the summer months and the period after summer when there is no snow on the mountain.

The route starts at the Falzarego pass and is the only trail heading towards the North-NW from the Pass. The trail more or less follows the line of the cableway going up the mountain. Follow the
well-marked trail up and soon the trail changes direction towards the west. Keep following the trail until the Via Ferrata starts. This first part takes about 30 minutes. The Via Ferrata is easy at all times (K1/A) and is partly a Via Ferrata and partly a hiking trail. The route crosses a wooden hanging bridge to cross a large ravine.  The route goes up along the south Face of Lagazuoi until the crest is reached. At his point you have arrived on the west ridge of Lagazuoi and you can see towards the northern side of the mountain for the first time. This point is marked by a wooden sign stating Kaiserjägersteig. At this poiont you can already spot the summit cross of Lagazuoi Piccolo in the distance. From here an easy hiking trail goes towards the east and up to the summit of Lagazuoi Piccolo. It is also possible to use this route descending Lagazuoi towards the Falzarego pass. Also see the map at left for further details.

This photo overview shows the whole route from Passo Falzarego up to the summit of Lagazuoi Piccolo:

Good hiking/Via Ferrata shoes are mandatory as well as warm clothing. A Via ferrata set is also needed for Climbing this route. If you plan on descending along the Galleria/Tunnel Via Ferrata be sure to bring a headlight/flashlight for the tunnels.