Opened in August 2022, the new Piz da Peres via ferrata is located in a picturesque setting, surrounded by a breathtaking landscape at dizzying heights. The project was a joint effort by the Italian subsidiary of the fischer Group of Companies and KronSafety, a specialist for certified outdoor facility constructions from South Tyrol (Bruneck). It incorporated the know-how of local mountain guides who know the area like the back of their hand. Wire ropes and iron pins of the new via ferrata were installed with the help of the fischer epoxy resin mortar FIS EM Plus and the new fischer battery-operated dispenser FIS DB S Pro in around 30 days. 

Three KronSafety specialists in constructing outdoor facilities worked on the rock face together with three experienced mountain guides. The biggest challenge entailed not only securing products and materials but also the installers high up in the mountains. The South Tyrolean helicopter company KronAir from Olang had an excellent solution to this problem, however. Keeping a constant eye on the weather forecast was crucial while working at heights of up to 2,439 m above sea level. Those carrying out the project had to be able to react quickly to conditions that could change just as quickly. 

The new Piz da Peres via ferrata has been classified as EEA by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI). According to this classification, the route is only intended for experienced climbers who possess the necessary personal safety equipment, including a helmet, climbing belt and via ferrata set with an energy absorber. The via ferrata also has three interesting sections with a difficulty rating of C/D, which means that it is high in terms of steepness and exposure (risk of injury in the event of a fall) as well as the necessary strength endurance. In total, the via ferrata has a length of 400 m and lies 2,277 m to 2,439 m above sea level. 

At extreme heights such as these, absolute safety during installation and subsequent climbing tours is of the utmost priority. KronSafety has been working together with the fischer Group of Companies on projects of this kind for years. The specialist for certified outdoor facility construction once again chose fischer as a reliable partner during the erection of Piz da Peres as the fixing expert’s products guarantee absolute safety. “fischer is the perfect partner for projects of this kind where we have to be able to rely on the products we’re using”, says Christian Berger, Sales Manager at KronSafety. “fischer also offers outstanding support with selecting the right products and training our customers and installers”. The chosen product was the epoxy resin mortar FIS EM Plus, which, together with its system components, permanently and securely transfers heavy loads in concrete and natural stone with a dense structure even under extreme conditions. The fact that the rocks weren’t even also proved to be an advantage for the chemical fixing system, which guarantees adhesion even on cracked surfaces. As a result of the longer curing time of the FIS EM Plus, KronSafety’s installers didn’t have to rush and were able to use a larger joint depth. Because the rocks aren’t always even, the experts carried out tension tests on different parts of the route. Tensile forces of approximately 50 kN were determined over the course of these tests, convincing the experts at KronSafety that they had made the right choice. Last but not least, the FIS EM Plus service life of 100 years, according to its European Technical Assessment (ETA), played a key role in the partner’s decision to choose the product. The Stuttgart engineering office IEA has furthermore certified that anchorages with the fischer FIS EM Plus have a service life of 120 years.

Special anchorage points along the via ferrata had to reach considerable depths. In order to inject the mortar into the deep holes, KronSafety’s specialists used the new battery-operated dispenser FIS DB S Pro, the FIS EXT extension hose for the static mixer, which is available in Italy, and conical adapters for holes of 20 to 40 mm. Brush elements with extensions and SDS adapters made it easier and quicker to clean the drill holes. The new fischer battery-operated dispenser FIS DB S Pro additionally contributed to quick work progress and made it easier to inject mortar into particularly deep drill holes with the many fastening points of the serial installation climbing system. The 18V battery technology guarantees a strong output in any condition, while the controlled dosage system allows the correct preset mortar quantity to be injected into the drill hole, enabling efficient work progress free of waste.

The result is a route that is a true adventure, even for experienced climbers. The ideal time to climb the Piz da Peres is between June and October, with a climbing tour taking around two hours. The route offers views that reach as far as the Dolomite Mountain range, the Zillertal Alps and the Rieserferner Group. The via ferrata is in the immediate vicinity of hiking trail no. 12 and two emergency exits which can be reached via short, easily accessible routes. The Furcia Pass is an ideal starting point to climb the Piz da Peres and can easily be reached from San Vigilio (Enneberg) or Olang.