In reply to yelotango:
> I want to climb the ferrata, if time & conditions allow I`ll try for the summit but guidebook describes unprotected scrambling on friable rock.
Another reason not to rely on old popular well-recommended English-language guidebooks.
When I was there in the last couple of years, there were cables protecting several portions of the (not terribly interesting) route from the high bivouac to the summit.
Another thing one popular English-language guidebook recommends is riding the mechanical lift up to the (rather nice modern) hut -- but after I hiked up to the hut I was told that the days of operation of that that lift outside of ski season are rather infrequent. Without the lift operating, it's a long boring slog from the village up to the hut (and back down again afterward). A somewhat interesting hike to the start of VF Stella Alpina.
Then a long long boring slog with some scrambling and cable to reach the high bivouac (optionally the summit). This slog up and across is required to later go down to the top of the "descent" VF.
Details see my detailed descriptions linked from this page:
https://www.mountainproject.com/area/115340692/monte-agner-vf
> Perhaps you could answer my question about the state of the descent VF which is different to the ascent route?
I'm guessing you mean VF Canalone (sp?). It was surely open with intact cables when I was there, so I descended it. With some old-icy-snow near its bottom (fortunately softened by the time I reached it). Not very interesting. Perhaps it saves a bit of time over the normal route, on the other hand with loose / slippery sections not so pleasant on descent. Not much lost if descend the normal route instead.
Requires lots and lots of uphill+sideways+downhill slogging just to _reach_ this descent from the top of VF Stella Alpina.
Ken
P.S. Might be nice if the popular English-language guidebook had given more emphasis to the high _ratio_ of boring slogging to actual VF climbing and views if do this outing in the obvious way nowadays.
. . . (assuming that reaching the Mt Agner summit is not a key goal).
Lots of VF routes around with a much better ratio.
Post edited at 20:46