High-altitude excursions with lifts

TREKKING ITINERARIES – ALTA VIA DEI PASTORI

Established in 1982, thanks to an idea by Bepi Pellegrinon, this round-trip route offers breath-taking views, running amid the pastures and the mountain dairy huts of the Val del Biois, along the ancient shepherds’ trails.

The itinerary has recently been comprehensively revalued and extended by the Municipal Council of San Tomaso Agordino, which has mapped out the routes and extended them into the municipality.

The Alta Via dei Pastori is a walking route through the mountains that surround the Val del Biois.
The itinerary presents no particular difficulties, and offers the chance to walk through the heart of centuries-old woodland and to frequently encounter the local wildlife. It climbs up to high-altitude mountain pastures, where a series of dairy huts have remained as a testament to the farming activity that has traditionally been a source of income that has bound the local valley folk closely to their homeland.
Along the way, you can admire some of the most famous peaks in the Dolomites, which have always attracted mountaineers from all over the world, including the Marmolada, Civetta, Agner, Focobon and Cime d’Auta, as well as the Tofane and the Cristallo in the distance.

Before embarking on the tour, we strongly recommend checking with a guide to ascertain the feasibility of the route and the condition of the paths.

The route starts out from the Bogo (1194 m) neighbourhood of Cencenighe, where, after parking your car, you can start making your way up the Italian Alpine Club path no. 759 to Casera Rudefìn Alta (2104 m).

In this large area of pastureland on the slopes of Cima Pape, you can see a number of shelters indicative of the age-old farming and forestry activity.

The path winds its way up and down towards Malga dei Caóz and Malga di Campigàt (1801 m). This stretch offers some particularly attractive views of the San Lucano and Garés valleys.

A must is a detour to enjoy some magnificent 360° views over the main Dolomite peaks, up a steep but clearly marked trail that leads to Cima Pape (2503 m), where your efforts will be amply rewarded. When you reach Malga di Campigàt (1801 m), you will encounter Italian Alpine Club path no. 756, which descends round sharp bends to Piàn delle Giàre, where you can rest and have a bite to eat at Capanna Cima Comèlle (1333 m).

The second stage leads to the Volpi del Mulaz Refuge (2571 m). It runs across Piàn delle Giàre until Italian Alpine Club path no. 704, which leads to the village of Garés via the waterfalls.

Leave the Italian Alpine Club path no. 704 and go up Italian Alpine Club path no. 754 to Malga Stia (1786 m). After a brief refreshment stop, the climb starts up to the Forcella Stia saddle (2190 m), along Italian Alpine Club path no. 752. After the saddle, head down into the Focobon Valley. In this high-altitude environment, Italian Alpine Club path no. 722 leads across small rocks and stretches of scree to the G. V. Mulaz Refuge (2571 m), where you can eat and spend the night. The view towards the walls of the Focobón is breath-taking, and the climb up the path that leads to Cima del Mulaz is a must.

From the refuge, head along Italian Alpine Club path no. 751 and then follow Italian Alpine Club path no. 774 down to the Costàza pasture (1573 m). The mountain hut here has been turned into a refuge for walkers passing through in the summer, and has been named after Lorenzo Bottari. From here, you can take a sheep track if you wish to conclude your walk at Molìn di Falcade (1184 m). The path continues along the orographic right of the Valés valley and winds its way up and down all the way to the Malga Valés Bas (1711 m) and Malga Valés Alto huts. In this high-altitude valley, you will also find a number of wooden huts once used for keeping straw.
Carry on across the Valles Pass road and take a steep mule track that soon leads to the plain above, on the edge of the woods, where you will find the Casèra de la Caviàza (1877 m) mountain hut. Continue on to the Le Buse Refuge (1895 m), and from here, head in the direction of the Càvia artificial basin (2102 m), where you will immediately come across the Casèra le Buse hut (1910 m), followed by Teàz de le Mande, before you come to Malga dei Zìnghen Alti.
After the basin, the path goes rapidly down towards the San Pellegrino Pass to the Malga Zìnghen Bas alpine hut (1775 m), on the border between the provinces of Belluno and Trento.
The path takes off again up along the Val di Zigolé towards the Malga Boèr alpine hut (1808 m). Continue along the road to the mountain pasture that comes from the San Pellegrino Pass, until the woodland opens out onto the pastures of Fuciàde and Val Freda, where you will find the Flora Alpina Refuge (1818 m).
Here there is a brief round-trip route along easy paths that follow the itinerary to Casoni di Val Freda and then head to the Malga ai Lach alpine hut (1815 m), followed by Malga Bòsch Brusà (1867 m), before continuing along the Val di Forca and meeting back up with the itinerary at Piàn de la Schita.

Once you reach the Flora Alpina Refuge, come off the asphalt road and continue along an easy path to the Casoni di Val Freda. Go up the valley and then Pian de la Schita to Forca Rossa (2490 m), from which you can enjoy marvellous views.
From here, go down along the Val di Franzedàs to the Col Bechèr Pass (2312 m) and on to the Baita Giovanni Paolo I mountain hut (1865 m), or the Baita dei Cacciatori mountain hut (1745 m) below it.
Continue along a path that runs across the high-altitude pastures below the Torri dell’Auta (2624 m) to the Baita di Còl Mónt (1854 m) mountain hut.
The Baita di Còl Mónt and Baita dei Cacciatori mountain huts are departure points for adequately equipped and experienced walkers who wish to climb up to the Cima dell’Auta Orientale peak (2624 m), taking the via ferrata P. Piccolin equipped route or the normal route.

This stage begins by immediately climbing up along Italian Alpine Club path no. 687 to the Forcella Négher saddle (2300 m), from where you can admire views of the delightful Lach d’i Négher lake.
The path then heads down to the Forcella de Franzéi saddle and then back up to the Forcella Pianéza saddle, Italian Alpine Club path no. 684, followed by the Forcella delle Fontàne saddle and along the northern slopes of the Péza mountain group to Casère di Val Bóna (1635 m) and the Forcella Sciòta saddle, via Còl di Sele to complete the Italian Alpine Club path no. 623 at the Sasso Bianco Refuge (1840 m), where you can stop off for something to eat.
In this remote environment, with marvellous views of the South wall of the Marmolada, you are likely to make frequent encounters with the local wildlife.

Reachable along the easy Italian Alpine Club path no. 623, and heading downwards, with the NW wall of Monte Civetta remaining opposite, in the direction of the villages of Costóia and Canacéde, in the municipality of San Tomaso, you will come to the Forcella di San Tomaso saddle (1367 m). Walk through the Piàne woods to the end of this itinerary: the Church of San Simón, in the municipality of Vallada.
San Simón, built around the 10th century, is the oldest church in the Alto Agordino area.
The frescoes by Paris Bordon and the splendid architecture make the church especially interesting to art lovers.

WITH MOLINO-LE BUSE CABLE CAR

In Le Buse, at the top of the cable car, you can visit the Artists’ Wood: a large plateau at an altitude of 1800 m approx. a.s.l.

A clearly marked route of about 1 km has been designed through the woods, placed along which are over 50 works of a number of local artists, inspired by nature, the mountains and local traditions.

Between the works of the human artists, you can also admire the splendid constructions shaped by the red wood ant: the amazing architecture of these anthills testifies to the engineering skills of these industrious little insects.

No suitable for strollers.

Reach Le Buse comfortably via the Molino-Le Buse cable car. From the top station of the cable car, take the path on the left, following the scenic Caviazza road, between high-altitude pastures and magnificent landscapes, until you reach the Provincial Road. Following the white and blue signs, you’ll reach the fork for Malga Vales Bas and, from here, continue to Bottari Refuge. From the refuge, the descent towards Molino – the route’s endpoint – begins, following a pleasant woodland path that offers scenic views in places.

Start from Molino and take the cable car that links Molino to Le Buse, and once you arrive, continue on the Le Buse-Laresei chairlift, which takes you up. From the top of the Laresei chairlift, a comfortable panoramic walk along a dirt road, through green pastures and breathtaking views, takes you to Cima Pradazzo and the Laresei Refuge, where you can relax on the panoramic terrace and enjoy traditional local dishes. Return along the same route.

Also suitable for strollers.

Start from Molino and take the cable car that links Molino to Le Buse, and once you arrive, continue on the Le Buse-Laresei chairlift, which takes you up. From the top of the Laresei chairlift, a comfortable panoramic walk along a dirt road, through green pastures and breathtaking views, takes you to Cima Pradazzo and the Laresei Refuge. From here, follow the signs for Forcella Pradazzo and, once you reach it, take the path that descends towards Lake Cavia. Complete the loop by following trail n. 695, which takes you back to Le Buse.