The Dolomites High Route n. 2 was among the first of 10 “official” Dolomites High Routes to be described and signposted. The High Route is also known as the “way of the legends” as it passes through Dolomites mountains and valleys rich in myths and legends: For example the Odle group and the Sella group with the legends of the Ladin people or Feltre with the tales of ogres and witches. The multi-day excursion can be completed in several stages going from north to south. Starting point is Bressanone/Brixen, the quaint town of South Tyrol, rich in history. Arrival is the town of Feltre with the river Piave, witnessed or some of the tragic events of World War I. The route crosses three provinces, Bolzano, Trento and Belluno and 10 mountain groups (Plose, Pütia/Peitlerkofel, Odle/Geisler, Puez, Sella, Padon, Marmolada, Bocche, Pala, Feltre group), where Plose, Padon and the Lusia-Bocche group are not part of the Dolomites. The Dolomites High Route n. 2 offers a nice variety of hiking and climbing and the chance to discover art and culture. So, for example, is worth a visit the city of Bressanone with its museums and works of art and, not to forget, the many historical sites of the 1st World War that you meet along the way.
Recommended stages
- Day 1: Plose hut – Genova hut, 5 – 6 hours
From Bressanone you can reach the Plose hut by cable car. Here you start going up through the Luson fork and the Pütia fork to reach the Genova refuge.
- Day 2: Genova hut – Puez hut, 5 – 6 hours
From the Genova hut a pleasant walk through pastures, forks and screes leads to the Puez plateau.
- Day 3: Puez hut – Pisciadú hut, 5 – 5.5 hours
A pleasant excursion leads through the natural park Puez – Odle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to its southern border, at the Gardena Pass. Just below the pass, in the direction of Alta Badia, take the Pisciadú via ferrata which leads to the homonymous refuge. The via ferrata, although classified as medium, presents rather challenging points such as passages on a vertical wall and a rope suspended bridge.
- Day 4: Pisciadú htu – Boé hut, 3 – 3.5 hours
A trained hiker can easily deal with the short sections of fixed ropes and can master the scree slope.
- Day 5: Boé hut – Castiglioni Marmolada hut, 3.5 – 4 hours
On scree with fixed ropes you go up to Piz Boé, the highest point of the entire excursion. By crossing the plateau of the Sella group you reach Forcella Pordoi and the Pordoi cable car that goes down to the homonymous pass. Turning right towards Sass Becè, follow the Vial del Pan, a pleasant path with a unique view of the Marmolada glacier, up to the Padon where you descend to the Fedaia lake and the Castiglioni hut.
- Day 6: Castiglioni hut – Fuciade hut, 5.5 – 6 hours
From the Castiglioni / Marmolada hut, descend to Malga Ciapela to climb up to the Forca Rossa pass and then descend on a path between the meadows to the Fuciade hut.
- Day 7: Fuciade hut – Passo Valles hut, 4.5 – 5 hours
Through the San Pellegrino pass you arrive at the Passo Valles refuge.
- Day 8: Passo Valles hut – Mulaz hut, 3.5 – 4 hours
Attractive walk at the foot of the Pale di San Martino to the Mulaz hut.
- Day 9: Mulaz hut- Pedrotti hut, 4 hours
Hike along the Farangole path with some exposed passages and stretches with a fixed roped.
- Day 10: Pedrotti hut – Treviso hut, 6.5 – 7.5 hours
Walk through woods and screes with a view of Sass Maor.
- Day 11: Treviso hut – Cerèda hut, 5 hours
Hike on pleasant paths and through the Forcella d’Oltro fork to the Cerèda hut.
- Day 12: Cerèda hut – Walter Bodo bivouac, 5 – 6 hours
Hike in an east-north-east direction along the main road, go up through the Comedon pass – partly with fixed ropes. A short descent down a scree slope leads to “Pian della Regina” and after a few meters to the Walter Bodo bivouac.
- Day 13: Walter Bodo bivouac – Bruno Boz hut, 3.5 – 4 hours
From Val Canzoi go up to Troi dei Caserìn on a fixed ropes path and up to Passo de Mura and the Boz hut.
- Day 14: Bruno Boz hut – Dal Piaz hut, 6 – 7 hours
Go up in a southerly direction to Passo Finestra, to the crest of Monte Zoccarè and towards Sasso di Scàrnia on rock steps and along an exposed hike. The descent between boulders and gullies and slopes covered with pines leads to the green alpine meadows of the Busa di Pietena and up to the Vette Grandi pass. Just south of the pass you reach the Giorgio Dal Piaz hut.
- Day 15: Dal Piaz hut- Feltre, 4 hours
From the Vette Grandi pass, descend towards Feltre (Pedavena) through an easier (but longer) mule track or along a little more demanding paths through meadows and woods (but shorter). You reach Pedavena, about three kilometers from Feltre. Pedavena and Feltre are connected by public buses.
