Pale di San Martino Traverse

You’re in no rush on your first day as today’s hike is not particularly long, although steep. It can also be avoided in its entirety by taking two gondola rides. If not, you’ll initially follow a mule track from San Martino di Castrozza, ascending in short zig-zags through a pine forest. After reaching the lower station of Funivia Rosetta, you’ll hitch a cabin ride, which will take you just below the Rosetta peak. There’s also a path that leads to Rifugio Rosetta the rest of the way, but it is exposed to heights and slippages and should only be undertaken by experienced hikers. Instead, you can climb Cima della Rosetta from the upper station before descending to Rifugio Rosetta for the night.

Today, you’ll follow a gently ascending path across Pale di San Martino plateau. The hike is not particularly demanding or technical, but it mostly includes rocky paths where caution and sure-footedness are advised, so you’re not risking injuries. After conquering Cima Fradusta, you’ll climb back down and descend to Rifugio Pradidali, which lies lower than your accommodation for the previous night.

You’ll leave the land of rock and stone behind for a day, descending to southward-facing valleys below Rifugio Pradidali, enjoying the forested slopes, and hiking in the shadow. Just before reaching the valley floor, you’ll start slowly ascending again, but only until you reach your next destination, Rifugio Treviso. Given how short and physically undemanding this path is, you can prolong your day by taking an optional hike to the wreckage of the US Navy Neptune, which crashed into a nearby mountain face in 1957. But it’s a strenuous hike, with 800 meters of elevation over 3 kilometers in one direction.

Today’s stage is one of the most picturesque in the Dolomites, but it’s also very physically demanding and long, especially in terms of altitude changes. From the rifugio, you’ll start climbing back onto the plateau, conquering more than 800 meters of elevation gain in a single push before reaching the mountain pass. After that, the path becomes undulating, constantly ascending and descending while traversing the plateau from east to west and offering staggering views of the surrounding mountain scenery. You’ll spend the night in Rifugio Rosetta again.

It’s time to leave the rocky world behind for good. You’ll board Funivia Rosetta once more, this time in the opposite direction. Once you disembark, you’ll follow a path traversing the slopes above the valley of San Martino di Castrozza towards the well-known Passo Rolle. The mountain pass is one of the most scenic parts of Pale di San Martino, offering incredible panoramic views for photography enthusiasts. As today’s hike is short and undemanding, it will allow you to rest your tired legs from the day before and give you plenty of time to explore the surroundings before retiring to your hotel.

Even though this will be your last day in Pale di San Martino, you haven’t run out of all its treasures. Leaving the pass, you won’t begin descending to the valley right away but rather follow a scenic and pleasant footpath towards Laghi di Colbricon, where you’ll be able to take in the awe-inspiring views of the towering Dolomite mountains reflected on the clear surface of these emerald mountain lakes. After that, you’ll follow a gently downclimbing trail to San Martino di Castrozza. The Colbricon Express gondola offers you an option to shorten the descent and rather take a scenic ride to the town.