Description

TOUR OF THE REFUGES

Difficoltà : easy (except for a short exposed section)
The journey : 4-5 hours (5-6 hours if you go up to the Montanara
The difference : In ascent 310 m, in descent 800m
Point of Departure : Altipiano di Pradel
Place of arrival : Molveno camping site
The highest point : 1630 m, Rifugio Selvata

availability :

The description of the route :
A beautiful and exciting outing around Valle delle Seghe leads to a view of the peaks of the Brenta Group.
From Molveno take the cable car to the Pradel plateau (1320 m). At the top station, the keenest walkers can turn right and follow the ski piste that, in about 10 minutes, reaches Malga Tovre, approx. 1420 m, where there is an "educational farm" with many barnyard animals. Continuing for about 15 minutes along the fields and ski piste you come to Rifugio Montanara, Tovre plateau, 1525 m, with a wonderful view of the Brenta Dolomites. Continuing north, towards the impressive walls of Croz dell'Altissimo, after 5 minutes you reach a fork.

To the left is the Grotte path (number 340b). The first section goes through a dense beech and conifer wood, then turns south, where it rapidly snakes down (be careful not to slip on the steepest parts) and soon joins path no. 340 that goes from the intermediate lift station directly to the Croz Altissimo refuge. Following path 340 bear right and after a level section you come to the sheer Croz wall with a very exposed part with metal cables providing complete security.

Here the landscape is really breathtaking. To the north, beyond the massive Naso dei Massodi rock precipice, soar the most awe-inspiring peaks of the Brenta Dolomites, which together form the "Catena degli Sfulmini". On their left (south), unmistakable in the blue sky, tower Campanil Basso and Brenta Alta. On the right rises the massive bulk of Cima Brenta, 3150 m, whose walls towards northeast go to meet the Bocca del Tuckett.

Beyond a tunnel, the path, after a section dug in the rock, begins to climb up to a height of 1430 m. Now continue through the woods and, after a few minutes, you reach Rifugio Croz dell'Altissimo (1.40 hours from Pradel) that stands beneath the very high walls (over 900 metres) of the peak of the same name. It is worth stopping here: everywhere you turn, with the exception of Valle delle Seghe to the south, you can see the soaring pinnacles that form an amphitheatre around Val Perse above. Rifugio Croz stands on the intersection of paths 340 and 322. Path 340 goes to Rifugio Selvata and path 322 leads to the Bocca del Tuckett after passing the forks to Passo Clamer and Malga Spora (path 344) and Bocca Vallazza and Pian della Flavona (path 314).

Our itinerary now crosses Valle delle Seghe and the Rio Massodi and soon begins to climb the steep bends of path 340 sheltered by Naso dei Massodi. After about 40 minutes (2.20 hours from Pradel) you reach the green oasis of Pian della Selvata with the refuge of the same name, 1630 m. Here it is completely peaceful. The view of the Gaiarda Vallazza chain is magnificent. From Rifugio Selvata path 319, ascending from Molveno, leads to upper Valle dei Massodi and the Tommaso Pedrotti refuge at Tosa (2491 m). The forest trees suddenly give way to mugo pines that tenaciously cling to the screes of lower Val Massodi.

Continuing south-southeast, after a short descent, the way passes a rock spur, Dos dei Casinati, along a rather exposed part that is very short and facilitated with a metal cable. Path 332 continues now in the woods and after about 1.20 hours it reaches the beautiful grass clearing where Rifugio Malga Andalo is situated (3.40 hours from Pradel). Here we are on the true right of Val delle Seghe, below the slopes of Monte Daino that separates Val delle Seghe from Val di Ceda. The view from this vantage point extends over Paganella, Andalo and the Cima Roma -Vallazza - Croz Altissimo group. A few hundred metres from Malga Andalo, on a grassy hillock, stands Malga Ceda di Villa.

From here there are four alternative ways to end the outing and return to Molveno: a) taking the tortuous Donini path down to the Pontesel - Baita Ciclamino locality in Molveno, 1.20 hours, a total 5 hours from Pradel; b) descending the steep path 332 leading to the Marocchi locality in Molveno (Camping area), 1.20 hours, in total 5 hours; c) along the easy forest road to the Bondai locality and to Ponte Romano, 1.30 hours, 5.10 hours all together; d) continuing on a path going southwest over the fields of Val di Ceda until, near the ruins of Malga Ceda Bassa, it intercepts path 326 descending from Passo Ceda, which goes down to Croce Marocchi (campsite), 2.20 hours, a total 6 hours.

map :