TOUR OF THE REFUGES between the VAL delle SEGHE and the VAL di CEDA
our excursions
| Uphill height difference | m.380, including climb to Montanara Refuge |
| Downhill height difference | m.970, including climb to Montanara ref. |
| maximum altitude | m.1630, Rifugio Selvata |
| Walking time, excluding pauses | ore 5 - 5,30 |
| difficulty | Easy, with a short exposed stretch |
| notes | Salita sino all'altipiano di Pradel, m.1370, con la nuova cabinovia |
A bucket lift from Molveno to the Pradel plateau, 1320 m., and from here right along the ski piste as far as Malga Tovre, ( 1420 m.,10 min walk).It’s worth stopping here to visit the “didactic farm” which hosts a variety of mountain farm animals. A 15 min walk over meadows and a ski piste brings to the Montanara Refuge on the Tovre plateau, (1525 m.), a beautiful, natural terrace with a view onto the Brenta Dolomites. The route continues north towards the impending rock walls of Croz Altissimo. After a 5 min walk the route reaches a fork and turns left onto path 340b ( sentiero delle Grotte). The first part brings into a thick beech and fir wood, and then turns south down a steep, twisted path as far as the intersection with path 340 which, from Andalo and the intermediate lift, leads to the Croz Altissimo Refuge. Path 340 then turns right and after a flattish stretch leads to the precipitous rock wall of Croz dell’ Altissimo. ( note: there’s an exposed stretch here, but it is quite safe thanks to the wire cable protections).
Here the landscape is absolutely fascinating: in the north, apart from the rocky crag of Naso dei Massodi, the steepest peeks of the Brenta Dolomites are silhouetted against the sky. The latter form the “Catena degli Sfulmini” ( the thunderbolt chain). To their left , South, unmistakable against the blue sky, are the Campanil Bass and the Brenta Alta. To their right, instead is the towering Cima Brenta, 3150 m. whose north-east facing walls caress the Bocca del Tuckett.
The route continues through a tunnel and onto a rocky path. It then starts to climb up to alt. 1430 m. and then through the woods and onto the Croz dell’Altissimo refuge ( 1,40 hrs from Pradel) under the high walls of the homonymous mountain top ( over 900 m.) It’s worth stopping here to admire the magnificent view of the natural amphitheatre made up of towering peaks that surround the overhanging Val Perse. The Croz Refuge is where paths 340 and 322 converge: path 340 leads to the Selvata Refuge and path 322 leads to the Bocca del Tuckett , ( paths 344 to the Clamer Pass and Malga Spora and 314 for the Bocca Vallazza and the Pian della Flavona, branch off from path 322). This route crosses the Valle delle Seghe and the Massodi river and it quickly begins to climb up the steep hairpin bends along path 340 close by Naso dei Massodi. After about a 40 min walk, 2,20 hrs from Pradel, the path leads to the green oasis of the Pian della Selvata and the homonymous refuge, 1630 m., The view here onto the Gaiarda-Vallazza Chain is unique and the tranquility of the locality is moving. Path 319 comes up from Molveno and passes in front of the Selvata refuge and leads to the higher part of the Val Massodi and then onto the Tommaso Pedrotti alla Tosa refuge, 2491 m. The vegetation changes and the tall trees give way to the small swiss pines which cover the detritus screes of the lower Val Massodi.
The route continues south south west and, after a short descent, crosses a rocky spur: Dos dei Casinati via a brief but exposed stretch which is, however, equipped with a metal cable. Path 322 now leads into the woods and after about 1,20 hrs brings to Malga Andalo (3,40 hrs from Pradel) which is situated on the orographic right of the Val delle Seghe, in a green, grassy glade just under the slopes of mount Daino that divides the Val delle Seghe from the Val della Ceda. From here one can enjoy a wide panoramic view onto mount Paganella, Andalo and the Cima Roma-Vallazza- Croz Altissimo Group. Not far away,built on a grassy hill, is Malga Ceda di Villa. From here there are 4 different paths which lead to Molveno:
a)The winding Donini path which leads to the Pontesel locality- Baita Ciclamino, Molveno. Descent time : 1,20 hrs. Total walking time from Pradel: 5 hrs.
b) The steep 322 path which leads to the Marocchi locality ( camping site) at Molveno. Descent time : 1,20 hrs. Total walking time from Pradel : 5 hrs.
c) The easy forest road that leads to the Bondai locality and to the Roman bridge. Descent time: 1,30 hrs. Total walking time from Pradel: 5,10 hrs.
d) Continuing along the path in a south west direction across the meadows of the Val di ceda as far as the intersection of path 326 near the ruins of the Malga Ceda bassa. From here the descent on path 326 which leads to the Croce dei Marocchi ( camping site). Descent time: 2,20 hrs. Total walking time: 6 hrs.