TOUR OF THE REFUGES between the VAL delle SEGHE

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EXCURSIONS DOLOMITES WALKING HOTEL -
DOLOMITI DI BRENTA MOLVENO - HOTEL LAGO PARK

TOUR OF THE REFUGES between the VAL delle SEGHE and the VAL di CEDA with climb to the MONTANARA REFUGE

Uphill height difference	Downhill height difference	Max. alt.	Walking time, excluding pauses	difficulty
m.380, including climb to Montanara Refuge	m.970, including climb to Montanara ref.	m.1630, Selvata Refuge	5 -6 hrs. Including climb to Montanara ref.	Easy, with a short exposed stretch

Route and description: a breathtaking excursion that goes around the Valle delle Seghe and leads before the peaks of the Brenta Group

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).

Pradel plateau and Malga Tovre, Lake Molveno seen from the bucket lift, The Grotte path and Brenta, Path 340 under Croz Altissimo

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 equipped stretch on the Donini path, Cows at the Malga Ceda di Villa, fork 340-322, fork 340 and 340b

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).

Along path 340, The Croz Refuge and Val perse, The Ponte Romano waterfall, Malga Andalo and Malga Ceda di Villa

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.

Tovre plateau, Path340 and Campanil basso, Val delle Seghe Lake Molveno, V dele Seghe and V di Ceda

Malga Andalo and Croz Altissimo, The Selvata Refuge and Cima Vallazza, Sfulmini and Campanil Bass seen from path 340, Croz Dell’Altissimo Refuge

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.

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.

Map of the route on kind permission of the publishing house Cormar( clic to blow up)

Further information and prices

The excursion is free if it is included in the formula “in the heart of the Dolomites”, see programme, and if the holiday is booked with the excursion package. The only costs not included in the package are: lifts from Molveno to Montanara Refuge (c 6.50 Euro per person) and the mountain lifts from Pradel to Molveno. Food and drinks in the refuges are also not included.

If for circumstances beyond one’s control ( bad weather, impracticable paths, unavailability of guides) or for causes not dependent on the hotel, the excursion should be cancelled there will be no refund but there will be an substitute excursion only if it is already in the weekly programme. The hotel management declines any responsibility for inefficiency or inconveniences in the transfers managed by third parties.

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