Treks in the Dolomites - A Trekker's Guidebook
Treks in the Dolomites
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ALTA VIA 2 - Stage 1: Bressanone to Passo Gardena
Nearly 2000m above historic Bressanone, on the southern fringe of the Tyrol, Alta Via 2 begins its journey southeast to Rifugio Plose, crossing meadows and forest before climbing a stony ravine to the first col. Against a stunning backcloth of rock peaks and ridges in the Puez-Odle Nature Park, and passing several refuges, the route crosses a steep forcella and traverses rugged mountainsides onto a limestone tableland. Rock pinnacles eroded into fantastic shapes lead down to the winter skiing area of Passo Gardena.
From Bressanone’s railway station forecourt the eye is drawn across Val d’Isarco, up beyond San Andrea’s church spire and intermediate levels of meadow and pine woods, to the white Rifugio Plose and the Telegrafo summit, 2507m above sea level. Until this barrier is surmounted, the limestone spires and crests of the Odle massif are obscured by a greener, more rounded topography.
BRESSANONE (561m) – all supplies/services; on road and rail routes from the Brenner Pass. 0472-836401.
Bressanone is an elegant and charming town with a history dating back more than 1000 years. It once belonged to the Roman province of Rhaetia, and has for centuries been a spiritual and cultural centre. Its surroundings are characterised by ancient churches, monasteries and notable buildings, with the old town itself still medieval in appearance. Shady, cobbled streets linked by narrow alleys and archways are pervaded by a distinct flavour of Austria, manifest in the rather upmarket prices, the strudel and cooked sausages, the leather breeches and feathered hats. Though this is Italy, the Germanic tongue prevails.
Before leaving Bressanone, an important decision must be taken. The official start of Alta Via 2 is from Rifugio Plose, reached from the valley by a climb of some 1886m. This will take between 5 and 6 hours, a testing introduction to any walk. Whilst for the purist there may be no dilemma, the ascent being tackled with the necessary gusto, two alternatives for gaining this initial height do exist: one is a 21km drive on a good road to Valcroce (2040m, rifugio, car parking), thence by a footpath to Rifugio Plose. Another is to take the bus to San Andrea then the gondola car to Valcroce, continuing by path to the summit. Walkers should be forewarned, however, that while the bus service is guaranteed year-round, the gondola car does not usually commence running until the first week of July, concluding late September.
A third acceptable alternative entails taking a bus to Plancios di Dentro, avoiding Rifugio Plose and its bare surrounds pitted with telecommunications aerials and ski pistes altogether, and slotting into the itinerary at the minor junction Karer Kreuzl prior to Passo Rodella (see variant access at page 77).
For the ascent to the Plose on foot, starting from the town railway station take Viale Mozart opposite (E) through to the bridge over the Isarco river, grey-green with meltwater. Keep on to the nearby intersection and turn R as per signs for the Plose gondola car. About 10 min uphill, at a drinking fountain and old farm Kofler Hof, branch L for San Andrea. A quiet country lane (signed 7/8) climbs past a charming 13th-century manor house then passes L in front of a church before turning up into chestnut wood, from where you take a marked path L. This emerges in meadows dotted with traditional farmhouses bright with geraniums, and is joined by route 4/5 before cutting R across a grassy bank to join the road, where you go R towards the village of
1 hr – SAN ANDREA (961m) – provisions, hotels, bar/restaurants, car parking, bus from Bressanone.
San Andrea, ablaze with brightly coloured flowers in gardens and window boxes, is dominated by its imposing church, with frescoes and a very tall, slender spire.
Your route (n.4/5) turns up L next to the Gasthof Gasserhof and its lovely shady beer garden, threading between houses old and new. A final stretch of wood leads to the gondola car station and bus stop.
A narrow surfaced lane behind the restaurant building is the start of n.17 for Valcroce. It quickly becomes a pretty path climbing steadily through conifer wood carpeted with bilberry shrubs, and is well signed at the many forks with intersecting forestry tracks and ski slopes. At a drinking fountain at 1450m, it forks L and narrows, the ensuing stretch occasionally obstructed by toppled trees. After a relentless zigzagging climb, it finally emerges to wide-ranging views at the Plose gondola car arrival station and
3 hrs – VALCROCE (2050m). A matter of metres downhill R is a beautifully placed, hospitable guesthouse, Gasthof Geisler tel. 0472-521319, 45 places, open year-round, car parking nearby.
The final stage in the climb to M. Telegrafo is via path 7, a constant climb NE through low shrub vegetation and grazing cows. From a scenic saddle it follows a fence and heads towards the white building of
1 hr – RIFUGIO PLOSE (2446m) – tel. 0472-521333, CAI, 60 places, open 25 May to 1 Oct. Phone beforehand at beginning and end of season as the guardians go home at night if no guests are expected. Modern structure, more appropriate for winter skiers than summertime walkers.
The 360° panorama is truly magnificent, including the Austrian Tyrol N, though the eye is drawn SE towards the dramatic rock spires of the Puez-Odle line-up, your next destination.
Alta Via 2 officially begins here. Set off along a track L of a chair-lift station, L at a bend to keep to the cliff edge and down to grassy flowered hillsides and various ski lifts. After 30 min a rough vehicle track is joined – keep L for 20 min, before cutting down R as per painted poles amongst ground-hugging alpenrose and juniper to emerge at another lane at
1 hr 10 min – KARER KRUEZL PATH JUNCTION (2000m) – unusual old artistic crucifix.
(5 min R is the charming private refuge Schatzerhütte, tel. 0472-521343, 48 places, open mid-May to early Nov.)
Variant access: Plancios di Dentro (1890m), the point with the Skihütte shown on maps (previously Sport Hotel), can be reached by bus from Bressanone. Leave the hotel and restaurant complex by walking R (E) along the road (8), which soon becomes a broad forestry track. It crosses a stream and climbs gently out above the tree line, past the turn-off for Schatzerhütte, to reach the Karer Kreuzl path junction in 30 min.
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