Discover the Via Ferratas in the Italian Dolomites with Cicerone

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Further Reading

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PEDRA 2
Tullen and Gunter Messner Path

Grade: 1, Seriousness: B
Departure point: Ponte Russis (Russis Bruke)
Ascent: 1000m
Descent: 1000m
Via ferrata: 200m
Approximate time: 8 hours (plus 3⁄4hr for Tullen ascent)
Highest altitude: 2653m The Gunter Messner Path is a clearly marked round, waymarked ‘GM’. It is best completed as a circuit from Ponte Russis (1735m), taking around 8 hours, including 2.5 hours along the crested ridge of Monte Odle di Eores. Prior to starting the ridge traverse there is an optional extension of around 45 minutes which includes a round-trip to the summit of Tullen (2653m).

A good mountain day with some limited ferrata sections along the way.

The Gunter Messner Path is a clearly marked round, waymarked ‘GM’. It is best completed as a circuit from Ponte Russis (1735m), taking around 8 hours, including 2.5 hours along the crested ridge of Monte Odle di Eores. Prior to starting the ridge traverse there is an optional extension of around 45 minutes which includes a round-trip to the summit of Tullen (2653m).

At the Ponte Russis road junction (1735m) there is ample parking, and the round-trip is started by walking 5 minutes down the road to pick up a path signposted 32a and GM. This path goes steeply uphill through the forest for around 30 minutes, when a traverse path rises to the right (west) at around 1960m, with good views north across the lowlands between the Dolomites and the Austrian Alps. The path rises gradually to a shoulder (2114m), and turns east and then north-east as the view returns to Dolomitic scenery south across Val di Funes into the Puez Odle National Park. A good path rises up through a spectacular sunken valley to the junction signposted to Tullen; this is about 2 hours from the start of the walk.

The ascent of Tullen (2653m) takes about 30 minutes up and 15 minutes down; there is a summit cross, a route book and a commanding view. Return to the signpost; the GM path continues on an easterly traverse and in 5 minutes there is some wire protection in a stepped gully (no exposure). Then a zigzag path leads in a further 10 minutes over an exposed ridge and descends to a col. A short, easy, but exposed wired section now leads to the summit of Walschering (2590m), which has a small wooden cross. The Gunter Messner Steig now continues as a high-level traversing path (mostly on the south side of the mountain), which has only occasional ferrata wires in the most exposed places. About an hour from the Walschering summit a 10m ladder is ascended; following a short section of wire, the path continues down and joins path 4 to Forcella de Putia. Total time from the start to here is about 5.5 hours.

From Forcella de Putia you descend steeply to the north-west on path 4 until path 8a branches off to the right (north-west). Here you continue to descend on path 4 until another junction at around 2000m, where GM is signposted to the left (west), with path 4 continuing down to the right. You now follow the GM path on an undulating traverse on the north side of the ridge, passing below the summit of Tullen before descending through the forest and back to the road. Total time from the Forcella de Putia to the road is around 2.5 hours.