Contents
Introduction
History of the region
The invention of a mountain pilgrimage
The route
The Alpine seasons
Alpine flowers, animals and birds
What’s the walking like?
How hard is it?
How long will it take?
When to go
Accommodation
Hut life
Planning your walk
What to take
Finding your way
Using this guide
1 Munich to the Inn Valley
Stage 1 Munich to Wolfratshausen
Stage 2 Wolfratshausen to Bad Tölz
Stage 3 Bad Tölz to the Tutzinger Hütte
Stage 4 Tutzinger Hütte to Vorderriß
Stage 5 Vorderriß to the Karwendelhaus
Stage 6 Karwendelhaus to the Hallerangerhaus
Stage 7A Hallerangerhaus to Hall
Stage 7B Hallerangerhaus to Wattens
2 Inn Valley to Pfunders
Stage 8A Hall to the Glungezer Hütte
Stage 8B Wattens to the Lizumer Hütte
Stage 9 Glungezer Hütte to the Lizumer Hütte
Stage 10 Lizumer Hütte to the Tuxer Joch Haus
Stage 11A Tuxer Joch Haus to the Olpererhütte
Stage 11B Tuxer Joch Haus to the Geraerhütte
Stage 12A Olpererhütte to Stein
Stage 12B Geraerhütte to Stein
Stage 13 Stein to Pfunders
3 Pfunders to Alleghe
Stage 14 Pfunders to Kreuzwiesen Alm
Stage 15 Kreuzwiesen Alm to the Schlüterhütte (Rifugio Genova)
Stage 16 Schlüterhütte to the Puezhütte
Stage 17 Puezhütte (Rifugio Puez) to Rifugio Boè
Stage 18 Rifugio Boè to Rifugio Viel dal Pan
Stage 19 Rifugio Viel dal Pan to Alleghe
4 Alleghe to Belluno
Stage 20 Alleghe to Rifugio Tissi
Stage 21 Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Bruto Carestiato
Stage 22 Rifugio Bruto Carestiato to Rifugio Pian de Fontana
Stage 23A Rifugio Pian de Fontana to Rifugio 7th Alpini
Stage 23B Rifugio Pian de Fontana to Belluno
Stage 24 Rifugio 7th Alpini to Belluno
5 Belluno to Venice
Stage 25 Belluno to Rifugio Col Visentin
Stage 26 Rifugio Col Visentin to Tarzo
Stage 27 Tarzo to Ponte della Priulä
Stage 28 Ponte della Priulä to Bocca Callalta
Stage 29 Bocca Callalta to Jesolo
Stage 30 Jesolo to Venice
Appendix A Route planner
Appendix B Accommodation along the route
Appendix C Useful contacts
September 2021
2021 updates
Thanks for Jonas Sangberg, who walked the route in 2021, for the following update:
Page 172
First reported in by Tarjei in 2019, Jonas confirms that the Sottoguda Gorge is still closed due to risk of landslides. His recommended alternative is a forest path north of the road reached just north of the start of the road tunnel. The path continues above the road on the north side all the way to Sottoguda Village. It’s not the best marked and well-maintained path but better than the road tunnel!
From Sottoguda Village to Alleghe there is still a lot of work and rebuilding going on to clean up from the 2018 flood so consider walking the combined bike and walking path on east side of the river from Caprile to Alleghe.
Page 180
The track marked 564 remains closed and Jonas confirms that after trying it, it should not be attempted. Take the lift or walk up via the road.
Stage 23 A
Page 197
Jonas reported that route no 527 is marked and a beautiful walk and although not, as the author says, an easy stretch it should be doable at this stage of the Munich Venice journey.
Stage 29
Page 238
Jonas found a path along the Piave Vecchia from Musile di Piave to Capsole which, although a little longer, was less stressful than the road.
October 2019
Route updates
p.64: 'crossing one then another dirt road ..'. After the second dirt road, a large fallen tree has closed the marked path and one can easily get lost on steep ad- hoc alternatives. Better to turn right on to the second dirt road, initially climbing a little before it bends to the left and descends. The first dirt road on the left provides a clear route down to the river and to a vehicle bridge. Cross this and rejoin the path as a red-marked right turn immediately after the bridge.
p.135: for a bad weather alternative to crossing the Gliderschartl (other spellings are available) consider taking the bus down the valley from St Jakob near Stein to Sterting, from where a train can be taken to Niedervintl and a bus to Pfunders (or use hotel in Niedervintl).
p.147: 'Stay on farm road ..., leave it to join path 12A. Continue east-northeast for 500m passing to left of farmhouse, following signs to Campill. Track becomes an indistinct path with scarce, faded paintspots, crossing a stream and ascending the slope beyond. At a junction ...'
p.156: the route over the Forcella Nives is intimidating (rated as challenging in the text) and the alternative route should be taken unless walkers are confident. Some walkers argue that given potential traffic up and down a chimney it shouldn't be attempted without a helmet.
p.157: Puezhütte has now been rebuilt and sleeping space is less congested.
p.163: Approaching Rif Boé, the path divides: take the left option climbing over the knoll, as the right-hand one involves a stretch of via ferrata requiring a harness.
September 2019
Route updates and corrections
Page 47 : Thalkirchner Brücke is the local version of the Pont des Arts bridge, not the Marienklausenbrücke
Page 144: The pictured barn is unfortunately gone.
Page 149: The boat pictured on the lake has also fallen victim to winter storms.
Page 173: Tarjei also reports (like Ann below) that the October 2018 storm closed the Sottoguda but has told that it could be re-opened in 2020. In 2019 most hikers either caught the bus or walked on the highway. Tarjei reports that the highway was particularly unpleasant but he did find a footpath marked Sottoguda 30 that leaves the highway on its northern side. It takes longer than 30 minutes but is better than the highway. The footpath is marked on the Viewranger base maps if your using them.
Page 180: The 90 min route up through trees was damaged by the 2018 storm. If walking in 2020 check to see if it's open - if it's not, take the chair lift which finished well above the tree line.
Page 193: the summit referred to in the text and on the map base should be Cima de Zita Sud rather than Talvena
Page 195: Tarjei completed the challenging 23A Stage, a Stage that has a history of storm damage. It is an excellent stage but should only be attempted by confident walkers and in good weather.
Page Stage 23B Tarjei recommends a visit to Bus del Buson, a stunning canyon just off the main trail and not referred to in the guide.
Page 215: the wooden path featured in the picture had signs on it in 2019 saying it had closed. Tarjei ignored these signs, got through, but the path is clearly decaying. It's a shame but alternative routes up to Refugio Col Visentin are marked on the map and are likely to signed locally.
Page 221: The castle in Susegana is not only open one day a month on a Wednesday and the castle in Collalto is also closed, due to the perilous state.
Please note this route gets damaged from time to time by landslips and storms. The winter of 2018/19 was particularly bad in the southern Alps and lots of routes suffered. As a consequence there has been some local rerouting. We will add updates as we pick them up but hut managers will always have the latest information. The route is particularly vulnerable on stretches below the treeline. We have been advised that the Sottoguda, part of Stage 19, has been closed.
Thanks to Anne Brown for the following updates :
P145: ‘The Roner Hutte’ This hut is in the process of being rebuilt and is currently closed, providing neither food nor accommodation
P153 map : This shows the Kreuzjoch pass symbol turned at 90 degrees to the true pass. So although the text on p 154 says ‘Without crossing the pass, continue south past the Kreuzjoch..’ the map incorrectly shows the route crossing the pass.
P172 ‘Roughly following the route of a ski draglift continue down for 30 mins before turning west across a bridge (2) over a stream…’. This bridge is dangerous and has been taped off. The route from here to the concrete road has been extensively remodelled by a flooding river and damaged trees.
Sottoguda Gorge – this is not open to the public, it has received extensive damage from the flooding and storm and there is no anticipated re-opening date.
P173 ‘Continue through Sottoguda village to the main road, cross the bridge (3) and pick up the riverside walk…’ The riverside walk between here and Alleghe lake has been washed away by the floods. Parts of it are in the process of being rebuilt but it is officially closed. According to Tourist Information in Alleghe it could be some years before it is fully restored.
P179-180 ‘Before passing the last house (1) leave the road as it swings north and head east onto a track(marked 564).’ Route 564 is closed indefinitely due to being washed away in the storm
Aug 2017
On Page 198 the photograph caption should read Forcella Caneva, the next pass, rather than Forcella Torond. The text also states ‘continue east’ after Forcella Caneva when in fact your continuing west.
June 2017
Drinking Water - Munich to Venice
On trips from Munich to Venice I carried a 2 litre camelbak and getting it filled up was never a problem. The density of huts or farmhouses along the route meant top ups were readily available (although the tap water is not always drinkable). Once in the mountains local walkers tend to fill their bottles up from streams.
January 2017
Overview map – pg 90
The Friesenbergscharte is incorrectly placed on the map between Lizumer Hutte and Tuxer Joch Haus. The map with the correct placement is below:
