PIAN DE FRATACES - CONCA DI VAL - COL RODELLA

Excursions in the side valleys

Leave the car at Pian de Frataces near the Lupo Bianco hotel. Go down towards the hollow which used to be an artificial lake. Cross the Ruf de Antermont and take path no. 655 which actually runs along the forest road Col de la Pica. Go up through the wooden huts and barns at Pradel and then cross the Ruf de Val.Keep going along the edge of the forest until you reach a cross and a bench at Costa Rossa. Turning right you go uphill through the trees and then you will come to a clearing called Pian de Marizanela. Next there is a short steep section just before you reach the basin of Val, an area renowned for its wide variety of alpine flora. At a fork turn left to reach the vaste meadow of Pian de Jiadoes at 2,000 m (45 mins). Cross it going then up through sparse fir and larch trees. Next you come to the Val Salei. The path proceeds gently as it climbs up the mountainside to the Valentini refuge at 2,218 m (30 mins; 1 hour 15). Go left along the flat road to the Salei refuge and then climb up to the Forcella Rodella. From here, to the left, the uphill section to the Des Alpes refuge begins (45 mins; 2 hrs). Then you can take the path which leads up to the top of Col Rodella (2,484 m). You will reach the summit in 15 mins and the view of the Fassa Dolomites is quite exceptional.