Sassongher Hike

From the Col Pradat parking lot in Colfosco, Trail No. 3 climbs through the forest to the upper station of the ski lifts (Rifugio Col Pradat, 2,029 m). Curiously, no signpost mentions Sassongher at the start, but the mountain is clearly visible from Colfosco, and the route is obvious. After a short descent, take Trail No. 4A which runs along the mountain's flank on a gentle incline before joining Trail No. 4, which comes from Forcella de Ciampëi. At around 2,100 meters, at the next junction, switch to Trail No. 7, which ascends to the right toward Forcella del Sassongher.

The terrain gradually becomes more challenging with a stony narrow path and traverses along the cliff face, including a few airy sections. Then, there are steep switchbacks leading to Forcella del Sassongher (2,435 m). From this pass, head right to cross a final steep scree and a rather vertiginous ledge up to the base of the equipped section. The via ferrata lasts about 100 meters and is limited to the last five minutes before the summit. It allows you to cross a rock step without any real technical difficulty. Hikers without climbing gear can cross the section by using the cables as a handline, as most people on the trail do. However, wearing a helmet, harness, and via ferrata lanyard is recommended because the rock is crumbly and the number of people above can cause rockfalls.

Beyond the cable section, a few switchbacks on scree lead to the large summit cross (2,665 m), which offers a clear, 360° panorama of the Sella Massif, Sassongher, and the Alta Badia Valley. The return follows the same route to the junction with trail no. 4, which you then follow toward the Edelweiss Hut and Colfosco until you reach the trailhead and complete the loop.