Lagazuoi, in the upper Val Badia, is a special place. I hiked up to the Lagazuoi Refuge—and the summit of the "Little Lagazuoi" (Piccolo Lagazuoi)—for the fourth time, starting from Passo Falzarego; once again, it was a trek and an experience to remember. Here is the story of the hike. 

 

Hiking: from Passo Falzarego to Piccolo Lagazuoi (Val Badia, South Tyrol, Dolomites)

 

The Lagazauoi Refuge can be easily reached by cable car from Passo Falzarego (2117 m). Or, you can reach the refuge and the summit with various hiking routes. From the Falzarego pass, you can follow path 402/401 (Path of the Front), which goes up from the south, and passes through the Forcella Travenanzes. Or, you can start from the Capanna Alpina, take path number 20, first reaching the Scotoni Refuge, and then the Lagazuoi Refuge. In any case, the environment and scenery of the excursion will be magnificent and mind-blowing.

 

 

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On this occasion, we followed trail 402. The route is straightforward, so there is no need for a lengthy description. In the lower section, you can simply follow the signs for trail 402 and leave the ski slope almost immediately. The path climbs steeply with several switchbacks, leading beneath the famous south face of Piccolo Lagazuoi until you reach a junction (marked on our track at the 1.8 km mark, at an altitude of approximately 2,380 meters and after one hour of hiking). Here, the path to the left leads to the two famous Lagazuoi *via ferratas* (the Kaiserjäger Trail and the Anticima Tunnel), while the path to the right heads north towards Forcella Travenanzes. A brief aside regarding the *via ferratas*: generally, hikers ascend via the Kaiserjäger trail and descend through the tunnel. The setting is spectacular—traversing the famous Martini Ledge, which was held by Italian troops—and the technical difficulty is not excessive. Additionally, a kiosk at Falzarego Pass offers *via ferrata* equipment rentals during the summer.

 

 

I continued on towards the saddle with my family (after all, I had already had my fill of excitement over the previous two days tackling the Strada degli Alpini, the Ferrata Zandonella, and Piz Lavarella...). The path’s gradient eases momentarily as it skirts the eastern flank of Piccolo Lagazuoi, before steepening sharply beneath Forcella Travenanzes (2,507 meters; 3 km and a 1.5 to 2-hour hike, depending on pace). At the saddle, pausing to take in the view is a must. To the east, the panorama is dominated by Tofana di Rozes—home to the famous Lipella *via ferrata*—with Tofana di Mezzo and Tofana di Dentro rising just a little further north. To the north lie the peaks of Lagazuoi (South and North), while to the south—looking back down the valley we had just ascended—the gaze sweeps toward the Marmolada and the Sella Group, situated slightly further west. The variety of rock shapes and colors is stunning. I couldn't help but think that before flying to the Grand Canyon in the USA, one really ought to stop here and admire these places that are unique in the world. Indeed, we encountered hikers speaking a wide array of languages ​​in this area.

There isn't much further to go from Forcella Travenanzes. Following trail 401, a gently sloping traverse skirts the southern face of Lagazuoi Sud, quickly leading to Forcella Lagazuoi (2,572 m). Rifugio Lagazuoi is now in sight; all that remains is the final stretch of trail zigzagging up the steep, rocky slope beneath the mountain hut. But it is impossible to resist the curiosity to enter the tunnels of the Austrian positions along the rocky ridge that descends northeastward from the refuge.

 

 

Finally, you reach the Lagazuoi Refuge, situated at 2,752 meters (a 4.6 km hike; the time it takes depends on your pace—and your curiosity...). You are immediately struck by the variety and quality of the food and drinks served there (it is essentially a high-altitude restaurant and hotel). The refuge’s terrace—and especially the view from it—is spectacular: in addition to the mountains visible from the *Forcella* (pass) mentioned earlier, you can see Sassolungo and Sassopiatto, Sciliar, Sassongher, the Odle group, and all the peaks above Cortina (Pelmo, Civetta, Cadini, etc.).

After a packed lunch (though I did treat myself to a medium wheat beer at the refuge for the modest sum of 8 euros), we took a simple, scenic walk—made easier by a recently installed metal walkway—to reach the cross on Piccolo Lagazuoi. It brought back memories of the time I had climbed up here with my two-year-old son in a carrier on my back...

The descent follows the same route as the ascent (we took a few shortcuts along the ski slope, though we struggled a bit with the steeper gradients in some sections, which put some strain on our knees).

Enjoy your hiking. Fabio

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