In the Dolomites of Cortina d’Ampezzo
Walking between the UNESCO Dolomites
Walking along the trails of Faloria–Cristallo means immersing yourself in the heart of the Ampezzo Dolomites, amidst spectacular panoramas and authentic nature. The network of itineraries offers routes suitable for everyone: from gentle walks ideal for families, to more demanding hikes for those wishing to reach high-altitude panoramic points. Every trail offers unique views, amidst fragrant woods, flowering pastures, and vistas that range from the Tofane to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.
Whether you want a simple rejuvenating walk or a more intense trekking adventure, Faloria is the perfect starting point to experience the mountain step by step, with the possibility of also combining the routes with the use of the lifts to reach the highest altitudes.
Trekking trails in
Faloria – Cristallo
Key
  Mountain      Difficulty      Walking hours      Refuge
Faloria refuge – Val Orita – Fraina
  Faloria      Medium      2 h 30 m      Faloria refuge
From the Faloria Refuge which can be reached by the cable car from the centre of Cortina, you head uphill toward the Tondi Refuge along footpath 213. You can also pay to use the 4×4 shuttle service.
Then you take footpath 214 and walk along the whole of Val Orita and its landscape of gravel beds and rocky terrain. At the end of the valley the path plunges into woodland soon to reach Baita Fraina along an easy to negotiate mule track.
You can return to the centre of Cortina on the local bus.
Faloria refuge – Vandelli refuge – Sorapis lake
  Faloria      Difficult      2 h 45 m
  Refuges Faloria – Tondi – Vandelli
From the centre of Cortina the cable car takes you up to the Faloria Refuge (at a height of 2,123m) and from here you can walk up to the Tondi Refuge along footpath 213. You can also pay to use the 4×4 shuttle service.
You carry on along footpath 213, crossing the Monte Ciasadio ridge until you reach Forcella Faloria pass (at 2,309m.) where the footpath crosses over Alta Via 3 that heads down towards Cortina.
From here onward the route is signposted as footpath 213 and Alta Via. Now you head halfway up to the foot of the Cesta (Ra Zesta) rock walls, then after passing the left-hand branch heading for Tre Croci Pass, you reach Forcella del Ciadin pass (at 2,378m) and cross a short stretch equipped with metal cables leading to the Cadin del Laudo valley.
Here a ledge, that is rather exposed but with a fixed rope to help you negotiate it, takes you round a rocky outcrop, after which you head downhill amid mountain pines to the Rio Sorapiss valley at an altitude of 1,885m. Now you take the footpath leading from Tre Croci Pass and follow it until you reach the spectacular Lake Sorapiss and the Vandelli Refuge. On the return trip you can head towards Tre Croci Pass along footpath 215, which takes about 2 hours.
Forcella Zumeles ring
  Cristallo      Medium      2 h 30 m
  Son Forca refuge – Malga Larieto
This ring-shaped route takes you through an area of great natural beauty, stretches of it passing through one of the finest larch woods in the Ampezzo valley, a particularly magical place in the autumn. As you walk you will also enjoy some marvellous views of the rocky walls of Monte Cristallo.
From Rio Gere you take the chairlift up to the Son Forca Refuge (at a height of 2,215m). Follow the dirt road leading down to the gondola lift station then follow what in winter is the ski piste as far as Forcella Son Forca pass (2,110m).
Now you leave the piste to your left and head along level ground on footpath 205 until you come to the crossroads with the path to Val Padeon where you climb up, to your left, toward Forcella Zumeles pass.
From the summit, at an altitude of 2,072m, you will be greeted with a stunning view over the whole Cortina valley.
Now you head downhill along footpath 204, at first steep and winding until it enters the woodland. Once down to a height of 1,690m, you come to a crossroads at which you bear left on footpath 211 leading to Mietres and that carries on to the dairy farm and restaurant Malga Larieto, set in magnificent larch woodland, and before long you are back at the Rio Gere chairlift station.
Faloria refuge – Rio Gere – Mandres
  Faloria      Easy      3 h
  Faloria refuge – Rio Gere restaurant
From the Faloria Refuge, which can be reached by the cable car from the centre of Cortina, you head downhill along footpath 212 as far as Rio Gere. You then walk along a brief stretch of the road SS48 heading toward Cortina until you come to the signpost for footpath 206 to Mandres.
After a woodland stretch, the footpath runs through some mountain pines on the slopes of Monte Faloria.
You plunge back into woodland for the descent to Mandres and then to the village of Pecol.
Mandres – Porte del Dio Silvano
  Faloria      Difficult      3 h
From the centre of Cortina you take the cable car and get off at the intermediate stop Mandres.
From here you head downhill to the right along a well-marked footpath to the signpost for footpath 220. Now turn left and walk through the larch wood at the foot of Monte Faloria along a nearly flat footpath until you reach Ra Crepedeles, a rocky outcrop that includes La Porta del Dio Silvano (the gateway of the woodland god), a huge square-shaped hollow that resembles a gateway in the mountain that has inspired so many ancient legends telling of buried treasures.
Now you head downhill on a medium to steep slope to the farm Fattoria Meneguto and then Baita Fraina from where you return to Cortina along a scenic route.
