Short Alta Via 2

The starting point for the Alta Via 2 is at the cable car station in S. Andrea. From here you take the cable car to the top, from where you can really start your hike. The cable car goes up to Valcroce and from here path n° 7 starts to the Rifugio Plose. The Plose hut is located at 2447 m above the town of Bressanone.

From Rifugio Plose follow path no. 4 and the signs for the Alta Via 2 and walk about 2 hours downhill to the Rodella Pass. From here, after about 30 minutes you will find yourself before the fork of Sass Putia - the most challenging part of this stage of Alta Via 2. The Forcella della Pùtia appears in the background. To get there you have to overcome an altitude difference of 500 meters. In the beginning the path is gradual, but then it follows several steep turns (often with snow, even at the beginning of July) that lead to the Forcella della Pùtia (Peitlerscharte), at 2357 meters. From the junction, follow path No. 4 in a southwesterly direction to the Poma Pass (Kreuzkofeljoch, 2340 m), from where you can already see Rifugio Genova at 2297m. It's another 30 minutes or so southwest to the hut.

Tip: Be sure to celebrate the end of the stage at Rifugio Genova with their delicious home-made “Almheu – fieno d’alpeggio” schnaps!

From the Rifugio Genova-Schlüterhütte, at 2297 m, take path n. 3 which, after a stretch to the east, turns to the south along the eastern side of the Bronsoi with a splendid panorama of Odle and Puez. This is an area of great geological and floristic interest. At the altitude of 2421 m, the path turns to the southwest, passes above Munt de Medalges in the Natural Park Puez-Odle, and reaches the Fùrcia de Medalges (Kreuzjoch), at 2293 meters. Path no. 3 then runs east of the Campillerturm and Sass da l'Ega (Sasso dell'Acqua-Wasserkofele) and then crosses the long Longiarù Ridge. Go over the ridge until you reach a junction at an altitude of 2389 meters.

Then climb up to reach the Fùrcia dla Róa (Forcella della Rova-Roascharte), at 2617 meters. This saddle divides the Odle Group in the west from the Pùez Group in the east. Attention: at the beginning of the season it is possible to find hard snow in the gully and an ice axe or at least half crampons would be useful. Continuing along the route you descend southwards to a junction at an altitude of about 2500 m in a large debris basin. Here you leave path n. 3, which descends to the right (south-west) and join path n. 2. Path n. 2 will take you east to Fórces de Siëles, at 2505 meters.

After crossing the fork, you will find yourself in front of thin pastures. The Sassonghér appears in the distance, to the east. Now, path no. 2 turns to the north-east and becomes a thin path carved into the rock. The trail is not difficult and there are some metal ropes to help you. Then, after a flat stretch, the path descends eastwards through the wide grassy plain of Munt de Pùez, makes a wide Z, and heads eastwards once more up to the nearby Pùez Hut, at 2475 meters.

From Rifugio Pùez (Puezhütte, 2475 m), follow path n° 2 southeast and cross the vast plateau of the Pùez where, in case of fog, you must look out for the signs. After the crossroads at an altitude of 2104 m, continue southwards to reach the Forcella de Ciampëi (or Somafùrcia, 2366 m). From here to Passo Gardena, path no. 2 will always go in a southwest direction. From the fork, you go up a little bit, until you reach Lech de Crespëina (Lake Crespèina-Crespeina See). From the small lake, with a steep ascent, you reach the Forcella de Crespëina, at 2528 meters. You then descend steeply and finally make a final climb through loose rock to the Forcella Cir (or Dantes les Pizes-Cirjoch, 2469 m).

From here on it's all a succession of gentle ups and downs, forks, boulders, small towers, and pastures until you reach the wide Dolomite saddle of Passo Gardena (Grödner Joch, 2121 m). Your short Alta Via 2 trek ends at Passo Gardena. From here, you can take a bus back to Bressanone or Bolzano.