Today we set off on the third of the nine stages of the DOLOMITES WITHOUT FRONTIERS mountain and via ferrata circuit.
This round was born from the idea that the Dolomites should not be a barrier, but a place of gathering and friendship.
2 countries – 9 stages – 12 via ferratas – 17 huts – 108 kilometres
The 12 via ferratas connect Italy and Austria. Each one is special: either from a historical or an alpinistic point of view.
If you click on the picture, you can see the whole map:
Source reference: https://www.dolomitisenzaconfini.eu/deutsch/touren/
So today we present you with the third stage.
Stage 1 – Rifugio Lunelli – Rifugio Berti/Rifugio Carducci can be found here.
You can find stage 2 – Rifugio Carducci – Dreizinnen Hut – along here.
Let’s get started!
Stage 2 – Dreizinnen Hut – Zsigmondy Hut
| Difficulty | demanding |
| Route length | 9,8 km |
| Altitude | 2.408 m |
| Duration | 8:00 hours |
| Recommended season | July till October |
Route description
Well rested, the third day begins with a direct ascent from the Drei-Zinnen-Hütte to the via ferrata on the Toblinger Knoten. This is short but quite demanding and consists of many ladders in the first part. Once you reach the summit at 2,617 m, you are rewarded with a magnificent 360-degree panorama of everything that the Three Peaks Nature Park has to offer and what makes it special. The descent from the Toblinger Knoten is somewhat easier via the east grade with A,B.
In difficult weather conditions, you can also skip this first peak and hike directly to the Zsigmondy Hut.
Once you have arrived back at the Dreizinnenütte, you take the “Friedensklettersteig” or De Luca Innerkofler via ferrata to the Paternkofel at 2,744 m above sea level. The varied via ferrata (difficulty level C) leads at the beginning through a gallery from the First World War. As the via ferrata is very popular, you have to reckon with many other climbers in the high season. In early summer, however, it can happen that there is still ice and snow in the gallery and in front of the Gamsscharte. The most difficult part is just before the Gamsscharte, where the path leads up a steep ascent (C). From the top of the Paternkofel you can also enjoy a wonderful view, this time of the north faces of the Three Peaks.
From the Paternkofel, descend eastwards via the Schartensteig to the Gamsscharte (B). In this section there is a separate descent variant so as not to obstruct ascending climbers and to avoid traffic jams. Finally, you reached the Büllelejoch and the Büllelejochhütte.
From there, trail 101 and the Dolomite Trail lead comfortably downhill to the Zsigmondy Hut at 2,224 m. Here you can either spend the night in the large camp or in a small cosy one and eat very well. The Zsigmondy Hut is one of our favourite mountain huts and we will certainly introduce it to you in detail soon.
Viele Grüße
