Lech da Sompunt - Rifugio Sponata

Access to starting point:
A) Access from Gorenjska: Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we continue driving towards Spittal and further towards Lienz (a little after Spittal the highway ends). Further, we drive on a relatively nice and wide road through the Drau Valley, which brings us to Italy. The road further leads past Dobbiaco / Toblach and Brunico / Bruneck. Just a little after the last-mentioned town, past which a bypass leads, we turn left into the Val Badia valley. Further, we drive through the mentioned valley to La Villa, where just a few meters after the sign which marks the settlement, we turn right towards the lake Lech da Sompunt. Then we follow the ascending road to Hotel Sompunt, which is located by the mentioned lake.
B)
From the Primorska side: From Nova Gorica, we drive to Italy and further on the highway to Portogruaro, where at the highway junction we turn in the direction of the town of Belluno. We follow the highway to its end (we do not turn in the direction towards Belluno), and then we continue driving towards Cortina d'Ampezzo. When we arrive in Cortina d'Ampezzo, we follow the signs for the Alpine pass Passo Falzarego. At the pass Passo Falzarego (2105 m) we turn right towards the neighbouring pass Passo Valparola (2192 m), from there we descend into the Val Badia valley. In La Villa we turn right towards Brunico / Bruneck. Just a few meters before the sign which marks the end of La Villa, we turn left towards the lake Lech da Sompunt. Then we follow the ascending road to Hotel Sompunt, which is located by the mentioned lake.

Path description:
At the parking lot by the lake we turn left onto the footpath following the signs »Sponata, Ütia de Puez«. The path quickly brings us to the road where there is a marked junction. We turn right and continue on the road which leads uphill across the ski slope. Further, we ascend the ski slope from which increasingly beautiful views open up towards the Val Badia valley and the Lavarella mountain group. Higher up a mountain bike trail joins us briefly, which is also indicated by signs along the path. We continue ascending the ski slope and soon spot the Rifugio Sponata hut, to which only a short ascent follows.

Trip can be extended to: Rifugio Gherdenacia (1 h 20 min) , Rifugio Puez , Muntejela de Puez , Ciampani (3 h 10 min) , Col de Puez / Puezkofel , Piz de Puez / Puezspitz