Passo Falzarego - Bivouac della Chiesa (eastern way)

Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo (to here you can go via the border crossing Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on the highway in the direction of Vidma / Udine to the exit Tolmezzo. From Tolmezzo we follow the road in the direction of the village Ampezzo and the mountain pass Passo della Mauria. The road then descends and brings us to a crossroads, where we continue left (possible also right) in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. At all next crossroads, we follow the signs for Cortina d'Ampezzo. Or from the Primorska side, where we drive on the highway in the direction of Trst / Trieste. Further, we drive on the Italian highway in the direction of Padova, but only to the highway junction, where we continue in the direction of Veneto and Belluno. Near Belluno the highway ends, and at the next crossroads we continue in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo and then follow the signs for the alpine pass Passo di Falzarego. We then follow this ascending road to the large parking lot on the mentioned pass.

Path description:
Just a few dozen meters away from the parking lot at the bottom station of the cable car on Lagazuoi Piccolo we will notice signs for the Lagazuoi gallery. The path first leads along a gravel road closed to traffic (road for ski slope needs), which after a short ascent brings us to the spot where the signs for the gallery direct us slightly to the left. We continue the ascent on a wide mountain path that ascends parallel to the road we just left. The moderately steep path then brings us from the belt of bushes onto the scree fields, from which beautiful views open up mainly to the south. The well-maintained path brings us, after less than an hour of walking, to a junction where we continue right on the normal mountain path (left is the path through the gallery).
The path further crosses the slopes below the steep walls of Lagazuoi Piccolo (danger of falling rocks) and a little further, across a torrent gully, passes onto the scree between the mentioned peak and the neighboring peak named Cima Falzarego. Here the path turns slightly to the left and ascends on a moderately steep slope to the panoramic saddle Forcella Travenanzes, where there is a junction.
We continue straight in the direction of "bivacco della Chiesa" on the path that crosses the scree on the right (eastern) side of the Lagazuoi Grande ridge. After a few minutes of traversing, the path brings us below the walls of the mentioned ridge (danger of falling rocks) and then ascends to a smaller saddle, where we notice numerous underground tunnels. We continue further in the direction of bivacco Chiesa on the path that occasionally ascends a bit more steeply. The increasingly panoramic traverse path then brings us higher to the saddle Forcella Grande, from which in a few descent steps we reach bivacco Chiesa.

On the way: Forcella Travenanzes (2507m)

Trip can be extended to: Punta Fanes Sud (1 h 30 min)