Passo Sella - Rifugio Sasso Piatto

Access to starting point:
From Kranjska Gora over the mountain pass Korensko sedlo to Austria, where at the first larger crossroad we continue left towards Podklošter / Arnoldstein and Trbiž / Tarvisio. At the end of the settlement Podklošter, signs for Šmohor / Hermagor point us to the right onto a regional road, along which past the mentioned settlement we drive to the end of the Gailtal valley, or more precisely to the settlement Kötschach-Mauthen, where we turn right towards the settlement Oberdrauburg. The route ahead leads us over the Alpine pass Gailbergsattel (982 m), after which we descend into the mentioned settlement. After crossing the bridge over the river Drau, we continue left towards the settlement Lienz. In the main roundabout in Lienz we continue "left" in the direction of the settlement Sillian and Italy. Further, we cross the state border between Austria and Italy, and we follow the main road past the settlements Dobbiaco / Toblach, Villabassa / Niederdorf, Monguelfo - Tesido / Welsberg - Taisten, Brunico / Bruneck. A little after the last-mentioned settlement, past which a bypass runs, we turn left into the Alta Badia valley. Further, we drive along the mentioned valley and in the settlement La Villa we turn right towards the pass Passo Gardena. In continuation, we follow the ascending road for the signs Passo Gardena. From the pass Passo Gardena we descend to the other side and then continue left towards the pass Passo Sella. At the pass Sella we park at the hut Rifugio Passo Sella or at one of the smaller parking lots along the road. The parking lot at the hut is payable (July 2012 – 4€).

Path description:
From the hut Rifugio Passo Sella we continue along the main road to the junction where a narrower road branches off to the right upward towards the hut Rifugio Carlo Valentini. At the junction there is also a smaller parking lot. We head onto the mentioned road and begin to ascend along the initially still asphalted road. The road leads us past the already mentioned hut Carlo Valentini, after which the asphalt ends and we continue slightly to the right along the gravel road following the signs »Sasso Piatto Plattkofel«.
From the road, which runs along grassy slopes, we have a nice view mainly towards the Sella group and Marmolada, and occasionally a view towards the summit Sassolungo also opens up. The road continues ascending towards the south and leads us past the hut Rifugio Salei and then also past the hut Chalet Margherita to the saddle Forcela Rodela, which is located below the slopes of the peak Col Rodela. At the saddle, where there is a junction, we continue right and along the flat road we reach the hut Rifugio Friedrich August.
From the hut we continue a few dozen meters along the road, after which the road ends and we proceed along the footpath following the signs »Rif. Sasso Piatto«.
The path initially descends slightly and then crosses grassy slopes towards the west. Further on, the path crosses a stream and brings us below the slopes of the peak Sasso Levante. Here increasingly beautiful views towards the mountain group Catinaccio begin to open up. The path continues crossing slopes towards the west and then brings us to the hut Rifugio Sandro Pertini.
From the hut we continue following the signs »Rif. Sasso Piatto« and still cross the slopes towards the west in gentle ascents and descents. The path named Sentiero Friedrich August later brings us to an indistinct saddle from which a view opens up towards the hut Sasso Piatto.
The path then descends slightly again and brings us to somewhat steeper slopes. Here a steel cable assists us, but the path is still relatively easy and does not cause difficulties. Soon after, we reach a junction where a path branches off to the left downward towards the alpine pasture Malga del Sasso Piatto, an unmarked shortcut branches off to the right upward towards the summit Sasso Piatto, and we continue straight along the wide path towards the hut Rifugio Sasso Piatto.
From the junction the path continues in a gentle descent crossing slopes towards the west and soon brings us to the hut.

On the way: Rifugio Carlo Valentini (2201m), Rifugio Salei (2222m), Chalet Margherita (2265m), Forcela Rodela (2318m), Rifugio Friedrich August (2298m), Rifugio Sandro Pertini (2300m)

Trip can be extended to: Sassopiatto / Plattkofel (2 h)