Sant'Uberto - Ütia de Gran Fanes

Access to starting point:
Via the border crossing Rateče we drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, where we head onto the motorway in the direction of Videm / Udine. We leave the motorway at the Tolmezzo exit and follow the road to the mentioned place. From Tolmezzo we continue in the direction of the settlement Ampezzo and the mountain pass Passo della Mauria. The road then starts descending and brings us into the Cadore valley, where we continue right (left Belluno and Cortina d'Ampezzo) in the direction of the settlement Auronzo. After a few additional km of driving, we come to the next major junction, where we turn right in the direction of Misurina (left Tre Croci pass). From here we descend along the road to a larger junction where we continue left towards Cortina d'Ampezzo (right Austria). From the mentioned junction we continue for approximately 10 km towards Cortina d'Ampezzo, and then in a sharp left bend we turn right onto the road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Ra Stua. We park on the parking lot, which is located right at the beginning of the mentioned road.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we head left onto the cart track following the signs »Valle di Fanes« (path no. 10). The cart track starts descending from the parking lot and quickly brings us to a marked junction. At the junction, we head right onto the footpath following the signs »Valle di Fanes«. From the junction, the path starts descending through the forest and brings us to an asphalt road.
We continue right along the road and cross the bridge over the stream Rio di Fanes. The road, which runs along the stream, then brings us to a junction.
Right leads the more demanding path named Sentiero dei Canyons, while we head left (path no. 10) onto the road, which is asphalted for a short time and then becomes macadam. In the continuation, the road mostly gently ascends through the forest, and occasionally views open up to the nearby peaks.
Later, a footpath branches off to the left towards the saddle Posporcora, while we continue along the macadam road. The road then turns slightly to the right and crosses the deep gorge Gola di Fanes over a bridge. We continue along the road and soon reach another junction. Near the junction there are also some benches and tables.
At the junction we continue left along the road, straight ahead leads the path Scorciatoia (shortcut), which is somewhat steeper and later rejoins the road. From the mentioned shortcut, the path Sentiero dei Canyons also branches off. To the right at the junction leads the path to the waterfall Cascata di Fanes, which is just a few minutes' walk along an exposed ledge (recommended use of self-belaying).
We therefore continue left and continue ascending along the macadam road, which is also suitable for mountain bikers. After a short ascent we reach another junction where path 401 branches off to the left towards the notch Forcella Posporcora. We continue right and keep ascending along the road through the forest, from which views to the surrounding peaks open up ever more frequently. The road then ascends more steeply several times and is occasionally concreted. Higher up, the path Sentiero dei Canyons branches off to the left, which also leads towards the valley Val Travenanzes.
Our path then slowly turns right and approaches the stream Rio di Fanes again. Here the path Scorciatoia joins us from the right, and shortly after, the path to the last waterfall on the stream Rio di Fanes branches off to the right. The waterfall is just a few minutes' walk along an exposed path. Self-belaying is also recommended here.
At the junction the road turns gently left and in the continuation runs along the mentioned stream. The path soon brings us out of the forest and wonderful views open up to the surrounding peaks. The panoramic path then brings us to the lake Lago di Fanes.
At the end of the lake we cross the bridge and continue along the level cart track beside the stream. The path brings us to a fence where we leave the Dolomiti d'Ampezzo nature park and enter the Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park. The border between the Veneto region (Benečija) and South Tyrol (Trentino-Alto Adige) also runs here. We continue along the cart track, which briefly still runs beside the stream and then ascends somewhat more steeply, bringing us from the grassy slopes into the forest. The forest becomes ever sparser and from the path we have a fine view of the peaks above the Valle di Fanes valley. Our path runs beside the stream again for a while and brings us to a junction.
To the right leads path 10A towards the hut Rifugio Fanes, while we continue left along the road towards the pasture Malga Fanes Grande. In the continuation the road runs in a gentle ascent towards the southwest. Later the road starts to descend gently and the road from the hut Rifugio Fanes joins from the right. Only a short descent remains along the panoramic road to the hut Ütia de Gran Fanes.

On the way: Lago di Fanes (1832m)

Trip can be extended to: Lago di Limo , Bivacco Baccon Barborka (1 h 45 min) , Vallon Bianco (2 h 15 min) , Bivacco della Pace , Furcia Rossa III