Sant'Uberto - Vallon Bianco

Access to starting point:
Via the border crossing Rateče we drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, where we take the motorway in the direction of Udine. We leave the motorway at the exit for Tolmezzo and follow the road to the mentioned town. From Tolmezzo we continue in the direction of the settlement Ampezzo and 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 more km of driving we come to the next larger junction, where we turn right in the direction of the town Misurina (left pass Tre Croci). 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 approximately 10 km towards Cortina d'Ampezzo, then in a sharp left bend we turn right onto the road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Ra Stua. We park in the parking area located right at the beginning of the mentioned road.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we go left on a cart track following the signs »Valle di Fanes« (path number 10). The cart track from the parking lot starts descending and quickly brings us to a marked junction. At the junction, we go right on a 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 on the road and cross a 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, we go left (path number 10) on a road which is asphalted for a short time longer and then becomes macadam. Further on, the road mostly ascends gently through the forest, occasionally views also open up on the nearby peaks.
Later a footpath towards the saddle Posporcora branches off to the left, we continue on the macadam road. The road then turns slightly to the right and over a bridge crosses the deep gorge Gola di Fanes. We continue on the road and quickly we are again at a junction. Near the junction there are also some benches and tables.
At the junction we continue left on the road, straight 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. At the junction to the right leads the path towards the waterfall Cascata di Fanes to which it is only a few minutes of walking on an exposed ledge (recommended use of self-belaying).
So we continue left and ascend further on the macadam road, which is also suitable for mountain bikers. After a short ascent we come to another junction where path 401 towards the notch Forcella Posporcora branches off to the left. We continue right and ascend further on the road through the forest from which views on the surrounding peaks open up ever more frequently. The road further ascends steeply a few times and is occasionally also concreted. Higher the path Sentiero dei Canyons also branches off to the left, which leads also towards the valley Val Travenanzes.
Our path then slowly turns to the right and approaches the stream Rio di Fanes again. Here the path Scorciatoia joins us from the right side, a little after that the path to the last waterfall on the stream Rio di Fanes also branches off to the right. To the waterfall it is only a few minutes of walking on an exposed path. Here too self-belaying is recommended.
At the junction the road turns gently to the left and further runs along the mentioned stream. The path then soon brings us out of the forest and wonderful views open up on the surrounding peaks. The panoramic path then brings us to the lake Lago di Fanes.
At the end of the lake we cross a bridge and continue on a flat cart track along 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. Here also runs the border between the Veneto region and South Tyrol (Trentino-Alto Adige). We continue on the cart track, which for a short time still runs along the stream then ascends somewhat more steeply and brings us from the grassy slope into the forest. The forest becomes ever sparser and from the path we have a nice view on the peaks above the valley Valle di Fanes. Our path for some time again runs along the stream and brings us to a junction.
Right leads path 10A towards hut Rifugio Fanes, we continue left on the road towards pasture Malga Fanes Grande. Further the road runs in a gentle ascent towards the southwest. Later the road starts to descend gently and from the right the road from hut Rifugio Fanes also joins us. Only a short descent follows on the panoramic road to hut Ütia de Gran Fanes.
From the hut we continue on the road, which leads us across a panoramic pasture and we descend a little more. The road then crosses a small bridge and soon brings us to a marked junction.
At the junction we go left on path number 17 or Peace Trail (Fridensweg / Via della pace). The path from the junction first runs across a grassy slope and then brings us into a belt of very sparse larch and pine forest. The path further is marked with number 17 and signs VB and FR, indicating the peaks Vallon Bianco and Furcia Rossa. The path continues gently ascending and runs on an old military mule track towards the southeast. The path slowly turns even more to the left and a view towards the east on the valley Valle di Fanes also begins to open up. The mule track here brings us onto rockier terrain along which we soon reach a junction.
Right leads path 17 towards Monte Castello or bivouac Bivacco della Pace, we continue left on the path towards peaks Furcia Rossa and Vallon Bianco. From the junction the path then for quite some time crosses the slopes somewhat more towards the east and brings us to somewhat steeper slopes. Follows an ascent mostly in switchbacks on the steep slope and the path brings us to the next junction.
Right branches off a secured climbing path towards summit Furcia Rossa III and further towards bivouac Bivacco della Pace. At the junction we continue left and ascend for some time more on the panoramic path. The path then turns slightly to the right and brings us via a wide ledge and then along the upper edge of the scree again to a junction where right branches off the path towards summit Furcia Rossa II by which there is also a small bivouac Bivacco Baccon Barborka. To the mentioned bivouac it is about 10 minutes of walking.
At the junction we continue left towards summit Vallon Bianco and after a short traverse the path brings us to the northern slopes of the mountain. Further we cross the slopes towards the east and the path also becomes somewhat exposed, aided by some steel cables. Here we also enter the Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo nature park. The path then turns to the right, crosses a short small bridge and soon brings us to the saddle by which we will notice many ruins from the time of the First World War.
On the saddle we continue left and the well-maintained military path carved into the steep slope then ascends in a few switchbacks. The path then crosses even more exposed slopes towards the east and then crosses an interesting narrow bridge. Further the path mostly in a gentle ascent crosses exposed slopes towards the east, along the path we are constantly accompanied by numerous ruins from the time of the First World War. A little below the summit the path brings us to a small junction where we turn sharply right and ascend more steeply with the aid of a few pegs. To the summit only a short ascent follows on the panoramic summit slope of the mountain. From the summit, where there is a summit register box and some small benches, there is an exceptional view over most of the Dolomites. Particularly beautiful is the view of the nearby Tofane.
We descend along the ascent path.

On the way: Lago di Fanes (1832m), Ütia de Gran Fanes (2102m)