Passo Falzarego - Lagazuoi Piccolo (via gallery)

Access to starting point:
First, we drive to Cortina d'Ampezzo (to here possible over a border crossing Rateče or Predel to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on a highway in the direction of Videm / Udine to exit Tolmezzo. From Tolmezzo we follow the road in the direction of village Ampezzo and mountain pass Passo Mauria. The road then descends and it brings us to a crossroad, 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 Primorska side, where we drive on a highway in the direction of Trst / Trieste. Further, we drive on Italian highway in the direction of Padova, but only to a 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 we follow the signs for Alpine mountain pass Passo di Falzarego. This ascending road we then follow to a large parking lot on the mentioned mountain pass.

Path description:
Only few ten meters away from the parking lot at the bottom station of the cable car on Lagazuoi Piccolo we will notice signs for the tunnel Lagazuoi. The path at first leads on a worse for traffic closed macadam road (road for the purpose of a ski slope), which after a short ascent brings us to the spot, where signs for tunnel point us slightly to the left. We continue the ascent on a wide mountain path, which is ascending parallel with the road which we just left. A moderately steep path then from a lane of dwarf pines brings us on the scree, from which beautiful views are opening up mainly towards the south. Well maintained path, after a little less than an hour of walking, it brings us to a crossing, where we continue left in the direction of tunnels Lagazuoi (right normal mountain path).
The path ahead immediately steeply ascends on a well-secured ledge behind which we come to the first tunnel. Here we also notice a warning sign, that we will for further walk need good footwear, lamp and a helmet (while walking through tunnels we have to pay attention to occasionally low ceiling). When we walk through the first relatively short tunnel the path with the help of fixed safety gear descends, crosses the gully and then on a slightly exposed and panoramic ledge brings us to the entrance into more extensive underground tunnels. Here an entrance sign points us right in the tunnel, which is with the help of stairs and steel cables ascending by the edge of the south wall. During the ascent through the tunnel, we notice few windows, through which wonderful views opening up. A considerably wet path then brings us to a crossing at an altitude 2551 meters (further I will describe the left path).
At the crossing of two tunnels, we go into the left, where we continue the ascent in complete darkness (because there aren't any windows, which would at least occasionally give some light). Considerably long, steep and wet tunnel higher brings us to the next crossing (here on a wall we notice legend of tunnels). We continue left again, where with the help of shorter very steep wooden stairs we ascend to so-called room 3. Here is situated also emergency call, which we use in case of problems (because the use of mobile phones in tunnels isn't possible, because there is no signal). After further shorter ascent tunnel with the caption exit branches off to the left, and we continue straight to nicely "preserved" next room (again option of emergency call). And only a little ahead path brings us out of the tunnel on a panoramic ledge from which a breathtaking view opens up. The path then with the help of fixed safety gear steeply ascends on an exposed ledge after which we come to the next room at an altitude 2629 meters. The path goes again in the tunnel and it quickly brings us to the next crossing. Correct path leads right (left over the steep ladder we come on a vantage point, dead-end path), which after few additional strides, brings us to a larger number of tunnels (near is exhibited wheelbarrow, which isn't from times of war). We continue on the left (not the one, which ends after few meters), which then after a further shorter ascent brings us to the spot, where joins the tunnel from tunnel Spirale (we were ascending through the tunnel Cresta). The path then finally comes from tunnels on panoramic, slightly exposed but well-secured ridge (when mines blew up on 20th June 1917 good part of the mountain collapsed, 40 people died). The path ahead leads us by defense embankment and behind it brings us on a wide ledge below the upper part of the mountain. After the ledge path steeply ascends and it brings us to the upper station of the cable car. We continue left and after additional few ten strides, we come to the mountain hut rifugio Lagazuoi.
From the mountain hut, we continue on a well-beaten path, which on the upper ridge soon brings us on an ample and panoramic peak.

On the way: Rifugio Lagazuoi (2750m)