Passo Pordoi - Porta Vescovo (ridge way)

Access to starting point:
Access from Gorenjska: From Rateče or Predel we cross the border to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then we continue 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.
In Cortina d'Ampezzo then we follow the signs for Alpine mountain pass Passo di Falzarego. This ascending road we then follow to the mentioned mountain pass. On the mountain pass, we come to a crossroad, where we continue on the left road in the direction of Marmolada and settlement Arabba (right Alta Badia). The road ahead is for quite some time descending, and then it brings us to a crossroad, where we continue right in the direction of the mountain pass Passo Pordoi (left Marmolada). Relatively wide and the ascending road we follow all the way to the mentioned mountain pass, where we park on a large parking lot.
From Primorska: We drive on the highway towards Venice / Benetke / Venezia. At town Portogruaro we leave the highway towards Venice and continue right on the highway towards Pordenone. At the next highway junction near Conegliano, we continue right towards Belluno. Near Belluno the highway ends and at the next crossroads we continue in the direction of Cortina d'Ampezzo. Further, we follow the description above.

Path description:
From the parking lot on the mountain pass, we continue towards the southeast past the mountain hut Savoia behind which we will notice signposts. Signposts point us on a footpath towards the mountain hut Rifugio Fredarola. A wide path at first runs towards the southeast and it brings us to the chapel. Here the path turns to the right and is then slightly ascending below the eastern slopes of the peak Sas Bece. From the path, we have otherwise very nice view mainly on the nearby peaks in the mountain group Sella. The path then soon brings us to a saddle on the north side of the peak Sas Bece from where also a view towards Marmolada opens up.
On the saddle where there is a crossing, we continue straight, left on a ski slope leads the path towards the mountain hut Rifugio Sass Bece. The path from the saddle at first crosses grassy slopes towards the south and then brings us to a macadam road.
At the crossing, we continue slightly left and then we go on a footpath which crosses a short grassy slope. Left further on the road leads the path towards the mountain hut Sass Bece, and right downwards towards the mountain hut Belvedere and ahead towards the summit Col di Rosc. After a short crossing, the path brings us on a wide macadam path where we continue left.
A wide path then runs towards the east and is slightly ascending by a little steeper grassy slopes with beautiful views towards Marmolada. On such path we then soon reach the mountain hut Rifugio Fredarola.
At the mountain hut where there is a crossing, we continue on a macadam road towards the east following the signs »Viel del Pan«. The road then quickly brings us to another marked crossing.
At the crossing, we continue slightly left on the ridge path (Sentiero Attrezzato delle Creste), and right leads an easier path named Bindelweg towards the mountain hut Rifugio Viel del Pan and forward towards the saddle Porta Vescovo. The path from a crossing runs on the northern side of the ridge and it quickly brings us on little steeper slopes from which we have very nice view towards the mountain group Sella and towards Alta Badia. The path from northern slopes soon turns right and ascend towards the ridge. Further, we are for some time ascending on a ridge and then the path brings us on 2563 meters high peak Col da Cuch from which a view opens up on whole ridge of Padon and towards the lake Lago di Fedaia.
From the top, we still continue on the ridge and start descending on a mostly grassy terrain. The path which continues to descend further runs by south side of the ridge and it brings us to a smaller saddle. Here unmarked footpath branches off to the right, which crosses grassy slopes towards the mountain hut Viel del Pan, and we continue on the ridge and we again start ascending steeper.
The path then leads us over unnamed peak on which stands a bigger cairn and then descends to a saddle below the western slopes of the peak Sas Ciapel. Also on that saddle is a crossing where right over a grassy slope footpath towards path Bindelweg and mountain hut Viel del Pan branches off.
We still continue by the ridge towards the east and the path brings us below steeper slopes of the peak Sas Ciapel. The marked path here starts crossing slopes on the south side of the peak, and on the left side we will notice some footpaths, which lead towards the summit. We go on one of footpaths, which for a short time ascend on a quite steep slope, so that at the ascent also some caution is needed. The path then quickly brings us on a ridge and then follows a short undemanding ascent to a panoramic summit.
From the top, we return on the path which crosses the south slopes below the summit. After the crossing of steep grassy slopes path brings us on a ridge on the eastern side of the peak Sas Ciapel. Here the path starts descending and runs on a slightly exposed ridge. Slope soon becomes less steep and then follows a descent on a grassy slope by the ridge to the next smaller saddle. We still continue on the ridge path and we ascend on a less distinct peak named Col de Pausa. On descent from the peak we come below the western slopes of the peak Le Forfesc. Here branches off to the right footpath towards easier path Bindelweg, and we for a short time still continue on the ridge and then we have to pay attention to blazes because marked path turns left on the northern slopes. And right leads unmarked path, which steep slopes bypasses on the south side and then it ascends back towards the ridge. So we continue left and we cross slopes on the north side of the peak Le Forfesc. Further for some time in a gentle ascent, we cross the slopes towards the east, and then the path turns a little right and ascend towards the ridge. On the ridge, we come on the eastern side of the peak Le Forfesc to which there is only a short ascent on a ridge.
On the ridge, we continue left towards the east and then for quite some time, we cross grassy slopes on the south side of the ridge. Later we will on the left side notice the peak Belvedere on which stands a cross. The footpath here becomes a little poorly visible and then soon joins the path from the saddle Porta Vescovo. On poorly visible crossing we continue left and follows an ascent on a panoramic grassy slope to the top.
From the top, we return to a poorly visible crossing and then we descend on the eastern grassy slopes towards the saddle Porta Vescovo. In the lower part the slope becomes a little steeper and on shorter section where we cross granite plates some caution is needed.
The path then in descent soon brings us to a saddle Porta Vescovo.
Back towards the mountain pass Passo Pordoi we return on an easier path Bindelweg, that runs on the south slopes past the mountain hut Viel del Pan.

On the way: Rifugio Fredarola (2370m), Col da Cuch (2563m), Sas Ciapel (2557m), Col de Pausa (2415m), Le Forfesc (2585m), Belvedere (2650m)