Rifugio Valparola - Setsas

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, and then we continue right towards the mountain pass Passo Valparola. On the mountain pass, we park on one of the parking lots near the mountain hut Rifugio Valparola.
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 the settlement 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 mountain hut Rifugio Valparola we continue towards the southwest following the signs »Settsass«. After that, the path crosses grassy slopes on the right side of the lake Lago di Valparola and it brings us to a crossing. We continue right on the path number 24, which leads towards the summit Setsas.
The path further starts slightly ascending on a still mostly grassy slopes on the south side of the peak Piz Ciampei. Such a path then brings us to an indistinct saddle where we cross a grazing fence.
The path is then for some time a little less steep and brings us below the slopes Le Pale de Gerda, where there are some ruins from the time of the first world war. Further, the path turns slightly to the right and at first few times slightly ascends, and then follows a little longer descent and crossing below northern slopes of the peak Setsas. Here we have from the path very nice view towards the valley Val Badia and on the mountain groups Puez and Lavarella. The path which descends approximately 200 altitude meters then through a short lane of larch forest brings us on grassy slopes on northwestern side of the peak Setsas. The path here again starts ascending steeper and it brings us to a crossing.
To the right leads the path towards the mountain hut Pralongia, and we continue left following the signs »Setsas«. The path is then from a crossing slightly ascending parallel with the ridge and runs on a mostly grassy terrain towards the south. When we come on the ridge we continue left, and from the right joins also the other path from the mountain hut Pralongia. Here also a very nice view opens up on the mountain groups Marmolada and Sella. For some time we are still slightly ascending on a wide grassy terrain, and then the path brings us on rocky slopes. Further path avoids the ridge on the northern side and is mostly ascending diagonally towards the east. We will soon also notice a cross on the top of the mountain and only a short ascent follows to the top from which breathtaking views open up on all sides.

On the way: Lago di Valparola (2140m)