Passo Tre Croci - Sella di Punta Nera (path 215)

Access to starting point:
From Rateče or Predel we cross the border to Trbiž / Tarvisio and then on the 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 right towards Auronzo. Further, we follow the signs for mountain pass Tre Croci.

Path description:
From the mountain pass Tre Croci we go towards the east and we walk by the main road for good 100 meters and then we will on the right side of the road notice signposts, which point us towards the mountain hut Rifugio al Sorapiss. Wide macadam path quickly brings us into the forest and then crosses slopes towards the east. A gently sloping path from which occasionally a view opens up towards group Cristallo leads us past some military structures from the first world war. Later, the path becomes narrower and still mostly through the forest crosses slopes towards the east, and in doing so path few times slightly ascends and descends. Further, the path gradually turns to the right and brings us on a slightly exposed slopes below peaks Cime di Marcoira and Cime Ciadin del Loudo. The path on this part doesn't cause bigger problems because crossings are very well secured with a steel cable, and at ascents we even get help from stairs and fence. The slope is then becoming again less steep and the path mostly through dwarf pines it brings us to a crossing, where from the right side joins the path from the mountain hut Rifugio Tondi.
At the crossing, we continue straight and not that steep path through larch forest and dwarf pines brings us to a crossing a little before the mountain hut.
At the crossing, we can continue left towards the mountain hut to which there is only a short ascent through dwarf pines, or we continue right towards the lake to which is also only few minutes of walking.
When we come to the lake, the path bypasses lake on the right side and then turns slightly to the right and runs on a wide valley towards the west. At the ascent we have all the time a nice view mainly back towards the lake and on precipitous northern walls of the peak Punta Sorapiss. The path then soon starts ascending steeper on the scree and on the left side we will notice glacier below the summit Punta Sorapiss (Ghiacciaio Occidentale del Sorapis).
Further, the path becomes less steep and then turns a little to the left towards the notch Forcella Sora la Cengia del Banco. Before the last ascent towards the notch path brings us to a marked crossing.
Left leads the path towards the notch and forward towards the bivouac Slataper, and we go right following the signs »Sella di Punta Nera«. The path from the crossing runs towards the northwest and becomes a little more demanding. The path is here ascending diagonally below the steep walls on the eastern side of the peak Punta Nera and occasionally we also get help from a steel cable and few stemples. At the ascent quite some caution is needed mainly because of the gravel on the path.
Later, the path from the wall avoids slightly to the right and then follows few more ascents with the help of a steel cable. In the last part then the path turns to the left and it ascends to a saddle Sella Punta Nera.
On the saddle, we can continue also good 10 meters right on an unmarked footpath to the top from which is a very nice view towards the surrounding peaks.

On the way: Rifugio Vandelli (1928m), Lago di Sorapiss (1923m)