Sant'Uberto - Vallon Bianco

Access to starting point:
Over the border crossing Rateče we drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, where we go on a highway in the direction of Videm / Udine. We leave the highway at exit Tolmezzo and we follow the road to the mentioned settlement. 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 a valley Cadore, where we continue right (left Belluno and Cortina d'Ampezzo) in the direction of the settlement Auronzo. After few additional km of driving, we come to the next bigger crossroad, where we go right in the direction of the settlement Misurina (left mountain pass Tre Croci). From here we descend on the road to a bigger crossroad where we continue left towards Cortina d'Ampezzo (right Austria). From the mentioned crossroad, we continue for approximately 10 km towards Cortina d'Ampezzo, and then in a sharp left turn we go right on the road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Ra Stua. We park on a parking lot, which is located at the very 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). Cart track from a parking lot starts descending and it quickly brings us to a marked crossing. At the crossing, we go right on a footpath following the signs »Valle di Fanes«. From the crossing, the path starts descending through the forest and brings us on an asphalt road.
We continue right on the road and we cross a bridge over the stream Rio di Fanes. The road which runs by the stream then brings us to a crossroad.
Right leads demanding path named Sentiero dei Canyons, and we go left (path number 10) on a road which is short time still paved with an asphalt and then becomes a macadam. Further, the road is mostly slightly ascending through the forest, occasionally also views open up on the nearby peaks.
Later footpath towards the saddle Posporcora branches off to the left, and we still continue on a macadam road. The road then turns a little to the right and over a bridge crosses deep gorge Gola di Fanes. We still continue on the road and quickly we are again at the crossing. Near the crossing there are also few benches and tables.
At the crossing, we continue left on the road, straight leads the path Scorciatoia (shortcut), which is a little steeper and later again joins the road. From the mentioned shortcut then also the path Sentiero dei Canyons branches off. And at the crossing to the right leads the path towards the waterfall Cascata di Fanes to which there is only few minutes of walking on an exposed ledge (recommended use of self belaying).
So we continue left and still ascending on a macadam road which is appropriate also for mountain bikers. After a short ascent, we come to another crossing where the path 401 towards the notch Forcella Posporcora branches off to the left. We go right and continue to ascend on the road through the forest from which views are opening up more frequently on surrounding peaks. The road further few times steeply ascends and is occasionally also paved with concrete. Higher, the path Sentiero dei Canyons branches off to the left, which leads also towards the valley Val Travenanzes.
Our path then slowly turns to the right and again gets closer to the stream Rio di Fanes. Here from the right side joins the path Scorciatoia, little after that also the path to the last waterfall on the stream Rio di Fanes branches off to the right. To waterfall there is only few minutes of walking on an exposed path. Also here is recommended to use self belaying.
At the crossing, the road turns slightly to the left and further runs by the mentioned stream. The path then soon brings us out of the forest and wonderful views open up on surrounding peaks. Panoramic path then brings us to the lake Lago di Fanes.
At the end of the lake, we cross a bridge and we continue on a gentle cart track by the stream. The path brings us to a fence where we leave nature park Dolomites d'Ampezzo and enter the nature park Fanes-Senes-Braies. Here runs also the border between region Veneto and South Tyrol (Trentino - Alto Adige). We continue on a cart track which short time still runs by the stream and then a little steeper ascends and from grassy slopes brings us into the forest. Forest is becoming thinner and from the path, we have a nice view towards the peaks above the valley Valle di Fanes. Our path for some time again runs by the stream and it brings us to a crossing.
To the right leads the path 10A towards the mountain hut Rifugio Fanes, and we continue left on the road towards the mountain pasture Malga Fanes Grande. Further, the road runs in a gentle ascent towards the southwest. Later, the road starts slightly descending and from the right the road from the mountain hut Rifugio Fanes joins. Only a short descent follows on a panoramic road to the hut Ütia de Gran Fanes.
From the hut, we continue on the road which leads us through a panoramic mountain pasture and we slightly descend. The road then crosses a small bridge and soon brings us to a marked crossing.
At the crossing, we go left on the path number 17 or Walk of Peace (Fridensweg / Via della pace). The path from the crossing at first runs on a grassy slope and then it brings us into a lane very thin larch and pine forest. The path is further marked with number 17 and with signs VB and FR, which marks peaks Vallon Bianco and Furcia Rossa. The path is still slightly ascending and runs on an old military mule track towards the southeast. The path slowly turns a little more to the left and a view starting to open up also towards the east on the valley Valle di Fanes. Mule track here brings us on more rocky terrain on which we soon reach the crossing.
To the right leads the path 17 towards Monte Castello or bivouac Bivacco della Pace, and we continue left on the path towards the peaks Furcia Rossa and Vallon Bianco. From the crossing, the path then for quite some time crosses slopes a little more towards the east and it brings us to little steeper slopes. Next follows an ascent mostly in zig-zags on a steep slope and the path brings us to the next crossing.
To the right secured climbing path branches off towards the summit Furcia Rossa III and forward towards the bivouac Bivacco della Pace. At the crossing, we continue left and we are for some time still ascending on a panoramic path. After that, the path turns a little to the right and on a wide ledge and then on the upper edge of the scree again brings us to a crossing where the path branches off to the right towards the summit Furcia Rossa II by which there is also a small bivouac Bivacco Baccon Barborka. To mentioned bivouac is otherwise approximately 10 minutes of walking.
At the crossing, we continue left towards the summit Vallon Bianco and after a short crossing, the path brings us on the northern slopes of the mountain. We then cross the slopes towards the east and the path becomes also slightly exposed, and we get help from some steel cables. Here we also enter into nature park Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d'Ampezzo. The path then turns to the right, crosses a short small bridge and soon brings us to a saddle by which we will notice a lot of ruins from the time of the first world war.
On the saddle, we continue left and well-settled military path, which is carved into a steep slope then ascends in few hairpin turns. After that, the path crosses even a little more exposed slopes towards the east and then it crosses an interesting narrow bridge. Further, the path still mostly in a gentle ascent crosses exposed slopes towards the east, and by the path, we are all the time accompanied by numerous ruins from the time of the first world war. A little below the summit, the path brings us to a smaller crossing where we go sharply right and we ascend steeper with the help of few stemples. To the top then follows only a short ascent on panoramic upper slope of the mountain. From the top on which there is an inscription box and few smaller benches is outstanding view on a larger part of Dolomites. Especially nice is a view on the nearby Tofanas.
We descend on the ascent route.

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