Paternsattel, 2.454 m

Long instead of short

• Start: Hotel Alpenblick
• Train/bus: Bus Auronzo – Misurina
• Time of walk: rise 3 ½ h, high-path 1h, descent 2h, total 6 ½h
• Huts: Rifugio Lavaredo
• Map: KOMPASS no 625

Hardly anyone who hikes from the "Three Peaks Road" over to the Paternsattel spares a glance down into the ditch of the Vallon de Lavaredo, and only very rarely does anyone climb up from the Ansiei Valley to the saddle that offers the most beautiful view of the Three Peaks of all. However, the long and, with 1200 metres of ascent, also strenuous path is worth it, as the loop offers thrilling views of the wildly rugged southern flank of the Sesto Dolomites. And when the weather is nice, it's almost a shame to waste a whole mountain day on the walk from the Three Peaks Road over to the Paternsattel. The start is from the hotel by public bus or car in the direction of Dobbiaco and from there on in the direction of Cortina to Val Marzon, Cason della Crosera. The long ascent begins on asphalt and leads from Cason de la Crosera ( 1,198 m ) in the Val Mazon uphill over a few hairpin bends. After about half an hour, the road ends at a bridge; the well-marked path continues along, beside and in a stream bed. A beautiful view back to the foothills of the Zwölfer ( 3,094 m); above the Vallon de Lavaredo the (from this perspective) incredibly slender rock tower of the Kleine Zinne appears. At the next fork ( 1,506 m) keep to the right (signpost). The path, which is artfully laid out but rather worn by the ravages of time, winds upwards in many hairpin bends through the Lavaredo Valley; the southern walls of the Three Peaks gradually come closer. The Rifugio Auronzo (3,320 m), the starting point for almost all "Three Peaks watchers", remains on the left; only halfway to the Cappella degli Alpini (2,314 m) do you join the hiking highway. Just before the Rifugio Lavaredo (2,344 m), the direct path branches off to the left up to the Paternsattel (2,454 m), where you can admire the most famous rock profile in the Dolomites. From the saddle, descend diagonally to the tiny Laghi di Lavaredo, then continue descending under the rocks of the pass head to Pian di Cengia. At the marked fork (2,247 m), turn right and descend along an old military path in many hairpin bends to Val di Cengia and back to the starting point of the circuit.

Elevation profile

Compass map