Bedolé from Calaita

The wooded Mount Bedolé stands out to the W of the village of Fiera di Primiero and its summit, although not as photogenic as the ones belonging to the Pala Group, has always had its charm for the inhabitants of the valley. Over the years, the peak has been a rather traditional hiking destination for the locals. There are more direct and popular itineraries to get to the top of the summit, most of them starting from the center of the villages, but the one described here is the most scenic one by far. Mount Bedolé acts as a watershed between the valleys of Primiero and Lòzen and offers an incredible sight both towards the Dolomites of the Pala Group and towards the SE part of the mountain range of Lagorai. Along the route, a diversified forest made up of larch, fir and birch trees makes this tour suitable for all seasons, even if the scenery is particularly interesting and colorful during the autumn season.

The route starts from the Lake of Calaita (1,605 m asl), which can be reached by your own car directly from Canal San Bovo or Passo Gobbera. A large car park is available near the restaurant of Rifugio Miralago (1,620 m asl). The first part of the route crosses the pastures downstream of the lake, taking a path – not reported on many maps – in an initial downhill stretch that follows the path of the “Primiero Dolomiti Marathon” running race. After about 1.5 km, the track reaches the gravel road of the Signpost No. 358 “di Grugola”, which the route takes and follow uphill towards the S. The road continues becoming a path that leads directly to the intersection on the crest of the mountain. At the intersection, the route continues taking, on the left towards the NE, the path of the Signpost No. 379 towards Buse di Santa Romina / Monte Bedolé. From the intersection it is possible, with a small detour of about 200 m along the Signpost No. 358, to reach the shrine dedicated to St. Anthony.

The route continues towards the top of Mount Bedolé along the crest of the mountain, first following the Signpost No. 379, then the Signpost No. 356, in a stretch that passes near the ruins of the ancient church of Santa Romina, then passing through a Great War military outpost (1,750 m asl), where the signs indicating the way towards the summit are very clear.

Once on the top of Mount Bedolé (1,792 m asl), instead of proceeding on the wide track of the Signpost No. 356 heading down to Fiera di Primiero, the route continues along the western ridge of the mountain, following a truly picturesque path towards the N (Signpost No. 351A), towards Spiz del Dóch / Forcella Calaita. After a stretch of ups and downs you reach the highest point of the route, on the peak named Spiz del Dóch (1,836 m asl), less known than that of Mount Bedolé, but yet quite impressive.

From Spiz del Dóch the return to the Lake of Calaita begins; after having passed a last uphill stretch that leads to the peak of Col Santo (1,783 m asl) – from which you can see from above the Lake of Calaita to the E and San Martino di Castrozza to the N – the itinerary proceeds downhill to the crossroads with the path of the Signpost No. 351 (descending to the left toward Scofa), on a scenic grassy saddle located below the fork of Forcella Calaita, among numerous remains of trenches of the first Italian line of the Great War. From the saddle, located close to the large basin where the lake lies, the hike comfortably returns to the Lake of Calaita, crossing the beautiful pastures N of the lake, dominated upstream by the beautiful Cimon della Pala and, more generically, by the Pala Group.

Paths

• From the Lake of Calaita (1,605 m asl), descend along the pastures downstream of the lake, following the running rage “Primiero Dolomiti Marathon” [0h 20],
• After about 1.5 km, follow the gravel road of the Signpost No. 358 “Grugola” towards S up until getting by the intersection on the mountain crest [1h 10].
• From the intersection, take the path of the Signpost No. 379 to the left – NE – towards Buse di Santa Romina / Monte Bedolé [2h 15],
• From the top of Monte Bedolé (1,792 m asl), continue on the path of the Signpost No. 351A, along the western crest of the mountain, passing through the summits of Spiz del Dóch (1,836 m asl) and Col Santo (1,783 m asl), until you reach the saddle below the so-called Forcella Calaita [3h 15],
• From the saddle, return to the Lake of Calaita crossing the pastures N of the lake [3h 30]. ✓