Piadóch Cirques

This tour is recommended only for experienced hikers with a good sense of direction and presents a rather interesting variant of the classic ascent to Mount Pavione from Rifugio Vederna. The trail forms a nice loop right next to the summit of Mount Pavione and follows a section of the Dolomiti Bellunesi Nature Park’s thematic trail named “Sentiero i Circhi delle Vette”. The thematic trail is not very visible (wooden poles, Nature Park boundary signs and very sporadic stone cairns), but it never has particularly risky sections and the line it follows is always logical, enclosed between the two rocky walls. The ideal times to hike this route are during the first half of July and from late August to October; being to the north of the summit, there may still be snow in June, while in August the high vegetation on the grassy bank may make it more difficult to hike. In any case, it is recommended to be cautious, equipped with poles and walk on grass, rather than on the more unstable rock.

The route starts by the hut of Rifugio Vederna (1,324 m asl), ascending the beautiful trail of the Signpost No. 736 toward Malga Agneròla / Monte Pavione. The trail makes it possible to shorten the long gravel road to the Malga. After passing the crossroads with the road at Pian di Case (1,485 m asl), the trail soon arrives at the beautiful pastures of Malga Agneròla (1,548 m asl), where it continues uphill on the main trail towards Monte Pavione. 

The ascent continues zigzagging through the forest, quickly rising in altitude. Passing a viewpoint on the left, the Signpost No. 736 continues on a less steep section toward the S. At the junction (barely visible to the left) with the “Direttissima” to Mount Pavione, a very short section of equipped trail follows, leading to a plateau of a wide grassy ledge, clearly visible on the left. By a wooden post with a sign marking “Sentiero i circhi delle Vette”, the itinerary leaves the main Signpost No. 736 and turns left, along the dimly visible track that runs along the contour, on the border between the municipalities of Mezzano and Sovramonte. Past the first gentle ridge, the track reaches the glacial cirque called Circo delle Sere, a large formation located below the summit of Monsampiano, where the trail continues bypassing the northern slopes of Mount Pavione. In about half an hour along on the grass along the ledge, at times a little uncomfortable for the ankles, the small track leads to the wide cirque called Circo dei Piadóch (aka Busa dei Piadóch), located below the saddle of the same name on the NE shoulder of the summit of Col di Luna. From Circo dei Piadóch it is possible to continue following the trail to the next cirque (Busa dell’Orso); however, the variant proposed here avoids a very long return via Passo Piétena. Several openings of the rock formation clearly visible from the bottom of the cirque below the saddle of Piadóch allow one to climb by walking up to the ridge without too many problems, following numerous tracks.

Upon reaching the ridge NE of Col di Luna, the view opens to the S toward the unique natural spectacle offered by the wide pasture basin of Busa delle Vette, a natural oasis of biodiversity, with its huts visible in the distance. After an obligatory break to admire the sight, with an aerial view that stretches around over the cirques below (to the N and S), the peaks of the Pala Group and the entire Valley of Primiero, the beautiful summits of Cimonega, the nearby Vette Feltrine and the Val Belluna, quite similar to that which can be admired from Monte Pavione, but definitely more intimate, the trail continues along the ridge, heading straight towards the summit of Col di Luna, along an apparently steep but in reality not too challenging uphill section. Upon reaching the grassy summit of Col di Luna (2,295 m asl), the itinerary heads to the main trail of the Signpost No. 817, that skims the top of Col di Luna. After a slight downhill section, the Signpost No. 817 faces a final ramp that leads directly to the summit of Mount Pavione.

From the top of Pavione (2,334 m asl) the itinerary heads back to Rifugio Vederna along the classic access route, first following the Signpost No. 817 to the wide gap of Passo del Pavione (2,059 m asl), then along the Signpost No. 736 downhill to the Rifugio, retracing backwards the first section of the route.

Paths

• From the hut of Rifugio Vederna (1,324 m asl), follow the trail of the Signpost No. 736 toward Malga Agneròla / Monte Pavione, passing the through the pastures of Malga Agneròla (1,548 m asl), and the viewpoint [1h 15],
• Before reaching the gap of Passo del Pavione take, on the left, the trail named “Sentiero i circhi delle Vette” [1h 45],
• Follow the “Sentiero i circhi delle Vette” to the glacial cirque called Circo dei Piadóch / Busa dei Piadóch, then ascend by walking to the ridge NE of the summit of Col di Luna [3h 00],
• Follow the ridge to the summit of Col di Luna [3h 20],
• From the top of Col di Luna (2,295 m asl), take the main Signpost No. 817 towards the summit of Monte Pavione [3h 45],
• From Monte Pavione (2,334 m asl) follow the Signpost No. 817 toward Passo del Pavione (2,059 m asl), then the Signpost No. 736 towards Rifugio Vederna [5h 30]. ✓