Details
- Sport
- Hike
- Rating
- Difficulty
- Tourist
- Duration
- 02:15 hrs
- Length
- 5.0 km
- Vertigo
- No vertigo
- Min. elevation
- 1599 m
- Max. elevation
- 1782 m
- Elevation gain
- 265 m
- Elevation loss
- 265 m
- Car park
- View on Gmaps
Terrain
- 85%
- 15%
- Forest
- Grass
Seasons
- jan
- feb
- mar
- apr
- may
- jun
- jul
- aug
- sep
- oct
- nov
- dec
Signposts
Description
This hike is an interesting variant of the popular tourist walk, also proposed in its winter version with snowshoes, which starting from the Calaita Lake leads to the hut of Malga Grùgola along the main gravel road. Although the pastures of Malga Grùgola are one of the less popular areas of the mountain range of Lagorai, the position of the hut offers a fascinating sight from a rather unusual perspective, with a view on the western side of the southern part of the Pala Group, on the valleys of Lozen and Vanoi , as well as on the peaks of the mountain range of Vette Feltrine.
The route begins in Calaita, at the intersection of the gravel road named Strada Forestale Malga Grùgola; the crossroads is located on the main road, just a few hundred meters before the lake.
The first part of the itinerary develops along the gravel road “Strada Forestale Malga Grùgola” (Signpost No. 347 / 358) towards Malga Grùgola. After an initial flat stretch to the south, after passing two crossroads (the first one with the Signpost No. 347 which – on the right – leads to Cima Fólga and the second one with the Signpost No. 358 which climbs directly to Malga Grùgola), the path follows the road turning into a pleasant climb in the forest placed north of Malga Lòzen. Once you reach the edge of the pasture of Malga Grùgola, from where you can spot the hut in the distance, the view opens wide onto the Dolomites of the Pala Group and the Calaita Lake.
From Malga Grùgola (1,782 m asl), highest point of the hike, located in the valley below the peaks of Grùgola, Fólga and Palone di Fólga, the route descends along the trail of the Signpost No. 358, which branches off from the access road just under the hut, and descends towards the gravel road initially traveled. After the descent, which follows the course of a small stream, just before rejoining the road, the route proceeds by taking a hardly visible track on the left (Signpost No. 143), which climbs cutting the coast of Campigolo del Rosso towards the Frattón Biotope. The track is indicated on the trees with blue signs and proceeds uphill for just under a kilometer, passing through two beautiful peat bogs, in a typical mid-altitude Lagorai’s atmosphere.
Although this stretch is not very visible, it is difficult to get lost, also because by maintaining the direction, once past the stream of Rio Val Pisórno and the Frattón Biotope , you will reach the main track of the Signpost No. 347. After crossing the Frattón Biotope and arriving at the intersection with the Signpost No. 347, the trail follows it downhill. Shortly after passing the aqueduct of Malga Doch, the route leaves the Signpost No. 347 to follow a track that climbs the slopes until reaching the ridge northwest of the hut of Malga Doch, at the lake of Calaita. From the ridge, it will be sufficient to descend towards the lake (1,605 m asl) going down the slope of Boàl del Làres along one of the several tracks available and return to the starting point along the gravel road of the Signpost No. 350 for a few hundred meters towards the hut of Rifugio Miralago (1,608 m asl).
Paths
- From Calaita, take the gravel road of the Signpost No. 347 / 358 towards Malga Grùgola and follow it until you reach the hut [0h 50],
- From Malga Grùgola (1,728 m asl), descend along the path of accessing directly the hut of the Signpost No. 358 [1h 00],
- A few meters before rejoining the gravel road traveled during the ascent, take the uphill small trail of the Signpost No. 143, heading the north, crossing in succession two peat bogs and the Frattón Biotope [1h 15],
- From the Frattón Biotope, descend along the Signpost No. 347, passing the aqueduct of Malga Doch [1h 45],
- Take the first track on the left and cross the ridge to the northwest of the hut of Malga Doch, reaching the basin where the Calaita Lake stands (1,605 m asl) [2h 00],
- Proceed for a few hundred meters until reaching the hut of Rifugio Miralago Calaita (1,608 m asl) [2h 15]. ✓
