Description

If you fall into the broad category of those who think that the Passo Rolle is one of the most beautiful Dolomite passes and in the wide one of those who like to walk peacefully surrounded by alpine nature, this trail is probably a good one for you. Recommended for its ease both in winter and summer seasons, this walk will allow you to enjoy some of the most interesting sights of Passo Rolle, in a landscape of pastures and huts.

Coming from San Martino di Castrozza, just below the Rolle pass, right where the legendary and historic single-seat lift towards Baita Segantini was used to start, the walk begins. At first, the route goes up along the gravel road leading towards Baita Segantini. After about half a kilometer, you reach the basin which acts as a main crossroads between the Val Venegia road (towards Baita Segantini), the Malga Costoncella gravel road and the wide path heading towards Malga Juribello. By the basin, the track goes directly towards the start of the Castellazzo ski lift, where – slightly on the eastern side of the structure – the trail continues by taking the latter, with a slight undulating descent which, crossing in succession the pastures of the Costoncella, Agnelazza and Juribello pastures, leads in a couple of kilometers to the hut of Malga Juribello (1,868 m asl).

From the “malga”, the route goes up north-east until after walking aside the vegetation inside a small valley, it reaches a path that leads back to Passo Rolle. Following the track towards the pass (south), you return on the wide path previously taken. After about 100 meters, leave the path to gradually rise in altitude on the western side of Monte Castelaz (2,333 m asl), leaning on tracks more or less visible but obvious following the edge of the evident gradient shift on the slope of the mountain. This stretch, still on the grass, leads in just over a kilometer to the hut of Capanna Cervino.

From Capanna Cervino (2,082 m asl), where it is possible to have a nice view of the Cimon della Pala, the way back follows the Val Venegia gravel road downhill, which leads directly to the starting point at Passo Rolle. During this last stretch, also given the many visible tracks, it is possible to cut the long hairpin bends of the driveway without any difficulty.

Paths

• From Passo Rolle, take the Val Venegia gravel road towards Baita Segantini; follow the road for about 500 m until reaching a crossroads,
• At the crossroads, follow the wide path towards Malga Juribello,
• From the hut of Malga Juribello (1,868 m asl), head north-east until reaching a path that leads to Passo Rolle,
• Follow the path towards Passo Rolle; then, once you have entered the track previously followed to reach Malga Juribello, climb uphill the pasture along the tracks that follow the slope of Monte Castelaz, until you reach the hut of Capanna Cervino,
• From Capanna Cervino (2,082 m asl), descend along the Val Venegia gravel road until you reach the starting point, by Passo Rolle. ✓

BAITA SEGANTINI AND CAPANNA CERVINO

• Additionally to the morphological one, there is a logical line which connects the huts of Baita Segantini and Capanna Cervino; in fact, both of them were born thanks to the artist, guide and polyglot Alfredo Paluselli (1900-1969), also known as “Custode del Cimone” (tr. the guardian of Cimon della Pala).
• Born in Ziano di Fiemme, Paluselli is certainly one of the pioneers of “modern” sports and tourism culture in the region; thanks to work experiences that allowed him to observe different cultures in Switzerland and the United States of America. Once he returned back to Italy, after founding an athletics team in Val di Fassa and obtaining the title of Ski Instructor, he decided to found the first skiing school in the Dolomites, together with his wife Lina.
• Prefabricated by Paluselli with modular blocks in his laboratory in Ziano, the hut of Capanna Cervino was built in the 1930s. The building takes its name from the Cimon della Pala (called “Cervino delle Dolomiti” for its shape, similar to the Matterhorn / Cervino / Cervin). The school was the first one of its kind in Italy to offer accommodation and ski lessons together in one package.
• In 1936, while searching for new inspirations, after having restored a path from the Great War connecting Passo Rolle with Passo Costazza, Paluselli devoted himself completely to the Dolomites pass, building what will be his home for the coming 35 years (including the famous winter of 1950-1951 when Passo Rolle was submerged by more than 25 meters of snow): Baita Segantini.
• Paluselli, known for his frankness, was known to dislike being surrounded by people and to swear at anyone who posed or flaunted harshly. It is also known that Paluselli opened his home to visitors only occasionally, when he left to go back to the valley or to climb, leaving its guests with a simple ticket with the words: “Entrate, bevete, pagate” (tr. come in, drink, pay”).
• The hut, originally built in Bellamonte for then being dismantled and reassembled where is located today by Paluselli, is entitled to the painter from Arco. Baita Segantini remains today one of the most visited destinations in the Dolomites. Among its most illustrious visitors, Alcide De Gasperi, Aldo Moro, Leopold III of Belgium and Pope John XIII.