Hike to the Lago San Pancrazio

The hike via the Durra Mountain Hut hut in the Sagbach Valley takes us up to the beautiful Lago di Pancrazio - an idyll beneath the walls of the Cima delle Laste in the Sarentino Alps.

Map See map
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At the road to the Baumann Farm the forest path branches off to the Durra Mountain Hut: Here our hike starts.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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On the northern side of the valley are the farms of Aberstückl.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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After a while the path crosses the Rio Sagbach stream.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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We continue on path no. 13 towards the Missensteiner Ridge resp. Lake Pancrazio.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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We walk past the old Durra Mountain Hut.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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A new hut is being completed here.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Path no. 13 continues through the woods and then along the banks of the stream into the valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Johannes von Nepomuk.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Landscape along trail no. 13 in the upper Sagbach Valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Late summer brings the cranberries to ripen.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Kaserwies Mountain Hut is located at almost 1,800 m a.s.l.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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From here we follow the signpost no. 4A.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The granite-like rock is typical for this part of the Sarentino Alps.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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After a few bends we reach the Kratzberg Mountain Hut.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The alpine road ends at the Kratzberg Mountain Hut - this is where the stony path up to the lake begins.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The vegetation becomes sparser, the rocks larger.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The higher we climb, the better the view on the main ridge of the Alps becomes.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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At our destination: the blue-green shimmering Lake Pancrazio.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The light grey tones of the crushed rock almost remind of South Sea beaches.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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On the same path we descend again to the Kratzberg Mountain Hut and through the Sagbach Valley back to our starting point.
Foto: AT, © Peer

In the Val di Pennes valley at the level of the Liepert Farms we turn left coming from south and drive up the road by car towards the Baumann Farm. After the 2nd bend we park at the roadside where the forest road "Ochsenwald" with gravel surface begins. Here we start.

We follow the sign "Durralm". It leads into the Sagbach Valley. After a while the road crosses the Rio Sagbach stream and we reach the Durra Mountain Hut. On the path with the number 13 we continue through the forest and then along the brook to the Kaserwies Mountain Hut. Instead of walking further to the Missensteiner Ridge, we follow the path to the right to the Kratzberg Mountain Hut. There the short, steep ascent to the Lake Pancrazio starts.

The view becomes increasingly better: Not only the neighbouring peaks in the Sarentino Alps, but also the main Alpine ridge with the glaciers of the Stubai, Tux and Zillertal Alps becomes visible. Like a jewel in a sea of rocks, it suddenly lies in front of us, the Lago di Pancrazio lake, whose name derives from Saint Pancras. Behind it, the rock faces of Mt. Cima delle Laste rises up to the sky.

Author: AT

If you want to do this hike, please take information about the weather and the current conditions of the trail on site!

Starting point: junction at the Baumann farm (above Liepert in the Val di Pennes valley, Sarentino)
Destination: Lago di Pancrazio (Kratzberger See)
Signposts: 7, 13, 4A
Distance: approx. 5.7 km
Walking time: about 2.5 hours ascent, 1.5 hours descent
Altitude difference: approx. 745 m
Altitude level: between 1,380 and 2,125 m a.s.l.
Experienced in: September 2019