From the Fronza Hut via the Hirzel Path to the Paolina and Masaré Huts, returning to the Frommer Hut via the Pearl Trail
Image gallery: Hike at the foot of the Catinaccio
Autumn hike below the Catinaccio Group: High fog lingers over the valleys of South Tyrol today, making a high-altitude hike an ideal way to reach the sunshine. From the Frommer Hut on the Passo Nigra road, accessible by either cable car or car, the King Laurin Cable Car takes us even higher. It leads to Fronza alle Coronelle Hut (Kölner Hütte), situated at an altitude of 2,336 metres.
Here, on the western face of the Catinaccio, a wonderful scene awaits us. The view of the Latemar rising from a wall of high fog gives us the feeling of floating above the clouds. We follow the Hirzel Path (no. 549, 552) southwards, guided by the signpost for Paolina Hut. Then the trail descends.
First, we descend to the Masaré Hut for a lunch break. We then continue across the meadows to the junction with the Pearl Trail. We follow this in a northerly direction. It brings us back through the forest to the Frommer Hut, at an altitude of 1,740 metres at the foot of the Catinaccio.
It is also possible to hike up from the Frommer Hut to the Fronza alle Coronelle Hut via path no. 15. This option turns the easy hike into a moderately difficult one. It adds three kilometres, 600 metres of elevation gain, and about 90 minutes of walking time.
Author: AT
Experienced: October 2012
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- Frommer Hut (1,740 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 9,8 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.740 m to 2.343 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +85 m | -674 m
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- Route:
- Frommer Hut - Fronza alle Coronelle Hut - Hirzel Path - Paolina Hut - Masaré Hut - Jolanda mountain inn - Frommer Hut
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- Signposts:
- 549, 552, 6A, 1A, "Hirzelsteig", "Perlenweg"
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- Resting points:
- Paolina Hut, Masaré Hut (both from June to October), Jolanda mountain inn on the Passo di Costalunga (April to October)
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- Recommended time of year:
- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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- Download GPX track:
- Hike at the foot of the Catinaccio
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops.
If you want to undertake this hike, we recommend checking the weather and trail conditions in advance and on site before starting this hike!
