We take the train to Dobbiaco village and continue by shuttle bus to the Auronzo Hut, the starting point of our hike. We are already at an altitude of 2,333 metres here and enjoy a wonderful view that includes the Cadini di Misurina and Lake Misurina. Now we begin our partial loop around the Three Peaks on this July day. Path no. 101 leads to the Lavaredo Hut at 2,344 metres above sea level in half an hour. We walk through rocky terrain, but the path is wide and has almost no incline.

We stay on this route, which climbs slightly for a short distance before flattening out again after the Forcella Lavaredo ridge. An hour later, we reach the Locatelli Hut (Drei Zinnen Hütte) in the Three Peaks Nature Park (2,405 metres a.s.l.). Here, standing in front of the mountain hut, we look at the famous north face of the Three Peaks and, behind the hut, the two Laghi dei Piani lakes.

Our partial loop around the Three Peaks ends here, and we continue along path no. 101 behind the Monte Paterno towards the Forcella Pian di Cengia. Below the path is a third lake, shimmering in many shades of blue, with snow still lingering on its shores. Just behind the Forcella Pian di Cengia, an hour's walk from the Locatelli Hut, sits the rustic Pian di Cengia Hut (Büllelejochhütte), where we stop for lunch. At over 2,500 metres, it is the highest mountain hut in the Sesto Dolomites World Heritage Site. This is followed by Mt. Croda Fiscalina di Mezzo on path no. 101A.

The 30-minute walk from the Pian di Cengia Hut is well worth the effort. Along the way, we frequently encounter traces of the Mountain Warfare from WWI. From the summit, we once again see the Three Peaks in the distance, along with the imposing Cima Dodici, Cima Undici, Cima Una, and the surrounding alpine landscape. Down in the valley, we can spot the village of Moso di Sesto.

Now the descent begins. Heading past the Pian di Cengia Hut, we reach the Zsigmondy Comici Hut at an altitude of over 2,200 metres after 40 minutes. We spend the night here and enjoy the magical moment of sunset, which turns the pale Dolomite rock a soft pink. The next day, we hike down path no. 103 (later 102) into the Val Fiscalina valley. After an hour and a half, we reach the Fondovalle Hut, followed shortly by the Piano Fiscalina Hut at 1,454 metres.

From here, there are bus connections back to the Val Pusteria. However, since time allows, we decide to follow path no. 1-1A to Sesto. We catch a bus to the San Candido railway station and take the train home from there. A shorter alternative in this area is the mountain tour from Sesto to the Rifugio Locatelli, which starts at the hiking car park in the Val Fiscalina.

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Author: AD

Experienced: July 2018
Last updated: 2026

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