Valley hike in the Sesvenna Alps to the Swiss border - alpine nature at its most beautiful
Image gallery: Hike through the Avinga Valley to the Passo Cruschetta
The Val d'Avigna is a side valley of the Val Monastero that runs through the Sesvenna Alps from Tubre. The highest point forms the watershed between the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea, and also marks the border between Italy and Switzerland. A seemingly untouched landscape of alpine pastures and nature is there to be discovered and admired on this July hike.
By car, the route goes from Tubre village towards the Val d'Avigna. The mountain road leads to a car park below the Ponte di Monastero, or Mangitz bridge, beyond which cars are banned. Here, we start our hike and follow valley path no. 1 towards the Passo della Cruschetta (S-charl-Joch). Passing the Malga di Monastero hut, also known as Mangitzer Alm or Lower Hut, we hike through green meadows to the Malga di Mezzo and onwards to the Praviert Hut at the foot of Mt. Piz Sesvenna, at an altitude of 2,123 metres. None of these huts serve food or drinks.
That is why we have brought our own provisions. The path to the pass follows the number 45, which is the panoramic trail through Switzerland's National Park, a route stretching a total of 105 kilometres through the Sesvenna Group, Ortles Alps and Livigno Alps. The first and second stages also cover South Tyrolean territory, whilst the final two stages pass through the Swiss National Park. The higher we climb, the more diverse and species-rich the landscape becomes.
The driving track ends at Praviert, and a path continues up to the mountain pass. The 2,296-metre-high Passo della Cruschetta (also called Scarljoch or S-charl-Joch) has a unique feature: The spring at the pass splits its water - about half flows south-east via the Adige River into the Adriatic Sea, while the other half flows north-west via the Inn and Danube into the Black Sea.
A viewing platform with wooden figures stands at the highest point. There are no places to stop for refreshments along this route, which is probably why the area is not overcrowded. We return to the starting point - the car park below the Mangitz bridge - along the same path.
Author: AT
Experienced: July 2020
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- car park below the Mangitz bridge in the Val d'Avigna (1,767 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:30 h
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- Total route length:
- 9,9 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.767 m to 2.296 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +541 m | -541 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 1, 45 (panoramic trail through Switzerland's National Park)
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- Destination:
- Passo Cruschetta (S-carl-Joch, 2,296 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- none
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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 through the Avinga Valley to the Passo Cruschetta
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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!
