Up to the alpine pastures on the Monte Cuzzo, or Gitschberg, above the tree line to the blooming Alpine roses
Image gallery: Hike to the Nesselhütte Mountain Hut
The starting point for our July tour is the valley station of the Gitschberg Cable Car in Maranza. We follow signpost no. 12 across the meadows to the forest - the first section here is paved. We then ascend almost effortlessly along the wide forest path until we reach an altitude of 1,900 metres. We now leave the forest and reach the alpine pastures near the Pichler Hut.
Soon after, we arrive at the Zassler Hut and have now crossed the 2,000-metre mark. The hut sits in the valley between the Kleine Gitsch (Small Monte Cuzzo) peak and the main summit of the Gitschberg (Update 2026: The hut has been rebuilt but is no longer managed).
From here, we follow path no. 21 to the mountain station of the Gitschberg Cable Car. This is where our destination, the Nesselhütte Hut, is located at an altitude of 2,100 metres. Alongside a wonderful view of Maranza, the Valle Isarco and the Dolomites, the newly built hut serves homemade drinks, various aperitifs and hearty dishes. We return along the same path.
Alternatively, several paths lead down through the forest from the mountain station to Maranza. Another option is a descent by the cable car that departs directly next to the Nesselhütte.
Author: AT
Experienced: July 2013
Last update: 2026
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- Starting point:
- valley station of the Gitschberg Cable Car in Maranza (1,390 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 04:00 h
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- Total route length:
- 11,3 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.390 m to 2.107 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +719 m | -719 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 12, 14, 12, 21
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- Destination:
- Nesselhütte Mountain Hut (2,107 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- Pichler Hut (May to October), Nesselhütte Hut (May to November)
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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 to the Nesselhütte Mountain Hut
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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!
