Snowshoe hike to the Emperor Stone

This easy snowshoe hike takes us through the forests below the Catinaccio Massif, more precisely from Nova Levante via the Moser Mountain Hut to the Emperor Stone on the Passo Nigra road.

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Video : Ski Area Carezza Dolomites
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The Hotel Adler in Nova Levante (bus stop, parking space at the bend 50 m far away) is the starting point of our snowshoe tour.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The signpost no. 9 is located directly opposite.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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On the first section we walk steeply uphill.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Soon the path gets flatter and at the end of the narrow valley it opens up on the snow-covered meadows.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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At the Soler Mill we cross the street.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The path is well-signposted, our next destination is the Moseralm mountain pasture with the eponymous hotel.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Wonderful view on Mt. Roda di Vaèl in the Catinaccio massif.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The trail no. 9 towards the Moseralm mountain pasture.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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The Hotel Moseralm, located about half way, is the first rest point along our way.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Several lift facilities and ski runs of the Carezza Skiing Area meet in this place.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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We continue our hike towards the Catinaccio massif.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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A beautiful winter day in the Val d’Ega valley.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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At this point the path no. 9 branches off from the forest road.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Tracks in the snow…
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Signposts towards Nova Levante (back) and the Moseralm mountain pasture.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Hiking on the path no. 9.
Foto: AT, © Peer
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Through the forest towards the Emperor Stone (Kaiserstein).
Foto: AT, © Peer
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We reach the Passo Nigra road and have to walk further uphill in order to reach the Emperor Stone or the Masaré Mountain Hut.
Foto: AT, © Peer
video : Snowshoe hiking the right way

This short snowshoe hike starts at the Hotel Adler above the village of Nova Levante (Welschnofen), located right before the bend of the Passo di Costalunga (Karerpass) road. The path no. 9 leads us through a little valley to the Hotel Moseralm, situated on the eponymous mountain pasture - on the first section it proceeds steeply uphill, than it gets flatter and becomes more pleasant. At this point the ski runs of the well-known Carezza skiing area meet.

We continue our snowshoe hike uphill through the forest, the trail no. 9 snakes its way to the Passo Nigra road. Above our heads the impressive peaks of the Catinaccio Massif tower into the sky. At the bus stop the path to the Emperor Stone (Kaiserstein or Sasso dell'Imperatore, 5 minutes away) and the Masaré Mountain Hut branches off. The big stone below Mt. Roda di Vaèl was one of the favourite places of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

The trail leads further on to the Masaré Mountain Hut, overcoming additional 100 metres of altitude difference and requiring further 25 minutes of walking time.

Author: AT

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

Starting point: Nova Levante, Passo di Costalunga road (at the Hotel Adler)
Signpost: no. 9
Distance: approx. 3.2 km (each way) resp. 4 km (Masaré Mountain Hut)
Walking time: about 1.5 hours (ascent), 1 hour (descent)
Altitude difference: approx. 450 m (Emperor Stone) resp. 540 m (Masaré Mountain Hut)
Altitude level: between 1,380 and 1,830 m a.s.l. (resp. 1,920 m a.s.l., Masaré Mountain Hut)
Experienced in: January 2018