Through the quiet valley on the sunny slopes of Tubre on the border with Grisons
Image gallery: Snowshoe hike in the Valle Avinga valley
Our February tour starts in the village centre of Tubre in Val Monastero. Signpost no. 1 towards Passo Cruschetta - Valle Avinga leads us westwards along the Via dei Mulini road, then continues along the Via Avinga across the snow-covered meadows on the alluvial fan of the Rio Vallarola.
A bridge crosses the stream, and the path continues further into the valley along the western bank. The route climbs steadily and gently, while the landscape alternates between meadow clearings and larch and spruce forest. Shortly before reaching our destination, the valley widens and opens up views to the left towards the 3,072-metre-high Starlex, or Piz Starlex in the Sesvenna Alps.
On the opposite side, you can see the summit cross of Mt. Cima dei Greppi, also in the Sesvenna Alps. This point marks the end of the groomed winter trail, which tobogganers also use as an ascent path for the parallel toboggan run. The final 300 metres to the unmanaged Mangitz Hut (also known as Mangitsalm or Lower Hut) at 1,836 metres through deep snow.
Ambitious snowshoe hikers can continue further up the valley to the unserviced Mitteralm, the Praviert Hut (not regularly open for refreshments), and up to the 2,297-metre-high Cruschetta Pass - this extension involves roughly 450 metres of additional elevation gain (two extra hours).
We choose to linger at the Mangitz Hut to enjoy our packed lunch before heading back down to Tubre village, where we arrive after just over three hours.
Author: AT
Experienced: February 2015
Last updated: 2026
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- Starting point:
- village centre of Tubre in Val Monastero (1,249 m a.s.l.)
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- Overall time:
- 03:20 h
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- Total route length:
- 9,5 km
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- Altitude:
- from 1.249 m to 1.836 m
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- Altitude difference (uphill | downhill):
- +587 m | -587 m
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- Signposts:
- no. 1 (Val d'Avinga)
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- Destination:
- Mangitz Mountain Hut (1,836 m a.s.l.)
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- Resting points:
- bars and coffee shops in Tubre in Val Monastero
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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:
- Snowshoe hike in the Valle Avinga valley
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- More information:
- The overall time shown above refers to the walking time only, not including breaks or stops.
We highly recommend checking the weather conditions in advance and on site before starting your tour. Don't forget to check the current avalanche forecast!
