Rifugio Ra Stua - Piccola Croda Rossa / Kleine Gaisl

Access to starting point:
Via the border crossing Rateče we drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, where we head onto the highway in the direction of Vidma / Udine. We leave the highway at the exit for Tolmezzo and follow the road to the mentioned place. From Tolmezzo we continue in the direction of the settlement Ampezzo and the mountain pass Passo della Mauria. The road then starts descending and brings us into the Cadore valley, where we continue right (left Belluno and Cortina d'Ampezzo) in the direction of the settlement Auronzo. After a few additional km of driving we come to the next bigger intersection, where we go right in the direction of Misurina (left pass Tre Croci). From here we descend along the road to a bigger intersection where we continue left towards Cortina d'Ampezzo (right Austria). From the mentioned intersection we continue for approximately 10 km towards Cortina d'Ampezzo, and then in a sharp left turn we go right onto the road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Ra Stua. We follow the narrow asphalt road all the way to the larger parking lot at the mountain hut.

Route description:
From the mountain hut Rifugio Ra Stua we continue on a macadam road which is closed to traffic. Already immediately at the beginning a footpath towards the notch Forcella Lerosa and valley Gotres branches off to the right. A little later the path towards the valley Valbones and towards the bivouac Helbig Dall'Oglio also branches off to the right.
We still continue on the gently sloping macadam road, which for some time still runs along pastures, and then brings us into the forest. Further on we walk for some time through the forest along the stream Boite, and then we come again onto grassy slopes where there is also an intersection.
To the left the road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Fodara Vedla branches off, while we continue straight on the macadam road towards the mountain hut Rifugio Sennes. Already after a few dozen meters we come to another junction.
This time we head right onto the footpath towards the lake Lago di Foses and the mountain hut Rifugio Biella, while further along the road the path leads towards the mountain hut Rifugio Sennes. From the junction the path first leads us across grassy slopes on which a footpath from the mountain hut Ra Stua joins us from the right. The path then brings us into dwarf pines through which we begin to ascend more steeply. Through the dwarf pines we quite quickly start gaining height and soon views open up towards the mountain group Tofana and towards Monte Pelmo. Later the path turns slightly to the left and brings us onto somewhat gentler slopes. From the dwarf pines the path brings us onto more grassy terrain where a somewhat less trodden track joins us from the right, which runs below the slopes of the peak Monte Geralbes. The increasingly scenic path here runs towards the northwest and leads us past the smaller lake Lago di Remeda Rossa. The path then slightly descends and a view also opens up towards the peak Croda del Becco (Seekofel). The path then leads us past the lake Lago Piccolo and brings us to the larger lake Lago di Fosses.
At the lake where there is a junction we continue right following the signs »Rifugio Biella«. The path first leads us along the left side of the lake and then starts to ascend gently again. When the path turns left we come to a somewhat less visible junction.
At the junction we leave the marked path and head right onto an unmarked track towards the notch Forcella Cocodain. Here the path starts to ascend even somewhat more steeply and runs slightly to the right towards the east.
When we approach the notch Forcella Cocodain, we leave the path towards the notch and head right onto pathless terrain below the slopes of the peak Remeda Rossa (Rote Wand). On the right side we will notice a somewhat less steep slope onto which we head. On this section there is also a visible track marked with numerous cairns. The path here runs towards the south and later brings us onto the ridge where a view opens up towards the peak Piccola Croda Rossa. We continue left and ascend along gentler slopes on the right side of the ridge. On this section the track fades, but orientation is not overly demanding as numerous cairns assist us. A short ascent follows along the wide ridge and soon we reach the summit of Remeda Rossa.
From the summit we continue along the ridge and first gently descend to the saddle between the summits Remeda Rossa and Piccola Croda Rossa. From the saddle we then start ascending the western slopes of the peak Piccola Croda Rossa. The rocky slope along which we ascend is relatively gentle and causes no difficulties, and for orientation numerous cairns assist us. Further on we continue ascending along the western side of the peak from where we have a very nice view of much of the Dolomites. When we spot the cross on the summit of the mountain, only a short ascent remains on even gentler terrain to the top. At the summit a wonderful view also opens up onto the neighbouring peak Croda Rossa.

Along the route: Lago di Remeda Rossa (2120m), Lago Piccolo (2146m), Lago di Fosses (2142m), Remeda Rossa / Rote Wand (2605m)

We recommend: trips from the same starting point, similar trips, panorama