Circular walk to the Forcella di Casies wind gap

Our hike to the 2,200 m high Forcella di Casies wind gap on the border to the East Tyrolean Defereggental valley starts at the Fondo Valle mountain hut, or Talschlusshütte (parking space, bus stop) at the head of the Valle di Casies valley. We follow the remaining metres of the asphalt road to a mountain inn and the last parking space of the valley (with public toilets). On the left we already see the path for the descent - this tour is a circular walk.

We follow the forest path no. 49 through the valley (signposts "Pidigalm"/"Messnerhütte") to the mentioned mountain hut - the Messnerhütte was known as Pidigalm in former times. Behind the hut the path gets steeper and snakes its way uphill in serpentines. After a 2-hour walk across a beautiful alpine landscape we reach the Oberbergalm mountain hut at 1,975 m a.s.l. The forest path ends here, a narrow trail (always no. 49) follows the course of the Rio di Casies brook until we see some old military barracks on the right, built for border surveillance in the past. At the Forcella di Casies (Gsieser Törl) there's also a border stone marking the invisible border line between Italy and Austria.

From the wind gap we enjoy a wonderful view on the Defereggental valley before descending to Casies - at the first bend we follow the Almweg 2000, a high-alpine trail leading past a small mountain lake to the western slope at the head of the valley. After one kilometre (from the wind gap) we turn into the path no. 49b towards the Oberbergalm mountain hut. We decide, however, to descend via the Weissbach Mountain Hut on the path no. 53 through the forest. After half an hour we turn back to our starting point in the Valle di Casies valley.

Suitable for families? the first section to the Oberbergalm mountain hut is a forest road, suitable also for prams

Author: DG