Mountain tour to the Croda Rossa

We'd like to fully enjoy the beautiful South Tyrolean autumn and decide to climb a summit in the Valle di Anterselva valley. We go there by car and pass the famous Lago Anterselva lake. Arrived at the Passo Stalle, a 2,052 m high mountain pass between South and East Tyrol (the road leading up to the pass is open to traffic every hour from :30 to :45) we enjoy the golden larch meadows. Our hike starts at the parking space, the path no. 7 towards the Croda Rossa mountain branches off on the right.

This well-marked hiking path enters the small Agsttal valley. The impressive peaks of the Collalto, Collaspro, Grande Orecchio, Piccolo Orecchio and Almenhorn mountains tower into the sky on the other side of the valley and dominate the landscape. We walk slightly uphill following the course of the mountain brook and crossing it several times. Past the junction with the path towards the Steinzgeralm mountain hut we reach a wide valley basin. The summit cross gets closer and we come to the ridge where the view opens up on the summits of the mountains of the Alta Pusteria valley. Sure-footedness is required on the last uphill section to the 2,817 m high summit - a viewing platform provides information about the surrounding mountains.

The panoramic view from Mount Croda Rossa is breathtaking and includes "King Ortles" and the Palla Bianca (in the west), the glaciers of the Zillertal Alps and Vedrette di Ries mountain range, Mt. Grossglockner, the Sesto and Lienz Dolomites and goes far beyond. Really impressive, however, are nearby Mt. Collalto and Mt. Collaspro with Lake Anterselva at their feet. The way back follows the same route.

Please note: this rewarding and not too difficult mountain tour is especially beautiful in summer and autumn. The last section is steep and can be slippery - it requires sure-footedness and a good physical condition! Mt. Croda Rossa (Rote Wand, in German) is also a popular destination for ski tours.

Author: BS