A beautiful hike to Plätzwiese, green meadows, and spectacular peaks
What I am about to describe is a pleasant walk in the mountains, neither difficult nor dangerous, which starts at the Cimabanche Pass (1529 m) and leads us to Plätzwiese (Prato Piazza in Italian). This plateau extends up to an altitude of approximately 2000 meters. UNESCO protects this plateau due to its precious alpine ecosystem and its stunning panorama.
The walk is well-known to local hikers and insiders, but often overlooked by most walkers, who tend to head to other equally beautiful, but far noisier and more crowded places, such as Nuvolau, Croda da Lago, Fodara, and Sennes, to name a few.
The starting point is Passo di Cimabanche (Sórabànces in Ladin), the almost imperceptible mountain pass situated on the Alemagna highway, roughly halfway between Cortina and Toblach.
I recommend parking the car just after the pass as you drive toward Toblach, close to the old roadhouse (km 119), which is easily recognizable due to its typical Pompeian red color.
The path is indicated (#18) and leads northwest through the sparse forest. Almost flat at first, the path then begins to ascend slowly up through the Val dei Chenopi.
The river Ru dei Chenòpe runs through the valley and originates at Plätzwiese.
The name of the small river and the valley comes from the Pustertal miners who walked this route to reach the mines at Giau: chenòpo, -pe in Ampezzo dialect, stems from the German Knappe (in dialect Knop), meaning “miner”.
The steep walls of Col Rotondo dei Canopi appear on the right, while the last outcrops of Ra Šàres can be seen on the left before they give way to Còšta del Pin, the green and rocky shoulder of Croda Rossa d’Ampezzo.
After crossing the stream a few times, a rocky gorge suddenly seems to block the way. The path becomes steeper at this point and winds its way past scree and pine trees up the steepest section (Please note: In spring, if there is still snow on the ground, this stretch can be dangerous).
The path leads quickly out of the forest, and the view onto the grassy pass of Plätzwiese (Pratopiazza in Italian) is truly spectacular!
In addition to Dürrenstein, the view sweeps out onto the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Tofane, and Monte Cristallo.
What is most striking of all, though, is the imposing Croda Rossa d’Ampezzo, a grandiose, motley-coloured mass of dolomite.
I want to clarify that the correct Italian spelling for this beautiful corner of the Dolomites is Pratopiazza, not Prato Piazza, which, although more common, is incorrect according to the experts. I’ve included both versions to ensure the article is indexed correctly, as ‘Prato Piazza’ is used far more frequently as a search term.
This point can also be reached via a tarmacked road from Braies (Ponticello). Traffic is limited along the section between Braies (barrier and car park) and Pratopiazza from mid-June to early October, and a shuttle bus operates from 10:00 to 16:00.
In the winter, you can only drive up here with winter tires or chains.
There’s a hotel (Hotel Hohe Gaisl) on the plateau as well as two mountain huts, Berggasthof Plätzwiese and Dürrensteinhütte, where you can spend the night. Close to the latter and at the southern end of the plateau are the ruins of Sperrwerk Plätzwiese, the remains of a fort dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Plätzwiese is very popular with tourists both in summer and in winter. In the summer, it serves as the starting point for many hikes, including the path that leads to the summit of Dürrenstein. In winter, this is an ideal location for ski mountaineering and Cross-country skiing, as there tends to be plenty of snow throughout the season.
The plateau is located in the Natural Park Fanes-Senes-Braies, and offers visitors peace and tranquility.
Those who enjoy traditional food will certainly appreciate stopping by Berggasthof Plätzwiese, where local specialties can be savored all year round in the authentic Tyrolean Stuben. The combination of local and Italian cuisine is superb, resulting in favourites such as the tris of pasta and Tyrolean gnocchi, the “Brettljausen” (typical snacks), Knödel soups, or homemade cakes that blend in perfectly with the landscape.
But now the time has come to continue our journey, and we do so by following the white track that crosses the plateau and then slowly begins its descent south towards Carbonin.
Numerous shortcuts, never too steep, enable you to shorten the return and render it slightly more “wild”.
Once you reach Carbonin, a final ascent leads back to the parking lot and starting point of this walk. It’s worth crossing the road at this point and walking along the tracks of the former railway, where the “Train the Dolomites” rattled along until 1964. “Sunday, May 17, 1964, was the last day for the Dolomites railway … Absenteeism and total indifference unfortunately characterized this moment; everyone had forgotten how much this blue-white train had given to everyone for so many years. It disappeared in silence, almost aware that its time had come. The only emotion that could be felt was from the railwaymen who, with great sadness, watched it for the last time.” (Taken from the excellent book written by Evaldo Gaspari entitled “La Ferrovia delle Dolomiti. Calalzo – Cortina d’Ampezzo – Dobbiaco, 1921-1964 – Distribuzione Casa Editrice Athesia, Bolzano 1994).
Follow the link to read more about the Train of the Dolomites.
Today, this track is used for cross-country skiing in winter and as a walking path in summer.
Walk along this for 1.5km; take care not to walk too far, keep an eye out for the road, and reach the old roadhouse and parking lot after approximately 15 minutes.
GETTING THERE
Passo Cimabanche is easily reached from Cortina d’Ampezzo by driving north along the SS51 d’Alemagna towards Toblach. Circa 15 km from Cortina, or 17 km from Toblach.
Passo di Cimabanche can also be reached using the bus that runs between Toblach and Cortina.
BUY THE MAP
Map of Cortina d’Ampezzo e Dolomiti Ampezzane – Scale 1:25.000 – Tabacco Map Tabacco n° 03
NOTES
Ristorante Chalet Passo Cimabanche – loc. Cimabanche – Tel: +39 0474 972442
Rifugio Plätzwiese – loc. Pratopiazza – Tel: +39 0474 748650
Rifugio Vallandro – loc. Pratopiazza – Tel: +39 0474 972505 – Cell: +39 346 3242967
TIME
2 hours for the ascent – 2 hours for the descent
ASCENT HEIGHT DIFFERENCE
550m
DESCENT HEIGHT DIFFERENCE
550m
