Sorapis

Itineraries

Lake of Sorapìs

A hundred metres from Rifugio Vandelli there lies a veritable “pearl”. Its waters of an amazing turquoise are clear in some periods of the year, whereas when the melting flow from the above glacier eats into the muddy horizons of the ground, they become turbid and milky, but their color remains the same. Water temperature is constantly very low since it flows from the glacier of Mt. Sorapìs

Length: 5.200 m.
Vertical gain: 650 m.
Time required: 4 ore

Tonde del Sorapìs

In front of this wide glacial Karstic basin, with flat, smooth limestone slabs, stands out what remains of the largest glacier of the Ampezzo valley: the western glacier of Mt Sorapìs. It features rugged central seracs bearing the blocks from the collapse of legendary Saetta del Sorapis, a 300 m high rocky tower which crashed down on the glacier after 1976 earthquake.

Length: 7.300 m.
Vertical gain: 1.050 m.
Time required: 6,5 ore

Valbona Forest

Valbona valley penetrates as far as the base of Sorapìs glacial circus, towards its outlet waterfall. The valley is covered by a forest of spruce, fir and beech trees of imposing stature, one of the most beautiful Ampezzo woods with 50 metre tall trees with diameter of over a metre. On avalanche prone slopes, spruce and fir trees leave room to the flexible trunks of beeches, birches, mountain ash, and mountain pines.

Length: 2.000 m.
Vertical gain: 80 m.
Time required: 2 ore

Somadida Woods

The Somadida forest used to be a “Vizza” of the Cadore Magnifica Comunità, i.e. a special forest, protected by the Regole, wherefrom valuable timber could be taken only for specific uses. The Republic of Venice, which received the forest as a gift in 1463, adopted its destination for centuries and used the highest and straightest trunks to build the masts of ships for its arsenal.

Length: 3.500 m.
Vertical gain: 50 m.
Time required: 3 ore

Màndres

The forest of Mandres is a bright, sparse larch wood that is gradually evolving towards a spruce forest since cattle grazing has been gradually abandoned. It is rich in fauna, mainly woodpeckers and owls, and crossed by several fascinating hiking routes. A panoramic trail on the above scree and mugo-pine, where Dianthus sternbergii and Cypripedium calceolus abound, connects Lariéto to Fraìna.

Length: 3.50 m.
Vertical gain: 50 m.
Time required: 2 ore

Forest of Tardeiba - Ciadin del Laudo

The larch and stone-pine forest that stretches out to the east of Faloria ski runs up to the rocky walls of Cime Marcuoira is one of the most pristine and well preserved high altitude forests of the Ampezzo area. This optimal habitat for Galliformes, owls, and woodpeckers has almost never been cut since the end of World War 1. Ciadin del Laudo, right above it, is a glacial cirque shaped as a perfect semicircle with vast, untouched grasslands suspended over the forests of Valbona and Val d'Ansiei.

Length: 5.000 m.
Vertical gain: 600 m.
Time required: 2 ore

Flora and Vegetation

Fauna and Habitat

Itineraries