Mountain tour on the Alta Via di Neves

We park our car at the paid car park near the lake Lago di Neves in Lappago at 1,868 m a.s.l. We walk towards north along the lakeshore and follow the signpost "Chemnitzer Hütte". This well-maintained path runs along a slope in the forest, meeting the forest path in several points. We walk past malga Neves Alm and continue towards the Chemnitzer Hütte hut at the Nevesjoch pass (2,419 m a.s.l.). After a short break we follow signpost n. 1 along the Alta Via di Neves.

The Alta Via di Neves, a high altitude trail, is absolutely worth the effort: at the foot of Gran Mesulé (3,480 m a.s.l.) and Punta Bianca at 3.371 m a.s.l. we initially proceed moderately uphill towards north then shortly downhill to the Rio Neveferner which we cross on a small bridge. Then we need to tackle hilly section through the glacial landscape at the foot of the peaks above 3,000 metres of the Zillertal Alps. The well-visible signposts of this section were set up following a violent thunderstorm which had partially destroyed the path in this section. The new path diverts towards north and leads us to a stunning glacial lake, which otherwise we would have missed.

The view we have from here is simply amazing: we can admire the Monti di Fundres, Lake Neves, the Dolomites in the south and the very close Cima di Campo, Punta Bianca and Gran Mesulé peaks. The terrain is partially characterised by meadows and rocks and is secured with ropes in some spots. The numerous glacial brooks descending to the valley are an eye-catcher. After 3.5 hours of walking along the Alta Via we finally reach the Ponte di Ghiaccio mountain hut at 2,545 m a.s.l. at passo Ponte di Ghiaccio where we stop for a delicious lunch. After our break we take path no. 26 through the Valle delle Pipe towards Lake Neves. Initially the path winds along a rocky terrain, then across meadows and finally in the forest.

Please note: This moderately difficult hike absolutely requires surefootedness and skid-proof shoes. Attention: after a violent thunderstorm or particularly hot periods the mountain brooks could carry more water than normal and may not be passable. We recommend planning this hike accurately in advance and undertaking it early in the morning.

Author: BS