Ski tour to the Forcella del Cristallo

To reach our starting point we need to cross the Valle di Landro near Dobbiaco where we continue to Carbonin and turn left towards Misurina. After one kilometre we arrive at a car park on the right roadside, near the Ponte del Marogna bridge.

With our skis on we head towards southwest where the Cristallo group dominates the landscape. Then we proceed on the valley floor along the bank of the Rio Val Fonda until we reach a narrow passage which coincides with the entrance of the Val Fonda. We cross the river two times and ascend a slight slope before entering a wonderful basin. As we approach the key passage of today's excursion which is already visible on our left. Initially, we tackle this section with our skis on but as the ascent gets steeper and steeper we fasten our skis to our rucksack and continue to walk.

At the end of the passage the Circo del Cristallo appears in front of us. Its slopes are initially characterised by stone steps covered with powder snow. From here our final destination between Monte Cristallo and the Piz Popena is already in sight but we still need to cover 700 metres of elevation gain. In the final section we have to climb a steep ascent (traction cleats are required!) that separates us from the Forcella del Cristallo at 2,808 m a.s.l. We descend along the large slopes covered with powder snow. It is very important not to avoid the aforementioned key passage as it is the only connection to the Val Fonda!

Please note: This tour in the Cristallo group is moderately difficult. The only difficult section is the key passage described in the text. This passage requires traction cleats to be mastered and it should never be underestimated, whether you descend or ascend it. Always check the weather conditions and the avalanche bulletin before undertaking this tour as it is at risk for avalanches. Powder almost never melts in the gully of the Cristallo group.

Author: BS

Date of the excursion: 28 January 2011
Reviewed in: 2025