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Sas dla Crusc/Santa Croce

Reinhold Messner opened up the first climbing route on the Sas dla Crusc/Sasso Santa Croce

This popular meeting point for tours at the foot of the mighty rocky walls of the Sas dla Crusc/Sasso Santa Croce which soar vertically up into the sky, offers magnificent views over the Marmolada Glacier, the Grup dl Sela, the Puez - Odle group, the Sas de Pütia and, to the north, the glaciers of the main chain of the Alps.

©Seggiovia Santa Croce_freeclimbing (18)

Many mountaineers were involved in telling the story of the Sas dla Crusc, as this mountain is known in Ladin.
It all started in 1968 when Reinhold Messner and his brother Günther opened up the first climbing route on the central pillar (Mittelpfeiler) of the Sas dla Crusc. At the time, this route was reckoned to have a grade VI difficulty level, as there were no routes with a higher level of difficulty known to the climbing world of the day. Messner describes the route to Sas dla Crusc as the most difficult climb in his life.

For ten years no one else managed to get all the way to the top on the central pillar. It was not until 1978 that the Austrian Heinz Mariacher dared to attempt the route, but he opened up a slightly easier variant on the key section on the central pillar. Following his successful ascent, Mariacher upped the rating for the original route which had been opened up by the Messner brothers, to a difficulty level of VII+. Over the course of the years, many other famous mountaineers have explored the west wall of the Sas dla Cusc and opened up numerous new climbing routes.

But it’s not just climbing routes which will take you to the summit of the Sas dla Crusc – it can be reached also by taking one of the finest hiking routes in Alta Badia and the Dolomites.

  • Hiking - trekking_By Alex Moling (43)
  • Alta Badia_Trekking_by Alex Moling (6)
  • Alta Badia_Sas dla Crusc - Lavarela_by Paola Finali (3)

Route description

From Badia ascend with the chairlifts to the La Crusc/S.Croce sanctuary (2045 m). From here, take trail nr. 7 and reach the rocky slopes. The hike continues rapidly gaining height, climbing over ledges and scree-covered slopes until you reach the Ju dla Crusc ridge (1h 30min.). At this point, follow trail nr. 7B right up to the highest point of the tour, the peak Le Ciaval (2907 m) (2h 35min.). From here, you can enjoy an awesome panorama out over the entire world of the Dolomites.
The return is on the same path down down to the ridge. Proceed on trail nr. 7 to the east towards Fanes. After 200 m, continue on trail nr. 12B towards the Forcela de Medesc notch (1h 30min.). From here, the walk continues pleasantly through woods and meadows, skirting farms and little villas until you come to the village of La Villa.

Details

  • Start: Badia, La Crusc chairlift
  • Duration: 6 h
  • Highest point: 2908 m
  • Altitude difference: 1481 m
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Lenght: 13,9 km

Le ander da la nëi/the snow cave

Le ander da la nëi/the snow cave
Le ander da la nëi/the snow cave

The snow cave at the foot of Sas dla Crusc is a natural cave which is formed by the snowmelt in the spring months and remains intact until the following winter. Read more ...