To Forcella Zumeles

Description

From the car park take the chairlift from Rio Gere to Son Forca, a characteristic and cosy structure at 2,215 metres just above the pass of the same name, at the foot of the spur that descends from the Cima di Mezzo del Cristallo. Its large scenic terrace offers a splendid view of Sorapis, Croda da Lago and Tofane and a close-up view of the Cristallino d'Ampezzo. From the mountain hut, take the dirt road that runs alongside it until you reach path 205, which leads to the beautiful Forcella Zumeles in about half an hour. Along the way, you can admire the famous steep Staunies gorge on your right and the Monte Cristallo in all its beauty. Once you get to the fork, one of the most beautiful scenic windows over the entire Conca Ampezzana opens up - here you can admire the Larieto larch grove, the largest in Europe and one of the most beautiful in the Dolomites, from above. In the autumn season you will see it tinged with orange, yellow and red, while in spring the larches turn a light green hue. From Forcella Zumeles you can also see the Val Padeon, which descends to Ospitale. After admiring the view, head back along path 205 to the junction with path 203. Follow it to the junction with path 206, which passes below the chairlift and overlooks the Perosego Federa, a peculiar rock formation reminiscent at times of the mountains of Colorado or Arizona in the US. Continue along path 206, which, passing through a magnificent forest and pastures where you can see grazing cows, will lead you to the characteristic mountain cottage El Brite de Larieto. "In fact, “brite” in the local language means “mountain cottage”, while “larieto” refers to the larch grove that embraces the mountain cottage. The mountain cottage and its large open-air terrace are an ideal rest stop to enjoy dishes or snacks with traditional and authentic flavours: butter, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, bread, meat and salami are all locally produced. From Brite de Larieto, you can quickly arrive at the Rio Gere car park by following path 211.