From the Zinnen Hut (2,405m), Via Alpina leads westwards along trail no. 102 towards the Höhlensteintal valley. Past the Drei Zinnen Blick inn, it crosses the valley floor and heads along trail no. 34, rather exposed in parts (and therefore also secured) to the Strudelkopfsattel pass at 2,200m. The last metres of this stage lead from the pass down to the Dürrenstein Hut.
Easier alternative route (difficulty )
From Schluderbach in the Höhlensteintal valley on the old military road in 2.5 hours to the Dürrenstein Hut.
At the Drei-Zinnen Hut (2,405m), Via Alpina first of all starts heading westward in the direction of the Höhlensteintal valley; it thus also follows dolomites ridge trail no. 4, which in total is around 150km in length. It leads through the Haunold/Dreischusterspitze, Drei Zinnen, Cadini di Misurina, Sorapiss and Antelao dolomites group (marking: red triangle with the number 4). Via Alpina initially makes an 8km descent of 1,000m in altitude through the Rienztal valley (trail number 102). The Rienz river finds its source to the west side of the Zinnen Hut. Before the Drei Zinnen hotel in Landro, the trail passes one of the info points established by nature park management. Only a few minutes’ walk takes you to the Dürrensee, a natural lake, which invites you to take a rest and is particularly popular among hobby fishermen. After crossing the busy national road, continue uphill over the beautiful but in places rather exposed (and therefore also secured) trail no. 34 to the Strudelkopfsattel pass at 2,200m. The precarious track through the Helltal valley runs in some secured parts directly along the northeastern rock faces of the Strudelköpfe peaks; you must not suffer from vertigo here! This track through the Helltal valley is also a section of ridge trail no. 3, which comes across the following mountain groups in its course: the Cristallo and Sorapiss groups, Monte Pelmo, Monte Rite and Sasso die Bosconero. (Marking: red triangle with the number 3). The last 200m in altitude on this stage lead from the Strudelkopfsattel pass down to the Dürrenstein Hut. At the pass, trail no. 34 divides, but both routes meet again at the stage destination in the Plätzwiesen meadowland. Starting from the Dürrenstein Hut, a fork in the road offers a longer (and easier) route and a quicker alternative route to the Strudelkopfsattel pass. (Stefan Illmer, Karin Leichter, AVS)
Natural and cultural heritage
The dolomites are counted as being among the most beautiful mountains in the Alps. They got their name come from French researcher D. G. de Dolomieu. The dolomites leave those who see them with an indelible impression, created by their bizarre shapes, the rigidity of their formations, the charm of their colour changes in the most varying light from cool grey to glowing red. It is therefore not suprising that their renown spread and that the “pale mountains”, as the dolomites appear to be especially in the evening after sunset, are surrounded by a fabric of legends and secrets. The Sexten dolomites have one of the wildest landscapes of the dolomite groups. The largely untouched natural landscape contributed to a large section being placed under protection. The well-known Drei Zinnen area is a popular tourist haunt, and this is where the stage begins. The Sexten dolomites with their well marked trail network are very accessible for hikers, while rock climbers can tackle the most famous rock trio in the world, the Drei Zinnen, on the most difficult routes. The Drei Zinnen are surrounded by sparse boulder fields, which at first sight resemble a lunar landscape. On close examination, the rich diversity of alpine flowers, shrubs, grasses and little trees defying the austere living conditions becomes evident. These three bizarre yet both elegant and equally fascinating mountain shapes are unmatched in the entire mountain world of the dolomites. Toblach therefore has an extraordinary whim of nature to thank for the fact that so many mountain friends come to this tourism stronghold each year to experience the three “Titans" once for themselves. The Landro information point forms an attraction in the Sexten dolomites nature park and is located in in the aforementioned locality in the Höhlensteintal valley. The subject is the Drei Zinnen, which are represented by a model of their relief. The most important climbing routes have been clearly marked and descriptions are also available in Braille. The info point also includes a telescope through which the Drei Zinnen can be seen. In the area of the Höhlensteintal valley, there are still several relics from the 1st World War. For instance, the Landro flood barrier is located close to the Drei Zinnen Blick hotel – today all that remains are heavily overgrown and partially dilapidated bunkers. The open-air museum on the nearby Mt. Piano plateau offers an interesting insight into wartime events. (Stefan Illmer, Karin Leichter, AVS)
Other long-distance trails and alternative routes
During this stage, Via Alpina follows the high altitude dolomites trail (alte vie delle dolomit) running from North to South for a while. The high altitude dolomites trail no. 3 leads from Niederdorf or Toblach in the Pustertal valley in 7 daily stages to Longarone. The high altitude dolomites trail no. 4 leads from Innichen in the Pustertal valley in 6 daily stages to Pieve de Cadore.
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Raphael - 2023-09-26
As previously described, if you stay at Misurina, you can take the bus from there to the Drei-Zinnen-Blick bus station and start the tour from there. Bus costs 6€ if booked online or 8€ in the bus. The first one of the day leaves at 9am, which I found rather late, but I was not successful with hitchhiking before. Very nice and quiet path until the Plätzwiese, where you have to expect more tourists and packed paths again. But all in all an amazing leg! Also, I skipped the Seekofelhütte and went down directly to the Pragser Wildsee. From there I took the bus again to Niederdorf and stayed at the Camping Olympia.
Carsten - 2022-01-10
Resupply: At the road crossing at Landro (Hoehlensteintal), c. 2hr 10min into R27, is a bus stop for Cortina d'Ampezzo (c. 20km, half a dozen buses a day from Toblach) which is a bigger town that should offer better resupply than the Sexten valley.
Alternative route given the (earlier warning) comments on via-alpina.org re the second half of R27 and R28: Just before the road at Landro, take the macadam road heading South, first trail 6 then trail 6B, for c.2.5km around the far side (away from road) of the Duerrensee (lake). Once one reaches an exceedingly good bicycle macadam road, follow that Southwest for c.3.5km to Cimabanche and c.0.5km further to a small parking area on the Western side of the parallel road (two big map displays). Follow forest road West to hamlet Ra Stua (c.7.5km), then continue North (with some variation, and various options) to Seekofelhuette. The app Maps.me will display this route if done in two stages, first to Ra Stua, then to the Seekofelhuette.
Via Alpina - 2020-08-01
Warning! This stage has around 1.000 m of descent.
Höhlensteintal is at 1406 metres.
Please for more info read detailed route description and visit www.komoot.de/collection/900925/-via-alpina-2-10
Thorsten - 2018-10-03
The information about the distances is absolutely wrong. It would correctly more be something like 1000 metres down, then 1000 metres up. Of course, that's also not doable in 4:10 h (speed-hikers excluded).
The ascent to Dürrensteinhütte is exhausting, but not actually difficult. Yes, there is a short part where the path is exposed, but here the path is flat and wide and well secured by steel cables, so it's much easier than for example R23.
POPEYE GG - 2018-06-13
2 juillet 2017
Je pars du Rifugio al Fondovalle de l'étape R26 (rappel: le Dreizinnenhütte plein comme un œuf!) et monte au Dreizinnenhütte, cadre effectivement sublime, d'où la forte population de touristes qu'on y trouve.
Je redescends jusqu'à Höhlensteintal, où il y a théoriquement l'hôtel, mais le patron m'envoie 5km plus bas à l'hôtel Baur am See (bus), vieillot mais pas cher et au pied d'un bel étang, d'où je remonterai le lendemain par le même bus.
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July 2, 2017 I leave the Rifugio al Fondovalle stage R26 (reminder: the Dreizinnenhütte full like an egg!) And goes up to the Dreizinnenhütte, a truly sublime setting, hence the strong tourist population found there. I go down to Höhlensteintal, where there is theoretically the hotel, but the boss sends me 5km down to the hotel Baur am See (bus), old but cheap and at the foot of a beautiful pond, d where I will go back the next day by the same bus.
About 3K from Landro (in direction of Cortina and at the hotel turn left) there's an unofficial but tollerated (climbers)camp spot.
tof - 2014-12-25
Trieste-Monaco le 21/7/14
Rifugio Vallandro par la variante. Pluie diluvienne. 1/2 pension à 40 euros. Difficile de négocier seulement la nuit.
Douches disponibles. Beaucoup de monde y compris cyclistes sur les nombreux tours du Parc di bries.
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Trieste-Monaco on 21/7/14 Rifugio Vallandro by the variant. Torrential Rain. 1/2 pension at 40 euros. Difficult to negotiate only at night. Showers available. Many people including cycling on the many tours of the park di Bries.
The privately owned Dürresteiner Hütte has free showers. The first one since -I guess- the Platten Hotel (R18). (Actually, some mountain huts may have showers, but I never use them because of environmental scrupules.)
Alpinisten - 2012-09-24
Der Weg ab Landro zur Dürrensteinhütte dauert mit Terkkinggepäck eher 3h als wie angegeben 2h!
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[Google]
The path from the Landro Dürrenstein hut takes with Terkkinggepäck 2h 3h rather than as specified
Mountain Girl - 2012-02-03
Nasty owners at Hotel Drei Zinnen in Landro (Hoehlensteintal). Nowhere on the Via Alpina did I find innkeepers more concerned about making money than extending basic human courtesy.
Pierre - 2009-08-15
entre Höhlensteintal et le refuge Dürrenstein, on passe par le col de Strudelkopfsattel, comme indiqué dans le descriptif, qui est à 2200, le dénivellé de l'étape est d'au moins 800 m. Pour cette étape le temps pour un marcheur moyen me semble léger.
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[Google]
between the refuge and Höhlensteintal Dürrenstein it passes through the neck Strudelkopfsattel, as indicated in the description, which is 2200, the height difference of the step is at least 800 m. For this step time for an average walker seems light.
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4h10 |
13 km
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556 m
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811 m
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Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.