Belvedere

Overview

Belvedere seen across Porta Vescovo

Belvedere, right after La Mesola is the second highest mountain of the Padon Chain in the very north of the Marmolada Group in the Dolomites. It is located centrally on the main ridge, just to the west and above the Porta Vescovo Saddle, which itself can be reached by strnuous hike from Lago Fedaia or comfortably by cable-car from Arabba. It is the westernmost mountain, which is touched by Alta Via della Cresta, the hiking and scrambling trail which heads across all the summits of the western half of the main ridge. Like its neighbours, Belvedere is made up from volcanic rock. Its black tuff core can be seen in its north face, a very brittle wall with many hoodoo-like towers. to the other three sides the mountain is covered in grass, thus giving an easy-to-reach impression. But don't be fooled. The two legs of Alta Via della Cresta which negotiate its east and west ridges are extremely steep. In particular the hike from Porta Vescovo along a deeply rutted track is far from easy.

Belvedere - as it name implies - is a wonderful lookout mountain. Like all its neighbours on the Padon Crest it offers great views towards the Sella and Marmolada Groups between which the crest is wedged. In particular the view towards Marmolada and its Sattellite Gran Vernel is among the best you can get in the area. The pair look like much higher and much more difficult mountains than they actually are.

Marmolada Group
Piz Boè	Colac	Heiligkreuzkofel, Zehner, Neuner
Langkofel Group	Col del Cuc, Sass Capel	Sasshonger

Belvedere's location above Porta Vescovo where the extremely popular Bindelweg / Viel dal Pan connects to Alta Via della Cresta directly at the cable-car, nominally ensures crowds on its summit. However, during the two times I have been there (mid June / mid July) I only met one couple on the summit. Granted - in both occasions the cable-car was not running but there was much traffic on Bindelweg / Viel dal Pan. Obviously the very steep ascent scares off most of the hikers. The Porta Vescovo Lift is operated in winter so that Belvedere might look like a good ski tour destination. However, all the mountains on the Padon Chain are avalanche prone so that you should consult the staff of the cable-car or its restaurant for conditions.

360 Summit Panorama

360° summit panorama from Belvedere

Getting There

There are several possible trailheads for Bindelweg and Alta Via della Cresta.

• Passo Pordoi Most hikers start from this pass which can be reached from Canazei or Arabba by SS48. A dirt road leads to the huts along the Padon Crest.
• Canazei If you prefer to get to the trailhead by lift and cable-car you can start from Canazei, where a two stage lift takes you close to Passo Pordoi
• Porto Vescovo Another cable-car starts at Arabba and takes you to the Porto Vescovo Saddle. Here both Bindelweg and Alta Via della Cresta have their eastern end.
• Lago Fedaia Though located about 800m beneath the Padon Crest, Lago Fedaia is still a good starting point. There are two paths, one leading to Porto Vescovo, the other traversing up the Padon south slopes until it reaches Bindelwegbetween Belvedere and Le Forfes.

Red Tape

There's no red tape here. Be prepared to pay fees for parking lots, especially at Passo Pordoi. The lot there can also be overcrowded. On Bindelweg, take care of the avalanche devices. When fired, they create a thunder-like boom and long jets of flame issue from their mouths.

Accommodation

Val di Fassa

• valdifassa.it
• dolomitibooking.com
• fassa.com
• Moena
• Vigo di Fassa
• Campitello di Fassa
• Canazei

Grödner Tal / Val Gardena

• www.valgardena.it www.groeden.info
• St. Ulrich / Ortisei
• St. Christina / Santa Christina
• Wolkenstein / Selva di Val Gardena

Weather Conditions

Maps & Books

Books:

• Höhenwege in den Dolomiten H. Dumler Bruckmann Verlag ISBN: 3 7654 3860 X
• Dolomiten P. Fleischmann Kompass Verlag ISBN: 3 8705 1409 4
• Dolomiten 3 F. Hauleitner Rother Verlag ISBN: 3-7633-4060-2
• Dolomiten 4 F. Hauleitner Rother Verlag ISBN: 3-7633-4061-0

Maps:

• Val di Fassa, Marmolada, Gruppo di Sella Kompass Map WK 686 ISBN: 3 8549 1768 6 Scale: 1:25000
• Sellagruppe / Gruppo di Sella Kompass Map WK 59 ISBN: 3 8549 1066 5 Scale: 1:50000
• Val Gardena & Alpe di Siusi Tabacco Map 05

Images

View Belvedere Image Gallery - 23 Images