Forca Cesurette o Campigat

Approach

Here you see the ridge which ultimately leads to Cima Pape o Sanson. Forca Cesurette is hidden to the front left of the picture. You follow all the ridge to Cima Caòz.

See the Getting There info on the main page. You can reach the Forca from both Valle di Gares and Valle di San Lucano. Both ascents will be described below.

Col di Pra to Forca Cesurette

Overall Statistics
  - Start altitude: 843m
  - Summit altitude: 2293m
  - Prevailing exposition: north
  - Type: 5h on trails and roads, trailless near the summit
  - Protection: unprotected

Effort: 1500m gain in elevation!!

Power: 2 - strenuous

Psyche: 1 - Moderate exposure during the final ascent

From the village of Col di Pra a road climbs all the way to Forca Cesurette. I would strongly recommend to follow the road from the intersection with trail 764 (bridge accross the Bordina Creek). The shortcuts - due to lack of usage - are difficult bushwhacks where you can easily lose orientation. A GPS-receiver is only of minor use as you lose the satellite signal quite often in the narrow valley.

From Col di Pra follow the road for some 500m. After the first hairpin a trail (761) heads up through the forest on your right hand side and cuts short several bends in the road. This shortcut is save - though even here orientation is a bit difficult. It is not well used and you constantly have to fight with cobwebs accross the trail.

Once again on the road follow it to the intersection at the bridge accross the Bordina Creek. Some people drive up here though in principle the road is closed at Col di Pra. If you follow the road now you will automatically be directed to Forca Cesurette. It runs along on the left hand side of the creek mostly. If you decide to take the shortcutting trail you remain on the left hand side of the creek near the valley bottom. The trail is well visible until Casera della Stua from where it vanishes. The remainder is a serious bushwhack which will finally lead you back to the road several switchbacks below the Forca.

Gares to Forca Cesurette

Overall Statistics
  - Start altitude: 1333m
  - Summit altitude: 2293m
  - Prevailing exposition: SE, later NE
  - Type: 5h on trails, trailless near the summit
  - Protection: unprotected

Effort: 1000m gain in elevation!!

Power: 2 - strenuous

Psyche: 1 - Moderate exposure during the final ascent

From the parking lot at the end of the road into Valle di Gares take trail no 756 south-east. It leads steeply through a pine forest to the Casere Cesurette. At the intersection near the Casere leave the trail (which would lead you to Malga Valbona and the Altipiano delle Pale di San Martino) and follow the sign directing to Col di Pra. It leads directly to Forca Cesurette o Campigat. Near the Forca you can find Casera Campigat from where you have a great overview over both valleys.

The Ridge Traverse

From Forca Cesurette o Campigat turn onto trail 759 which will lead you across the ridge to Forca di Caoz. You can bag the summits of Valghere (1903m) and Monte Palalada (1973m) before the trail leaves the ridge and runs along to its east, finally making a bend around Cima di Caòz and descending into Forca di Caòz.

From the pass head left along trail 759 (direction Cima Pape) which you have to leave a couple of meters afterwards (if you miss that spot, after another 10min there will be a trail leading to the slightly higher Cima dei Vanediei (2380m)). Here the south ridge of Cima Caòz starts. There is no real trail but the route is self-explanatory. Just follow the ridge, mostly on its eastern side but sometimes right on top. You also can follow the ridge further than the summit which will lead you to Cima dei Vanediei (very steep scramble up the summit block) and Lastei di Pape. The map (Tabacco 022) claims that there is a trail even to Cima Pape along the ridge but than can be only the southern summit at (2478m). The traverse accross the middle summit (2500m) towards the northern one (2502m) looks quite precarious.

Essential Gear

Hiking gear is sufficient.