Piz Boè

Overview

The Sella group with the Pyramid of Piz Boè

Piz Boè is the highest mountain of the Sella Group, the giant fortress of rock in the heart of the Dolomites. It is the only 3000er of the group and thanks to its short and easy access has been dubbed "the easiest 3000er of the Dolomites". And except for Marmolada and Tofana di Mezzo, to the summits of which cable cars run, it might well be true. The usual access to Piz Boè starts at Passo Pordoi from which another cable car takes you to Sass Pordoi, already close to 3000m. A short walk across the Sella Plateau takes you to the base of the mountain, from which a steep and in some places protected trail leads.

In the high season caravans of people climb the mountain and you will never have the summit to yourself. The crowds are indeed so large that a one way system has been established - ascent via the south-west rib of the mountain, descent across the choss of the west face. On top of Piz Boè there is a little mountain hut, Capanna Piz Fassa, another attraction for the many tourists. It has sleeping room only for half a dozen people but caters with food and drink to the crowds.

Ignoring the crowds you still can enjoy Piz Boè. First of all, try to catch the first cable car and try to be among the first to reach the base of the summit pyramid. Then, from the top of the mountain, you will have exceptional views to the mountains all around. Piz Boè is located rather central in the Dolomites so that most of the mountain groups can be distinguished from its summit. Have a look at Victor Suffer's panoramas below and judge for yourself.

Beside the normal route to Boè (all hiking routes combine at Rifugio Boè and use the aforementioned one-way system for the final 200m) there are two interesting ferratas up the mountain. The more rewarding of the two is the Ferrata Cesare Piazetta, an exposed route across ledge systems to the south of the mountain. It starts at Passo Pordoi and heads directly up the mountain. Lichtenfels Klettersteig (Ferrata Lichtenfels) traverses the Sella Ringband in the east of the group. It starts at Franz Kostner Hut above Corvara in the north-east of the mountain.

Getting There

View from the summit towards the Fanes Group, Tofane, Sorapiss, Antelao and Pelmo

There are several trailheads for Piz Boè. The closest one is Passo Pordoi, where the Pordoi cable-car takes you to the top of Sass Pordoi, from where a short stroll takes you to the base of the Boè pyramid. A second trailhead is Corvara from where a cable-car takes you to Crep de Munt. The third trailhead is at Kolfuschg / Colfosco, from where Val di Mesdi takes you to the Boè Hut at the base of the summit pyramid. The fourth trailhead is a bit to the south-east of Sella Pass and leads through Val Lasties to the Sella Plateau and the Boè Hut.

• From North (Brenner Pass)
  • Take the Brenner Motorway A22 southward to Waldbruck / Ponte Gardena
  • Leave the motorway and take SS242 into Grödnertal / Val Gardena
  • After Wolkenstein / Selva Gardena the road ascends to Grödner Joch / Passo Gardena and Sellajoch / Passo Sella.
  • Take the Grödner Joch road to Kolfuschg / Colfosco and Corvara
  • Take the Sella Pass road for Val Lasties or onwards to the Passo Pordoi Road.
• From Belluno:
  • Drive along SP1 as far as Ponte nelle Alpi
  • Turn onto SS51 to Castello Lavazzo
  • There switch to SS51b to Vodo di Cadore
  • In Pierosa switch to SS48 to Andraz
  • Continue along the SS244 to Corvara
  • For Kolfuschg / Colfosco switch to SS243 to Grödner Joch / Passo Gardena
  • For Passo Pordoi first cross Passo Campolongo in the south of Corvara, then turn west to Passo Pordoi.
• From Venice and Treviso:
  • Take motorway A27 to Belluno, exit Pian di Vedoia,
  • Turn onto the SS51 to Pierosa
  • Switch to SS48 to Andraz
  • Here switch to SS244 to Corvara
  • For Kolfuschg / Colfosco take SS243 to Grödner Joch / Passo Gardena
  • For Passo Pordoi first cross Passo Campolongo in the south of Corvara, then turn west to Passo Pordoi.
• From Innichen / San Candido and Dobbiaco / Toblach:
  • Drive along SS49 as far as San Lorenzo di Sebato
  • Continue along SS244 to get to Corvara.
  • For Kolfuschg / Colfosco take SS243 to Grödner Joch / Passo Gardena
  • For Passo Pordoi first cross Passo Campolongo in the south of Corvara, then turn west to Passo Pordoi.
• From Bruneck / Brunico:
  • Drive along SS242 to get to Corvara
  • For Kolfuschg / Colfosco take SS243 to Grödner Joch / Passo Gardena
  • For Passo Pordoi first cross Passo Campolongo in the south of Corvara, then turn west to Passo Pordoi.

Red Tape

There's no Red Tape on Piz Boè.

Accommodation

View from the summit towards the Civetta Group and Marmolada

• www.valgardena.it
• www.groeden.info
• www.altabadia.org
• www.valdifassa.it

Mountain Huts:

• Capanna Piz Fassa
  Situated on top of Piz Boè
  Private - 6 places to sleep
  Tel +39(0462)601723
• Refugio Boè
  Winter hut 4 places
  Summer hut 69 places
  Property: Italian Club Alpine
  Tel.: +39 (0471)847303
  Open: 20 June - 20 September

Weather Conditions

Piz Boè in front of Marmolada

Maps & Books

Books:
There is one very recommendable book, Sella - Langkofel Extrem, which the original submitter kletterwebbi used to help put up this page. It gives an overview over hundreds of climbing routes in the area. Two thirds of the book deal with the Sella Group.

• Climbing
  
  • Sella - Langkofel Extrem
    Richard Goedecke
    Alpenvereinsführer
    Rother Verlag
    ISBN: 3-7633-1315-X
  • Val di Fassa - Guida alle arrampicate sportive
    Renato Bernard/Gabriele Bonnano
    Dora' Publisher, Bolzano
  • Sella e Sassolungo
    Luca Visentini
    Ed. Athesia, Bolzano/Bozen. (both in Italian and German languages)
  • Classic Dolomite Climbs: 102 High Quality Rock-Climbs Between the Uiaa Grades III and VII (also available on CD)
    Anette Kohler, Norbert Memmel
    Mountaineers Books
    ISBN: 0 8988 6693 6
• Vie Ferrate
  • Klettersteige Dolomiten
    H. Höfler, P. Werner
    Rother Verlag
    ISBN: 3 7633 3096 8
  • Hülslers Klettersteigführer
    E.E.Hülsler
    Bruckmann Verlag
    ISBN: 3 7654 4161 9
• Hiking and Trecking
  • 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:
I have been using the maps by Kompass Verlag. There are several which differ in scale:

• 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