Maria

It was an extraordinary, indefatigable woman of another era, who wanted a cable car to the summit of Sass Pordoi. We’re talking about Maria Piaz Pavarin, sister of mountaineer Tita Piaz, a woman who devoted all her life to tourism on Passo Pordoi. In the sixties, by now elderly, she and her son wanted to have this cable car built, a very bold undertaking at the time. You can trace the story through ... photographs from the era at the lower station. The refuge is close to the top station of the cable car, 2950 metres above sea level, where many tourists from around the world - winter and summer - gaze open-mouthed at the view of the most famous massifs of the Ladin Dolomites. It would be impossible to count the people who, in the last fifty years, have come up to this refuge, where great events also take place, such as Top Wine, a high altitude wine tasting held in the autumn. Open: WINTER: from December to April SUMMER: from May to October Before leaving for your hike, always contact the manager to verify the actual opening of the mountain hut Walks It takes a few minutes to get down to the Forcella Pordoi refuge and less than an hour to return to Passo Pordoi down the scree slope, which has a gradient to be reckoned with (difficulty EE). Alternatively, an easy footpath will take you to Rifugio Boè (50 minutes, difficulty E). The ascent of Piz Boè takes 1 ½ hours (difficulty EE, the final stretch is over uneven, broken rock). It’s a 3 ½ hour walk (difficulty EE) across the Sella Group to Rifugio Cavazza F. Pisciadù (in the Corvara district). The high altitude means care and attention are required in unstable weather conditions.