Seiser Alm

Around the Rotwand

Medium

The Route | Rotwand | This tour is for mountain enthusiasts who would like to experience the appeal of climbing. Stamina, surefootedness, and an understanding of how to keep safe on a mountain are prerequisites. On this trail, hikers are rewarded with wonderful views amidst bizarrely shaped boulders and a truly hands-on experience of the magic and history of the Rosengarten Massif and the Dolomite Mountains. | Rotwand | Starting point: Frommer Alm (1690 m) | Highest point: 2630 | Map/guide: Freytag & Berndt, Blatt S 1 (Bozen - Meran und Umgebung); Kompass, Blatt 54 (Bozen); Kompass, Blatt 54 (Bozen)

From Bolzano through the Val d'Ega to the Paolina valley station.

A few hundred metres below the Karer Pass is the valley station of a modern chairlift that takes us up to the Paolina Hut (2127 m). From there, a well-marked trail (552) leads northwards. The trail crosses three successive valley depressions. At the fourth valley hollow you meet a small waterfall (2175 m) and a junction. Here our path begins to climb slightly. At the following junction (2190 m) with path 9 to the Moseralm, we stay on our chosen path and continue to climb between large masses of rock (2200 m) until we reach the well-known Hirzelweg (M 549) (named after Hirzel from Leipzig, who initiated the routing).
Our path now leads noticeably uphill, first in a steep zigzag over light scree and further up through boulders to the Vajolon Pass. Immediately before the pass, we have to climb over a rocky outcrop; this is the only difficult part, but it can be easily managed with a small iron ladder. After another section you reach the Vajolon Pass (2560 m). From the Paolina Hut to here it takes about 1:45 hours. At the saddle, the via ferrata coming from the Rotwand joins our path. Now the descent begins: first slightly downhill into the rocky cirque at the foot of the Coronelle ridge, then southwards through a gorge. Above the Rotwand hut, our trail crosses path 541, which comes from the Cigolade Pass. We descend across the mountain meadows to the hut (2280 m) and enjoy the view of the Fassa Valley and the Fassa Dolomites. From here we continue comfortably on wide trail 549 to the next hut, the Pederiva Hut. About a hundred metres to the east, we advise you to take it easy for a while, because with a bit of luck you might spot a marmot or two in the valley basin of Pasche. You will soon reach the Theodor Christomannos monument with the three-metre bronze eagle at a vantage point above the Fassa and Ega valleys. Shortly afterwards, we branch off to the left from the Hirzelweg and follow the M 539 down to the Paolina Hut. We return to the Karer Pass by chairlift.