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| View of the fort of Monte Rite |
The museum is
however only a reason to visit Monte Rite, and not the main one for us, who
would rather suggest a simple, yet very impressive itinerary related to the
Great War. Monte Rite is placed on the crossroad of three of the most important
valleys of the Dolomites – Ampezzo, Cadore and Zoldana – and had therefore a
high strategic importance. That’s why the Italian Army started to build a fort
on its summit already before the beginning of WWI, since about 1911. The
buildings, with the storehouse, the cooking area and barracks that could host
about 500 men, were connected with the valley by a mule track, that run then to
the summit, where a military observatory was placed. As the Great War started
the fort was not completed, nevertheless it became a defensive position from
June 1915. Yet he was never at the really frontline: after the rout at
Caporetto it was abandoned.
There are
many ways to reach the summit – the most interesting one it’s maybe the path n.
494, which starts about 1km before the Passo Cibiana arriving from Forno of
Zoldo and runs constantly through the wood. We’d like to suggest you however
the shortest one (the ascent on the path takes about 1 hours), with starting
point Passo Cibiana, so
that you can have more time to spend on Monte Rite and on the ring path of its
summit. The itinerary is very simple and even inexperienced hikers can
undertake it, walking on the large mule track or eventually taking the shuttle
bus to the “Museum in the Clouds”, available during the opening season (for
fee, timetables and contact, see here; think about that during the summer
the parking in the valley, the museum, as well the mule track may be quite
crowded).
For those who want to have a walk, instead, and to enjoy so the
landscape at full, we suggest to park near the Rifugio Re Mauro or in one of the many areas
nearby (pay attention, some of them are with fee), then walk along the mule
track for about 10 minutes till you reach two small wood-houses. At the next
bend you’ll see on the left a signpost that indicates the starting point of the
panoramic path (the n.479, also called “Sentiero Col de Orlando”) entering in
the conifer wood. The trail is really narrow and steep, maybe slippery with
rain or snow, but presents no difficulties and the view, especially on the
Group of Bosconero, is great. As soon as you come out from the trees, you have
to cross some meadows before reaching the mule track and then, short after, the
Forcella Deona. This is the first panoramic point which directs immediately
your look to Antelao. If you follow the mule track you can reach in about 15
minutes the refuge and the museum-fort, but we suggest to proceed first on the ring path of Monte Rite. An
information panel at Forcella Deona describes the main features of the 6 km
trail: it takes about 1.30 hours
and some equipped passage facilitate the walk, that has however to be
undertaken only with good weather conditions and by trained hikers. Follow the
indications and walk the small trail that runs around Monte Rite: you can reach
so the different panoramic points, especially the Col Sette Prede, the Croce
del Rite (on the peak of Monte Roan) and finally the top of Monte Rite. On this
ring path you will discover remains of the WWI, many information panels describe moreover the flora and fauna of the surrounding.
If it’s a sunny and clear day, the 360° view from the top of Monte Rite is
indescribable, as we said; and even in a cloudy and snowy day (as this year was
oft in the Dolomites till June) you can enjoy the view, breathe and imagine
with the clouds. Close then the ring path and descend to the near fort that
host the Museum – a visit is worth. Before coming back home, you can eat
something and rest at the Dolomites Refuge, just walk 5 minutes on the descending mule track. Way back to Forcella
Cibiana always on the mule track on feet or with the shuttle bus. (Here is the photo reportage about this itinerary.)
