The Granite High Route to Cima d'Asta
In south-eastern Trentino, the Cima d'Asta chain is the southernmost granite massif in the Alps: lakes, mountain huts and stern ridges at the heart of the Lagorai, the range that stayed wild while everyone heads for the nearby Dolomites.
Foto: User:Alesvp (CC BY-SA 3.0) — Wikimedia Commons
While the Dolomites fill postcards and car parks, you need only move a few kilometres south to find yourself in an opposite world. The Lagorai is the longest and wildest range in Trentino, and Cima d'Asta is its highest, granite peak: no ski lifts, no scenic roads, just rock, bilberries, dark lakes and huts reachable only on foot. It is the mountain that the people of Trentino themselves consider the sternest and most authentic, and it is still a place where you walk for hours crossing very few people.
The rock
The difference from the Dolomites is felt at once underfoot. Here there is no pale, crumbly dolomite, but grey, compact granite: the rock is harder, the shapes rounder and more massive, the landscape more northern and severe. Cima d'Asta is in fact the southernmost granite massif of the Alpine arc, an island of plutonic rock amid the porphyries of the Lagorai.
The hut
The reference point of every itinerary is the Ottone Brentari hut, built on the shore of Lake Cima d'Asta, a mirror of water set in an amphitheatre of granite walls right beneath the summit. The most frequented access starts from Malga Sorgazza, at the far end of Val Malene, on the Tesino plateau: reached from Pieve Tesino, from here a well-marked trail climbs toward the lake and the hut, crossing woods, waterfalls and scree. It is a demanding but non-technical climb in its lower part, ideal as a first stage for sleeping at altitude.
From the hut the finest possibilities open up. The climb to the summit of Cima d'Asta is the classic crowning achievement: in its upper part it becomes mountaineering, with fixed-rope and exposed sections that require a firm step, no fear of heights and experience, and it should be assessed carefully and in settled fair weather. Those seeking a more hiking-oriented walk can instead follow the trails that connect the hut area with Forcella Magna and the gullies of the Lagorai, crossing small lakes, alpine pastures and rolling ridges where the gaze runs far without meeting anything built. This is a land of long traverses: the Lagorai lends itself to multi-day hut-to-hut itineraries, and the Cima d'Asta sector is its southern gateway.
How to get there
You arrive by car heading up toward the Tesino plateau and villages such as Pieve Tesino, or descending from Caoria on the opposite side. There are no convenient shuttles or cable cars: this too helps keep the Dolomite-style numbers away. The difficulties range from a well-marked hiking trail to the fixed-rope summit sections, so it is an area where it is wise to gauge your objective against your real abilities. The elevation gains are significant and the stages long: you need fitness and self-sufficiency, because the support points are few and far between.
When to go
The right window is the heart of summer, July and August, when the high trails are free of snow and the hut is open. Even in high season, however, this mountain stays quiet: the lack of quick, grab-and-go attractions naturally filters visitors, leaving the ridges to those willing to earn them. At the start and end of summer the snowfields can still fill the steepest channels, so it is worth getting information first. It is worth remembering that the Lagorai is one of the few Alpine chains that remains almost entirely free of lifts and roads: this choice, political too, to leave it wild is what makes it today a refuge for those seeking the authentic mountain, and it is also why the numbers here will stay low for a long time to come.
A practical tip: treat the weather of the Lagorai with respect. Summer afternoon thunderstorms are frequent and violent, and on the exposed granite there is nowhere to take shelter. Set off early, aim to be at altitude in the morning hours and always keep a lower plan B. Bring enough water, warm layers even in August and, if you are thinking of the summit, honestly assess your experience on the fixed-rope sections: here the mountain does not forgive improvisation, but it rewards you with a silence you long ago forgot on the Dolomites.
Practical guides for Como
Practical info
When is the best time to visit The Granite High Route to Cima d'Asta?
The recommended time is June, July and September, when it is less crowded.
Where is The Granite High Route to Cima d'Asta?
The Granite High Route to Cima d'Asta is located in Lagorai, Trentino.
