Although they stand somewhat apart from the main body of the Dolomites, the Brenta Dolomites already have an unmistakably Dolomitic air, with spectacular towers, pinnacles and rock walls.
This loop makes a complete circuit of the Cima Brenta massif, taking in the Grosté, Tuckett, Brentei and Pedrotti mountain huts. It covers 33km, 20 of them above 2000 metres. And that is where the most captivating stretches lie, 20 kilometres of walking at the foot of imposing rock walls. Ideal for a 2- or 3-day trek, stopping overnight at one of the 4 mountain huts.
This loop can be started from Molveno or from Madonna di Campiglio. The advantage of starting from Molveno is that it lets us enjoy the Grouts, Brentei, Pedrotti balcony in its entirety.
From Molveno (m865), the first destination is Rifugio Croz dell’Altissimo, in the upper Valle delle Seghe. The name refers to the old water-powered sawmills once used on the Massò stream (one of them, the Antica Segheria Veneziana “Taialacqua”, can be visited along the Massò just outside Molveno).
To reach Rifugio Croz we can take the (tedious) valley-floor road through the Valle delle Seghe, or the high path 340 that starts from a hairpin above the village. The effort is then repaid by a fine, gently rising path that brings us to Rifugio Croz (m1430, 1.45 hours) through tunnels and over little bridges, with views of the Valle delle Seghe below. If you prefer, from Molveno you can take the Molveno to Pradel lift (m1367, 9€ one way, open 8 to 18.45 in July and August, 8.30 to 17.45 in May, June and September), which saves about 500 metres and 1.15 hours of climbing.
From Rifugio Croz we then take the Sentiero delle Valle Perse (no. 322), followed by no. 314 across boulder fields towards the Bocca della Vallazza (m2443, 2 hours). We then descend towards the curious Monte Turrion Alto and Monte Turino Basso, pinnacles of volcanic rock that stand out against the meadows below. From there we turn left onto path 301 to climb up to Passo del Grosté (m2442, 1.30 hours) and the nearby Rifugio Stoppani al Grosté.
Here begins the most breathtaking section of the loop: a long, gently undulating traverse at the foot of rock walls, walking across meadows strewn with boulders of colossal size. This brings us to Rifugio Tuckett (m2272, 1.30 hours), a possible place to spend the night.
Continuing from the Tuckett, we drop down to meet the Sentiero Bogani, which comes up from Vallesinella and the Casinei and accompanies us to Rifugio Maria e Alberto ai Brentei (or Rifugio Brentei, m2182, 1.30 hours). Here the Cima Tosa, facing us, dominates the scene. From here we head straight up the scree-filled valley to the Bocca di Brenta (m2552, 1.15 hours). The final part crosses a snowfield that holds snow until late summer. From the notch of the Bocca di Brenta we reach Rifugio Pedrotti along a ledge (m2491, 10 minutes), one of the most spectacular mountain huts in the Alps, guarding a pass between the Valle delle Seghe and the Val di Ceda.
After a radler or two, a long descent to Molveno awaits us, through the Val di Ceda (3.30 hours) or the Valle delle Seghe.
