Monte Croce is a must for the trekking lovers, a symbol for the Pinè Plateau that with his 2490m of height stands above all the other tops. It's a mountain that has to be "courted" and frequented in the right period: for the trekking the right season it's the summer but the itinerary it's very beautiful in winter too, to practice in its ski mountaineering version.

The pivotal point of interest of this excursion are the Austrian shacks of the Great War, relevant point in terms of culture and history

The route in detail

From the started point (read the section "how to get there") take the forest road on the left with "malga Fregasoga-Scalet pass” direction with path number 407. Always with great signage, continue on a path in the woods until "ponte dei vasoni" locality. Pay attention, in this indications track, it is not specified Monte Croce but Scalet pass. Keeping path n. 407, that runs along the orographic right of Rio Brusago, continue in the wood in an quiet environment up to the Fregasoga hut. Now, with "Caserine hut and Scalet pass" indication, take a beautiful cobbled street with a pleasant slope that leads to the large valley with a view on the peak of Monte Croce. After the ex Caserine hut, the street turns into a path that through meadows with rare vegetation goes on to Scalet pass; to overcome the steep path and get to the pass, the track proceeds with some zig-zag. Once you reach the pass, after having enjoyed for a while the stunning view on the Val dei Mocheni mountains, you walk on until the top, and in about 40 minutes you are at 2490 meters of altitude on Monte Croce mountain. The view overlooks in all directions: the Marmolada, the Sella group, Cima D'Asta, the Brenta group and Ortles-Cevedale, Bondone and Rujoch. In short time you return at Scalet pass and here you can choose between two options of descent: the first is the same of the climb, recommended to those who have not sufficient energy reserve or for those who have limited time. The other, recommended by me it's explained later. From the pass follow the directions for "passo Val mattio e baracche austriache della Grande Guerra" with path n° 460A. Within a short time you arrive at the Austrian shacks of the Great War and at the trenches; the whole site has been beautifully refurbished and is highly recommended a visit (coordinate N46°9’38,7 E11°22’48,7). The structure can be helpful also in case of bad weather. You continue in direction of "passo Val mattio" always on marked path and easy to walk. Arriving at the pass follow the indication for Tonini shelter on path n° 340. Arriving at "busona di val mattio" always follow a wild but nice path with a stretch on a wooden staircase, you arrived on the dorsal of Rujoch mountain, and from here in 20 minutes you arrive at the ruins of Tonini shelter, destroyed in a fire in december 2016. From here on path n. 443, indication for Brusago, you go down for a steep path in the wood until you reach the forest road that leads to Sprugio Bassa hut; then continue always on a forest road until the starting point.

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