After millions of years here we are, above a giant grassland suspended in space, transformed into a mountain of epic charm. Seceda is a two-sided peak. One green, docile, located on the slopes of Val Gardena, the other formidable, wild, formed by rocky ledges, the hallmark of the Odle Group. The beauty of these places, recognized worldwide by UNESCO and locally protected by the Puez-Odle Natural Park, amply rewards climbers and hikers for their efforts.
You can reach the top by following alternate paths of each level. From Ortisei the more experienced can climb the ridge with an altitude difference of 1150 m, alternatively the Ortisei-Furnes cable car reduces the altitude difference by 450 m, while the Furnes-Seceda cable car allows everyone to complete the entire ascent without difficulty. . Instead, our route runs along a valid alternative that allows us to spend the whole day tackling a moderate-easy route.
From Col Raiser to Seceda
From Santa Cristina to Val Gardena we reach the Col Raiser cable car facility with the free shuttle service. Travel over the green ski slopes of the Col Raiser Refuge (2,035 m) where our journey begins. We circle it to the north following the signs for the Fermeda lift. Before reaching the lift that would take us straight to the top, we turn right towards the refuge of the same name, then uphill we reach the Baita Troier Huttle where we stop to admire the incredible view.
It is a little like contemplating nature to draw from all this an aesthetic pleasure so profound that we are forced to repeat it every new time, if the opportunity offers, in a kind of eternal return to the mountains.
We walk along a fence where some alpacas watch us curiously as we pass and begin to face the steep climb with the protective wooden railing that quickly leads us to reach the magnificent ridge. Brimming with rock buttresses, we cut across the rolling meadow to the switchback for the final climb to the viewpoint at Seceda (2,495 m). The clouds touch the rocks and create a mosaic of shadows on the mountain pastures and huts, an extraordinary sight that enchants thousands of hikers every year.
After passing the wooden cross we descend towards the Seceda shelter where we stop for lunch. We travel back following the trails that cross the cart track and ski lifts. We pass several huts: Sofie, Mastle, Daniel to the beautiful stone church of Fermeda which you can reach with a short detour from the road before reaching the crossroads to the Fermeda refuge. You then return to Col Raiser heading in the opposite direction to the lodge.