Dolomites

Remote

Alta Via 4

Alta Via 4 hut-to-hut: a remote 90 km Dolomites traverse from San Candido to Pieve di Cadore through the Popera, Cristallo and Sorapiss groups.

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Strecke
90 km
Tage
8–10
Aufstieg
4,350 m
Max. Höhe
2,932 m

Alta Via 4, the 'Via Grohmann', is the least walked of the numbered Alte Vie. It crosses the eastern Dolomites from San Candido (Innichen) in the north to Pieve di Cadore in the south, weaving through the Popera group, Cristallo, and the eastern flanks of the Sorapiss.

Several sections involve real via ferrata (the Strada degli Alpini on the Popera and the Ivano Dibona on Cristallo are part of the standard line), and rifugi are spaced further apart than on AV1 or AV2. It is the connoisseur's Alta Via.

Highlights

  • Croda dei Toni north faces from Rifugio Carducci
  • Tre Cime di Lavaredo north walls (lunch at Rifugio Locatelli on Day 2)
  • Cadini di Misurina spires from Rifugio Fonda Savio
  • Lago di Sorapiss and the Sentiero Vandelli ferrata
  • Antelao's wild east ridge

Etappen Tag für Tag

  1. Tag 1 — San Candido → Rifugio Tre Scarperi

    4 h
    12 km600 m100 m

    Short approach day; path 105 along Val Fiscalina.

  2. Tag 2 — Rifugio Tre Scarperi → Rifugio Auronzo (via Rifugio Locatelli)

    6.5 h
    14 km900 m600 m

    Paths 10/11/102/105; classic Tre Cime traverse. Locatelli = lunch stop.

  3. Tag 3 — Rifugio Auronzo → Rifugio Fonda Savio

    4 h
    8 km500 m300 m

    Path 117 into Cadini di Misurina; ferrata grade A–B sections.

  4. Tag 4 — Rifugio Fonda Savio → Rifugio Città di Carpi

    2.5 h
    6 km200 m300 m

    Path 116; short day — fast hikers combine with Day 3.

  5. Tag 5 — Rifugio Città di Carpi → Rifugio Vandelli (Sorapiss)

    5.5 h
    12 km400 m900 m

    Path 120 to Misurina, SS48 + path 215 up to Vandelli. (Modern Cadini variant — old Lorenzi/Cristallo line is closed.)

  6. Tag 6 — Rifugio Vandelli → Rifugio Pietro Galassi (via Bivacco Comici)

    9.5 h
    22 km1300 m1100 m

    Long day. Sentiero Vandelli ferrata grade C; Bivacco Comici is an emergency shelter mid-way (not a planned overnight).

  7. Tag 7 — Rifugio Galassi → Rifugio Antelao

    4 h
    8 km400 m400 m

    Path 250; traverse below the Antelao group.

  8. Tag 8 — Rifugio Antelao → Pieve di Cadore

    3.5 h
    8 km50 m1100 m

    Paths 250/253 then road descent to town.

Hütten auf dieser Route

  • Rifugio Tre Scarperi
  • Rifugio Auronzo
  • Rifugio Fonda Savio
  • Rifugio Città di Carpi
  • Rifugio Vandelli
  • Rifugio Galassi
  • Rifugio Antelao

Logistik

Anreise
Train via Brennero to San Candido (direct from Innsbruck and Bolzano).
Abreise
From Pieve di Cadore, bus to Calalzo (15 min) and the Venice train (≈2 h).
Genehmigungen
No permit required.
Buchung
Book by April. AV4 huts are small (12–25 beds) and fill fast despite the route being less famous. Confirm the Strada degli Alpini and Ivano Dibona are open — both have had multi-year closures for cable maintenance.

Saison & Schwierigkeit

Beste Saison
Mid-July to early September
Schwierigkeit
Demanding
Start
San Candido / Innichen (BZ)
Ziel
Pieve di Cadore (BL)

Was du brauchst

  • B/C-rated approach boots
  • Full via ferrata set (mandatory)
  • 30–40 L pack
  • Sleeping-bag liner
  • Warm layers — averages 200 m higher than AV1
  • Head-torch
  • Cash — most huts have no card terminal

FAQ

How hard is Alta Via 4?

The hardest of the standard-line Alte Vie. Multiple obligatory via ferrata, long days between huts, and exposure. Reserve it for walkers with prior ferrata experience.

Is Alta Via 4 doable without via ferrata?

No. The Strada degli Alpini and Ivano Dibona are on the only viable line through the Popera and Cristallo sections. Skipping them means descending to valleys and bussing — at which point it's no longer AV4.

Why is Alta Via 4 so quiet?

It's harder, the rifugi are small, and the route changed in 2020 after Rifugio Lorenzi closed permanently. Many guidebooks still describe the old line — fewer walkers attempt the rerouted version.

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