Sass de Stria hike

While the Sass de Stria (Witch's Stone), which rises on the Valparola Pass between Belluno and the Val Badia valley, was the scene of fierce battles during World War 1, today it is a popular panoramic peak that can be easily climbed via its northern side, although sure-footedness is required.

Route description Sass de Stria (Witch's Stone)

The hike to the Sass de Stria (Witch's Stone ) begins on the Valparola pass. Next to the former fort "Tra i Sassi", which today houses a war museum, there are some parking possibilities.

Following the historic hiking trail no. 30 towards Sass de Stria, the hike first leads across the rugged mountain meadow slopes to a plateau dotted with restored trenches and old emplacements, over which the red and white markers and arrows point the way.

Finally, the most demanding part of the hike follows: the easy fixed rope route (via ferrata A/B) over a narrow steep gully, secured with wooden planks, holding ropes, wooden and steel ladders, to the panoramic Summit of the Sass de Stria.

Finally, next to the Sass de Stria summit cross, an unforgettably beautiful panoramic view unfolds: The view sweeps over countless Dolomite peaks from the Gruppo del Puez to the Sella massif, the Settsass, the Marmolada, the Averau, the Cinque Torri peaks to the Tofana and the nearby Lagazuoi.

The descent from the Sass de Stria is along the ascent path.

How the Sass de Stria got its name

As the German name "Hexenstein" ("witch's stone") already suggests, Stria means "witch" in Ampezzanese dialect. According to legend, witches have been wreaking havoc on the Sass de Stria...

The Sass de Stria during the Prima World War

From 1915 to 1917 a fierce war of position raged in the area around the Valparola pass. While the Austrian mountain soldiers had taken the upper positions and the ridge of the neighboring Lagazuoi and the Italians were trying to fight their way up to this summit from below, the Sass de Stria was completely dominated by the Austrian Kaiserjäger soldiers. Since from the Sass de Stria they could overlook the entire positions from around the Tofana to Andraz and below the Settsass, it became a key point to prevent the Italian advance into the Val Badia valley. The Summit served as an observation post, while the guns were positioned on the northern slope. With a powerful searchlight on the northeastern escarpment, the Austrian mountain soldiers illuminated even remote areas.

In 1916, after the Italians had made three unsuccessful attacks on the Sass de Stria, both sides began digging tunnels and caves in the mountains to blow up the enemy positions. In the course of this fierce mine warfare, the summit of the nearby Col di Lana, among others, was blown up. The Sass de Stria, however, could not be taken by the Italians until the suppression of the Dolomite front in 1917. Even today, trenches, tunnels and military positions bear eloquent witness to the mountain warfare of that time.

Infos Sass de Stria hike

• Duration:01:30 h
• Length:2.7 km
• Height gain:275 m

• Min. elevation:2179 m
• Max. elevation:2477 m