The Sassolungo
The rugged beauty of Val Gardena
A sight that's sure to catch the eye in Ortisei in Val Gardena is the Sassolungo at a height of 3,281 m, which rises impressively from the green alpine pastures into the sky. The people of Val Gardena call it their own local mountain, because, depending on your requirements everything is possible here – around the mountain or on the mountain.
The Ladin name "Saslonch", the Italian name "Sassolungo", and the German name "Langkofel" all mean something like "long rock". The famous Sassolungo Group consists of the five independent peaks, which are in turn encircled at the foot: the Punta delle Cinque Dita (Fünffingerspitze: 2,918 m), Punta Grohmann (Grohmannspitze: 3,113 m), Il Dente (Zahnkofel: 3,000 m), Sasso Piatto (Plattkofel: 2,969 m), and Sasso Lungo (Langkofel). It separates two Ladin valleys, the Val Gardena in the north and the Val di Fassa in the south.
From easy hikes to demanding vie ferrate to outdoor eMTB routes, the Sassolungo Group offers guaranteed adrenaline-filled mountain experiences. Via ferrata fans will choose to climb up to the Sasso Piatto via the Oskar-Schuster via ferrata. Hikers can reach the Toni Demetz Hut, which is an ideal starting point for many hikes between the Sassolungo and Punta delle Cinque Dita, via the steep Sassolungo pass or with the cable car directly at the Sella Pass. If you want to enjoy this mountain scenery from a bird's eye view, you can experience the miracle of flight on the Sassolungo with a paragliding adventure.
An insider tip: finally, hiking and mountain enthusiasts are truly spoiled here in this mountain landscape, since the famous Comici hut, named after Emilio Comici, probably the best Italian climber of the interwar period, is located at an altitude of 2,200 m at the foot of the Sassolungo. Famous personalities such as Fernando Alonso, Prince Albert of Monaco, and George Clooney, one of Hollywood's most sought-after men, have been guests here. The hut serves a wide variety of dishes, from grilled seafood delicacies such as scallops or sea bass to ribbon noodles with fresh porcini mushrooms from the forest. However, the right reward after a strenuous day of skiing or a summer excursion together in the mountains is a delicious nougat mousse with biscuits.