Italy Guide
Trentino-Alto Adige
Hiking in the Pale di San Martino
The most dramatic part of the Panevéggio national park is the Pale di San Martino – a large plateau surrounded by razor-sharp peaks. Ranging from 2600m to 3200m in altitude, you should be prepared for snow, wind and rain, even in the summer, as well as scorching sunlight and the most stupendous views. There are two main entry points – the Val Canali (accessed from Fiera di Primiero) and the cable car from San Martino di Castrozza.
The fastest route into the Pale di San Martino is via cable car from San Martino. The Colverde funicular (June 14– Sept 20 daily 8am–4.45pm, closes 5.45pm at weekends and in Aug; journey up €10, down €9, return trip €16.50) from the village runs to the foot of the Pale, from where the Rosetta chair lift takes you up to to Rifugio Pedrotti alla Rosetta, perched on the edge of the Altopiano. From the Rosetta chair-lift terminus, you can make for Rifugio Pradidali at 2278m ( 
0439.64.180; June 20– Sept 20), a walk and descent of three hours. A more ambitious walk would be to continue on from the refuge over the Passo di Ball, returning from there to San Martino or descending over into Val Canali at Rifugio Cant del Gal. If you prefer the relative security of a guided trek, ask at the desk of the Gruppo Guide Alpine (daily 5–7pm; 0461.768.795), in the same building as the tourist office; they run graded excursions most days in July and August.