Cortina: Nuvolau and Croda da Lago

Take your prebooked taxi from Cortina to Passo Falzarego. Follow the hut's published approach on path 441, joining 439 for the final ascent to Nuvolau. The approach reaches the Averau/Forcella Nuvolau area before climbing to the summit hut, where the mountain panorama is the reward for staying overnight. About 4.3 km / 2.7 mi from the signed path-441 trailhead; published walking time about 2h15. The distance follows mapped walking paths via Forcella Averau and the Averau/Forcella Nuvolau area, rather than a straight line between huts. Confirm the taxi's precise pass drop-off and walk to the signed trailhead; those first few minutes vary with the stopping point. Cumulative ascent and descent are not yet verified. This is the shortest day, so there is no need to make your arrival dependent on a tightly timed transfer or a summit detour. Nuvolau recommends reaching the area the previous day rather than coupling a long travel day with the climb. Stay on the normal walking approach. The Ra Gusela route, path 438, is a via ferrata and is not included. The planning distance is derived from mapped path 441 and the hut approach, using © OpenStreetMap contributors; it is not a field survey.

Return north on 439 toward Forcella Nuvolau/Averau, then continue toward Rifugio Cinque Torri. Take 437 downhill to Ponte de Rucurto, cross the Giau road carefully and continue on 437 until it joins 434. Climb through Val Negra to the lake and Rifugio Croda da Lago–Gianni Palmieri. About 9 km / 5.6 mi as a map-based estimate, and about four hours in Cortina's written stage description. This day includes a substantial descent followed by a renewed climb from Rucurto. Its attraction is the change from rocky towers to forest and lakeshore. The route is the published alternative for walkers avoiding the equipped descent from Nuvolau toward Giau. The approximate distance follows the connected normal walking paths through the Averau area, Cinque Torri, Rucurto and Val Negra, using © OpenStreetMap contributors. Cumulative ascent/descent remains unverified. Croda da Lago also supplies its own Rucurto approach map and GPX for the final climb; that file covers only part of this day.

Descend on 432 to Malga Federa, then follow the upper Gores de Federa trail to Ponte de Federa, around 1,600 m. At the bridge, leave the gorge trail and stay on the 432 road downhill to the forest-track turn at Ria del Zandeaco. Take the link toward Cason del Macaron, described as 406 in the official stage, then 431 toward Lago d'Ajal. Follow 430 to Lago Pianozes, continue through Campo di Sopra and take the former powder-magazine/park-side route toward Revis and Cortina centre. Confirm destination names as well as trail numbers: the current overview map does not label every forest link. About 12 km / 7.5 mi to the church-square area, measured along connected mapped paths, including the Ajal and Pianozes approaches. This is an approximate map-based planning distance, with your hotel's final approach still additional. The official main stage separately lists 11.2 km / 7.0 mi, 185 m ascent, 1,015 m descent and 3½ hours; those published figures are a reference, not a surveyed profile of this precise alignment. Leave a generous part of the day for the descent, reascents, stops and luggage collection. This selected lakes return does not enter the lower Gores cable-and-metal-grating section. Upper Gores still has steep steps, narrow wet surfaces and bridges, so it needs sure-footedness. A signed easy bypass exists on the lower gorge route, but that is a separate variant and is not needed for the selected bridge-to-road finish. Check the upper gorge's current condition and the road/forest-track junctions with Croda da Lago before departure.

Walking finish in the original valley base. Continue to your booked hotel and collect the stored main bag; no extra hut night or return lift is included.