Ortisei: Across Puez to Rifugio Firenze

Take your prebooked taxi to Passo Gardena / Grödner Joch. Follow the signed approach toward Jimmy Hütte and the Alta Via 2 walking route through the Cir, Crespëina and Ciampei passes to the Puez plateau and Rifugio Puez. Allow three to four hours for about 7.2 km / 4.5 mi from Gardena Pass to Puez, excluding the taxi and longer stops. The distance is measured from the first section of Alta Badia Tourism's public GPX; its full outing continues to Colfosco, which is not part of this day. The hut-owning CAI Bolzano section gives three hours for the approach. Cumulative ascent and descent still vary materially between sources, so no precise elevation total is claimed. This is high, open mountain terrain with rocky footing and several passes. Follow the normal signed walking route; a nearby summit or ferrata is not part of the day's plan. Carry enough food and water to reach Puez without relying on an intermediate kitchen being open. The independently reconstructed OSM planning line measures about 7.25 km and begins with approximately 225 m on the mapped SS243 road approach. That line is a road centreline, not a verified pavement or safe stopping place: agree the taxi drop-off and signed walking approach locally. Check the mapped gate and stream crossings for current conditions.

Follow path 2 from Puez west toward Forcella de Siëles / Forces de Siëles, then descend into Val Cisles to Rifugio Firenze / Regensburgerhütte. Firenze's owner lists this connection as 7.2 km / 4.5 mi and three hours in the opposite direction. Alpenventures UNGUIDED publishes an exact Firenze–Puez profile with 661 m ascent and 220 m descent; reversed for this itinerary, that is approximately 220 m climbing and 660 m descending. Allow around three hours plus breaks and extra time for the protected passages and conditions. These are published route-profile figures, not a new field survey. The route crosses a shoulder near 2,600 m, higher than the named Siëles saddle. From Puez, expect exposure and a short cable-assisted rock section on the descent toward the saddle, followed by steep, loose ground into Val Cisles. The small distance does not make it an easy day. Have the huts or a qualified guide confirm the current crossing, equipment and suitability for your group; do not infer that a short cable section can always be crossed safely without protection. Do not add the Piz Duleda/Nives ferrata or other summit variants.

Follow path 4 toward Col Raiser, initially climbing from Firenze, then descend past Gamsblut and take the signed connection toward San Giacomo / St. Jakob church. This church approach includes an uphill branch via Peza. From the church, join path 6 west toward Col de Flam. At the wayside-shrine junction described by Ortisei tourism, turn onto the Val d'Anna woodland branch. The selected lower finish follows Streda Val d'Anna, passes the Seceda valley station on foot, then uses the footway/Streda Sacun connection to Ortisei's parish area. No summit ascent or cable-car journey is involved. Authorized vehicles use the Val d'Anna road; do not expect a wholly traffic-free finish. About 10.9 km / 6.8 mi from Firenze's hut-side path to the parish area, measured along existing mapped walking edges. Add approximately 0.6 km / 0.4 mi to Garni Walter's Palmer street frontage, or 0.14 km / 0.09 mi to ADLER's Rezia-7 frontage. The corresponding full-day estimates are about 11.5 km / 7.1 mi and 11 km / 6.8 mi, respectively. Neither endpoint is a verified guest door. The Walter approach includes town steps and a final rise; the hotel-frontage distances must not be treated as step-free access. Set aside a generous walking day rather than planning a tight onward connection. Firenze gives roughly four hours for the uphill Ortisei approach, but a dependable time or cumulative elevation profile for this precise return has not been established. The initial climb and church branch both interrupt the descent. Check the church-junction signs carefully. OpenStreetMap and Val Gardena's Peza description identify the church branch as 32, while the detailed town PDF labels part of that approach 4. Use the signed destination and current map together rather than assuming one number continues throughout. The assembled map route is continuous, but it is not an original official GPX or a field survey. The tourism page's downloadable San Giacomo route retraces a different branch from its written Val d'Anna option.

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.