Passo Sella — 2,218 metres beneath the Sassolungo

Passo Sella connects Val di Fassa to Val Gardena, cutting between the Sella massif and the Sassolungo, the blade-like tower that defines the Dolomite skyline from this angle. It's one of the four passes on the Sellaronda loop and, for most people, the most photogenic of the four.

History

The saddle lies on the old shepherd and smuggler track between Ladin-speaking Val di Fassa and German-speaking Val Gardena, and the current road was carved through in the early twentieth century. The Sassolungo itself (3,181 m) has been climbed since the late 1800s — a standard objective of the Golden Age of Alpinism — and the panoramic terrace below its north face has been a summit café since before the Second World War.

Riding it

The east side from Canazei is short and steep, 5 km of switchbacks climbing out of the valley. The west side from Plan de Gralba (above Selva di Val Gardena) is longer and more gradual, 11 km through high pastures with the Sassolungo dominating the view for most of the climb.

The summit itself is a broad saddle with restaurants, a small lake, and a cable car to the Forcella del Sassolungo. On a clear day the panorama covers the Marmolada glacier to the south and the entire Gardena valley to the north.

Along the way

• Sassolungo viewpoint — A short walk from the summit gives the best view of the 3,181 m tower, one of the defining silhouettes of the Dolomites.
• Col Rodella cable car — Runs from the Canazei side to a plateau with open views of the Catinaccio and Sella groups.
• Rifugio Passo Sella — The classic summit mountain hut, with a traditional Tyrolean menu and an outdoor terrace.
• Monte Pana plateau — A broad alpine meadow on the Gardena side below Plan de Gralba, a working summer pasture reached by a short detour.
• Sellaronda loop — Passo Sella is one of four passes on the 55 km circuit around the Sella massif.