Ascent to Piz Boe in the Sella massif using the cable car

Trek to Piz Boe – the easiest three-thousander in the Dolomites

Starting point

We took the cable car from Passo Pordoi to Sass Pordoi, at an altitude of approximately 2,900 meters above sea level. A single cable car ride costs €17, and children under 8 travel free of charge. Parking at the pass is paid, so the road to the pass is lined with cars belonging to drivers who do not want to pay for parking. Parking costs 10 euros per day.
 

Description of the hike

We took the first cable car from the Passo Pordoi saddle. We wanted to avoid, at least partially, the crowds of tourists who head to Piz Boe during the day.

The upper station of the cable car offers a fantastic view of the surrounding mountain giants. After we had had our fill of the beautiful views, we set off towards the summit of Piz Boe. The route leads across a rocky plateau reminiscent of a lunar landscape. First, we had to descend about 100 meters to the Forcella Pordoi pass. This is also where the trail from the Passo Pordoi pass joins. We continued on almost flat terrain to Piz Boe. Here, there were significantly more tourists.

We arrived at the foot of Piz Boe and began climbing to the summit. In some places, the climb leads through rock. Steel cables are installed here to facilitate the ascent. We enjoyed the views of the surrounding area the whole time, even though Marmolada was sometimes hidden in the clouds. The final climb to Piz Boe is quite steep, but not long. The summit of the mountain was literally covered with tourists, some of whom were enjoying refreshments at the mountain hut at the top.

After a rest, we set off on the descent. From the hut, we continued north. The trail descends steeply almost immediately. In one section, it is even divided. One part is for tourists going to the summit, the other for those descending. Steel cables are installed in these places again. Finally, we descended back to the plateau, not far from the Boèhütte hut. We followed the marked trail around Piz Boe and returned to the Forcella Pordoi pass. From there, we continued our descent along the mountain trail. It descends in endless serpentines to the Passo Pordoi pass. There we finally successfully descended and ended our stay in the Dolomites.
 

Difficulty

In terms of elevation gain, this is a less demanding trek. The cable car makes the ascent much easier. However, there are some more challenging rocky sections along the route, where steel cables have been installed. This is the case for both the ascent and descent. Some hikers had via ferrata equipment, but it is not absolutely necessary.
 

Water availability

At the summit of Piz Boe is the Rifugio Capanna Piz Fassa hut. Another hut is located on the way to the plateau - Rifugio Forcella Pordoi. Another hut is below the summit of Piz Boe - Boèhütte.
 

Sleeping options

There are plenty of accommodation options in the Dolomites. We had found accommodation in the town of Arabba, right below Mount Piz Boe.
 

Mountain peaks

From the summit of Piz Boe, 3,152 meters above sea level, there are magnificent views of the entire Dolomites. The Austrian Alps are also visible.
 

Danger

There are two challenging sections on the route – during the ascent and descent from the summit of Piz Boe itself, the sections are secured with steel cables. These sections are not long, but it is necessary to hold on tightly to the cable or rock. The rest of the route is easy, following a rocky trail.
 

Food

Refreshments are available at the cottages along the way. We also had some small snacks.