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recommended route
Snowshoes
· Ortler Group
Cima Marmotta (Köllkuppe) from Val Martello (Martelltal) via Vedretta Alta
Little Fish Trek
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Outbound passage to the Nino Corsi Refuge or Zufallhütte.Photo: Mario Briotto, Little Fish Trek
Ortles - Cevedale group: snowshoe ascent to Cima Marmotta (Köllkuppe) from Val Martello (Martelltal) via Rifugio Martello (Marteller Hütte) and the Vedretta Alta (Hohenferner).
Challenging snowshoe hike, with many small variables to consider and that reaches a very panoramic summit.
For success, weather and snow conditions matter more than in other snowshoe routes.
If you start with the “firm intention” to reach the summit, to avoid having to give up in the last meters, it is advisable to put crampons in your backpack: today, I found them useful on descent.
Alternatively, once on the Vedretta Alta, you can aim in the direction of the Passo della Vedretta Alta.
If possible, it is better to choose a day when a descent snow condition similar to the ascent is expected.
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From the same starting parking as this hike, other ascents with snowshoes above 3,000 meters are possible – see for example these routes:
Author’s recommendation
Some photos are vertical or panoramic and do not display well in previews: switch to full view to get a more complete idea of the hiking environment.
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For a complete overview of snowshoe hikes covered and described in Western South Tyrol (Alto Adige), refer to the link → Western South Tyrol (Südtirol West) with snowshoes.
For a complete overview of snowshoe hikes above 3000 meters in Trentino Alto Adige, refer to the link → At 3000 with snowshoes in Trentino Alto Adige.
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Show elevation profileRest stops
Albergo SchönblickAlbergo Enzian
Rifugio Martellerhütte
Safety information
This snowshoe excursion – considering the route's development and exposures – requires careful evaluation of the snow cover risk level for the chosen day.
It is advisable to consider the following:
- “Learn by heart” the avalanche snow bulletin.
- In my opinion, looking at it only the day before is insufficient; one should check it daily throughout the winter season to understand the snow cover evolution well.
- At least one experienced person in the group who also knows the type of ground under the snow to better judge local situations.
- Granted that a book can never replace a course held by professionals, my preferred one for snow-avalanche topic is: “NEVE Compendio di Nivologia” by Renato Cresta – Mulatero publisher.
- Excellent for risk reduction evaluation techniques is: “VALANGHE – Come ridurre il rischio” by Philippe Descamps and Olivier Moret – EDIZIONI VERSANTE SUD.
- I recall from another book a phrase that should always be kept in mind: “Often random events are attributed to skill; snow is stable 95 percent of the time, but we confuse the absence of avalanches with our ability to make good decisions.”
- Snowshoes and skis are “two different worlds”: do not blindly follow previous skier tracks.
Carry all necessary equipment.
Tips and suggestions
The recommended period indicated is February and March, but those who are “sufficiently fast” – with the right snow conditions – can go earlier.
Of course, it is possible even after March, but in late season it is necessary to calculate descent times well with snowshoes due to the great variability of snow between morning and afternoon.
Roadbook
Premise
This route was traveled on February 14, 2023, and all subsequent observations and considerations can fully apply only for that day.
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From the parking lot, follow an easy path to Rifugio Corsi, then (on trail markers 103-150) ascend traversing and circumventing the ridge that leads to the long and gentle plains where at the beginning is the old dam.
Skip the summer trail detour to Rifugio Martello and take a subsequent steep slope with some small jumps and some pure ice patches (avoidable).
This varied valley-slope emerges a bit below and just beyond Rifugio Martello onto the large valley leading towards the Vedretta della Forcola.
The shortest route (taken today) is to continue on the wide and gently inclined left side going uphill, but if the snow is not well consolidated it could be uncomfortable and cause "some anxiety" with snowshoes.
If the snow in that section is not fully compatible with snowshoes, you must continue more towards the valley bottom and make a wider detour.
Today there were no problems, and I continued until a steep and well-settled left jump, which I climbed entering an almost flat basin that precedes the last more complex jump towards the Vedretta Alta.
Here you ascend to the left of a small valley, then you make a wide detour with other small easy jumps between flats until entering the spectacular glacier.
At the entrance point, Cima Marmotta is practically in front with the Tre Venezie on the left: if you want to go to the summit, you must aim for the valley between the summit and the west sub-peak.
Then descend slightly above the "summer collection ponds of the glacier" and begin a very gentle ascent.
The slope increases progressively but gradually, until the sharp (almost sudden) final rise.
This final section is compatible with snowshoes if the snow is consolidated and very stable: evaluate carefully before starting because it is difficult to change your mind at three-quarters up with the increased exposure behind you.
Below there is a very wide and gentle basin, but a slip (with snow possibly "hard") could develop a considerable speed.
Today the snowshoes gripped very well uphill, but descending (which is not the same) to avoid risks I used crampons.
You arrive below a jump of easy rocks leading to the saddle between the summit and the west sub-peak: today there were some "little sheets" of frozen snow here, which could be climbed but descending without crampons would have been uncomfortable.
From the crest arrival point, you can reach the summit cross without problems (in normal conditions), and before descending I also made a tour of the west sub-peak where there is an "artistic" wooden sculpture that, as I understood, celebrates 30 years of summit operations without incidents.
From that point, as already mentioned, descend with crampons for the short initial steep section, then everything is rather easy with snow that today "softened" only in a short not difficult section.
Gasthof Schönblick
Albergo Schönblick
Albergo Enzian
Bus station enzian
Plima gorge
Schutzhaus-Zufallhütte
Ice climbing "Konzentschatter"
Museum "Badhaus"
Old dam wall
Rifugio Martellerhütte
Köllkuppe (3.330 m)
Directions
You must enter Val Martello and continue to the end of the drivable section of the valley-bottom road.
Parking
Parking P4 at the end of the drivable section of the Val Martello forest road.
Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
“Ski mountaineering for beginners – Alto Adige, Trentino, Dolomites”
by Ulrich Kössler
Athesia Tappeiner Publishing House
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“NEVE Compendio di Nivologia” (Formation and evolution of snow. Avalanche environment and dynamics. Prevention and rescue.)
by Renato Cresta
Mulatero publisher – SPECIALIST SERIES
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“VALANGHE – How to reduce risk”
by Philippe Descamps and Olivier Moret
EDIZIONI VERSANTE SUD
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“KNOWING AND INTERPRETING AVALANCHE TERRAIN” (STAYING ALIVE IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN)
by Bruce Tremper
Mulatero publisher – SPECIALIST SERIES
Author’s map recommendations
Publisher TABACCO number 08 "Ortles - Cevedale --- Ortlergebiet" 1:25,000
Publisher TABACCO number 045 "Latsch - Martell - Schlanders --- Laces - Val Martello - Silandro" 1:25,000
Publisher 4LAND number 156 “ORTLES - CEVEDALE - VAL DI SOLE” 1:25,000
Book recommendations for this region:
Equipment
Standard equipment for snowshoe excursions plus all safety devices required by current regulations.
If you start with the objective of reaching the summit, an ice axe and crampons are necessary to have a good chance of success safely.
Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
User Questions