Piz de Mezodì West and North via Forzèla de l'Agre from Stua to Forcella Franche

Premise

This route was traveled on June 28, 2025, and all subsequent observations and considerations may fully apply only to that day.

In the following report, with the term "guide" I refer to "Monti del Sole e Piz de Mezodì" – anthology edited by Pietro Sommavilla and Luca Celi.

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From the parking lot near the ruins of the old "Osteria alla Stua" to Forzèla de l’Agre

From the parking lot you enter among the ruins and, without reaching the end of the path that continues flat above a cemented ditch, take a small path that climbs on the left.

On an obvious path, you arrive under the large ruin of Stua Alta at a junction with a less clear path: do not continue left on the perhaps better path but climb a few meters to the right following the cut branches to pass to the left of the ruin after which the path becomes clear again (there is also a red mark at the corner where it reaches the ruin).

With a diagonal, you reach the channel of Val Bussolói and ignore the path that crosses it to continue on the right side going uphill or left hydrologically (if you accidentally cross, you will soon encounter several ruins).

You continue with various turns without problems until reaching a spectacular very high rock band, with stone walls delimiting overhangs (under one of these is Cógol de Stèfen).

From the arrival point, follow the rock band to the left for a few meters, then cross the flat channel (still Val Bussolói) always to the left, and continue briefly in the woods with cairns on less evident paths to find the good trail again.

The path then continues easy to a ledge that rounds a ridge where I found isolated fallen trees that are not difficult to jump over.

You continue without particular problems until just before crossing the brook of Val de Festa (or Val di Feste according to the Veneto CTR denomination).

Here you leave the trail you were following that continues towards Col de Pinón (see itinerary → From Stua to Forcella Franche via Cima Bassa, Col Bel and Piz de la Lasta).

There are two tracks that climb towards the mountain and both are fine: one a few meters before the brook of Val de Festa (which initially goes back in direction) and the other about 150 meters before with a very faded red mark on a tree trunk at the start: I chose the one 150 meters before.

You begin to the right going uphill of the bottom channel of Val de Festa, soon moving to the left where you join with the other track variant.

Shortly after I found an area with regrown grass where it was difficult to see the path and – given the ease of the wooded slope – I climbed by eye onto the ridge called Costa de Val de Fèsta in the guide.

Just keep a general northeast direction to intercept the southeast ridge of Col de Val de Fèsta (on Tabacco and IGM maps it is charted at 1351, while in Veneto CTR it is 1347): on the way I saw some brief sections of path again and, completely by chance, a couple of cut branches.

Once on the ridge (which in front falls steeply into Val Bósch Négher), turn left finding more cut branches and cairns leading to the wooded summit knob.

With some steep steps descend on the other side to a small saddle.

From here turn right on a path of varying evident and, with other many similar markers, descend into the bottom of Val Bósch Négher: close cairns arriving with one very evident inside the valley bed.

Now there is a long and not difficult ascent of the bed where, at a junction, you must take the right branch going up towards a visible cave and dripping jumps.

It is not necessary to reach the cave which is just a bit to the right of the optimized ascent line, but it is a very short detour and worth it (there is a small metal plaque of the Veneto Cave Cadastre with a number but no name).

To the left of the cave, climb on slabs with good grip if dry, and almost immediately reach a wet rock band where a ledge begins on the left.

You "jump above" the ledge with some short moves of easy climbing grade (I°) horizontally exposed on partly wet holds: however, there are the right points to safely use.

After the ledge, you ascend diagonally inside a rhododendron cut that continues very steeply (some good natural I° moves) on a ridge up to a withered larch.

From the larch, the rhododendron cut traverses slightly to the right inside an almost straight grass valley channel and always on a steep slope.

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Now you need attention not to go off route continuing on another marked itinerary, namely guide’s 7b while this is 7a.

The guide says "On reaching a withered larch, descend into a grassy channel that, at the top, leads to the notch above a characteristic pinnacle."

There is a missing piece in this description, because the channel doesn’t lead directly to the pinnacle but directly to the other itinerary.

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You climb the channel for a few dozen meters of elevation without reaching under the high rock band, but stopping shortly before at a lone tree grown “very straight” right in the middle of the channel’s widening (I believe it is a laburnum, since today the first 7-8 typical yellow flowers were out).

If you continue past the tree, you immediately find cairns and cut branches in a series of the aforementioned itinerary 7b.

Climbing, if you glance right above the rhododendrons, just before the laburnum you will notice the white tip of the reference pinnacle to reach which should be about 20 meters outside the channel.

Initially there is no open passage towards the pinnacle and, just above a very small cut branch, I pushed aside the rhododendrons with my arms for about 3 meters finding the free corridor that led me to the small saddle delimited externally by the pinnacle (cut branch above the saddle).

You descend on the other side with a well-gripped little jump of almost II° grade (disturbed by a rhododendron) and traverse on a faint exposed path above the head of a rocky channel tributary of Val Bósch Négher.

Then the path ascends diagonally among the rhododendrons becoming very steep before a couple of final meters where I had to move aside rhododendrons that had almost closed the path.

You enter another minor valley-channel mostly with grass bottom (I saw at the entrance on a rhododendron the knot of a construction tape without free bands).

Here you don't climb up the channel that seems to continue long free of obstacles: the guide writes "... you resume climbing obliquely to the right up to two larch trees (useful as a reference for the descent)."

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I confirm the great usefulness of the two larches as a reference for the descent which would otherwise be quite difficult to understand: I tested it on a previous reconnaissance.

However, the pair of larches “is not the only pair” in that restricted area, and if you don’t know their features it’s not easy coming from above (without previous knowledge) to go towards the correct larches.

In case of a round trip to Forzèla de l’Agre, I would recommend placing a couple of construction tape ribbons on the higher larch.

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The ascent to the two larches is short but very steep, almost suitable only with the use of crampons for grass.

Now, basically, you are out and shifted to the right of the endless carpet of dense rhododendrons below Forzèla de l’Agre.

Climb a stretch on wide meadow clearings more or less to the south and then east or southeast, to then change direction to northeast where you find a path passing through rhododendrons and other denser bushes – the path starts at the base of a low band of rocks and initially goes to the right.

The path is narrow but well followed and I saw a couple of cut branches (I don’t exclude there could be others).

You arrive south of the rocky outcrop of Pala Alta with Forzèla de l’Agre on the north side.

With a traverse to the north you reach a few meters below the saddle which is reached on a wide grassy corridor.

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From Forzèla de l’Agre to Piz de Mezodì West

First consideration: I was here twice in a week and … both times I encountered a viper in the first meters after the saddle❗

From the saddle, you must climb the wide rhododendron slope of the Pale dei Catórn directed northeast.

The guide says to aim "... for the wide grassy channel relatively free of rhododendrons ...": it is intuitive at first sight that it is the only possibility.

You start finding a cut branch in a small rhododendron island and then climb the grassy slope towards the channel: to bypass the last rhododendrons you go beside a long stone field slightly to the right.

A few meters after the channel starts, there is the only really difficult jump where some climbing technique would be needed.

However, to the left there is a chamois track hidden in the rhododendrons which, using with a “mini final scramble”, you can use to bypass the jump.

Then just follow the bottom of the channel with some not difficult small rocks: I saw only one cut branch but I don’t exclude there are more.

Now the guide says: “At the top you bypass to the right the crest elevation 2126.5 CTR and climb a scenic ledge at about 2130 m below the western rocks 2237.5 m CTR of Piz de Mezodì ridge.”

I did not find myself in this description and had some hesitation, but then at the end I found many “signals” and followed them without problems.

Meanwhile, I preloaded on my GPS terminal the exact point of the crest elevation 2126.5 CTR, and you should not bypass it to the right, but climb directly above it.

Thus, towards the end of the channel you reach under a last more difficult rock jump, where it seemed more logical to tackle it on the right but the line was dirty with earth and confused by rhododendrons.

I climbed on the left on an easier and supported line, with 4–5 meters scrambling through rhododendrons towards the right where I found a wider trail with many cut branches.

This trail led me to the summit crest elevation 2126.5 CTR, with a nice first view of the end approach to Piz de Mezodì West.

Following more cut branches to the right, within a few meters you descend above a 4–5 meters vertical jump with very comfortable holds: I would say grade I° given the generosity of the holds.

Then you traverse following the evident path until entering the large grassy hollow slope of Pale de Mezodì.

Here the guide writes: “... After crossing right the head of a large grassy slope (Pale de Mezodì), you find excellent ledges that traverse long below the ridge, among rock jumps, to meet the marked path direct to Zima de la Crós. Alternatively, from the said ledges you can easily reach the western summit ...”

Thus, it seems advisable to take at least for a stretch the ledges.

I tried to climb directly the Pale de Mezodì aiming at an exit between the west peak at 2240.2 and the other secondary elevation at 2235.4 in CTR.

From the arrival point in the grassy pale, you notice the whole band of rocks supporting the summit ridge, and I noticed two channels at first sight not too difficult: one entirely to the left and one more or less in the center compared to the arrival point.

I chose the central one … without a real reason, basically they seemed equivalent.

Climbing the mostly grassy channel I reached the very last rocks, where two moves of second grade were enough to climb above.

However, they were dirty with earth and with shoe holds somewhat polished.

So, as noted from the GPS track, I traversed right under the rock band (which is easy to pass between rocks and rhododendrons) to another gap with very good holds, grips and rock.

Two moves of grade II, then inside a small notch with wedged rock and another move of grade II: finally on the ridge between Piz de Mezodì West and the panoramic secondary elevation 2235.4 in CTR.

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From Piz de Mezodì West to Piz de Mezodì North (Zima de la Crós - Piz de Meodì - Pizzón)

From Piz de Mezodì West descend a first steep stretch, partly slippery, with several possible lines but with cairns that help choosing the best path.

Then descend a bit more to cross a grassy slope well inclined to the right of the ridge band on a path.

You go back on “hard traces” following cairns along several recesses and small ridges, also facing a mini cat step under an overhang.

You arrive above the steep which descends to the saddle where you join the route of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole.

A couple of cairns indicate the start of the grassy descent path which is a “zeta” with a first traverse well exposed from right to left.

Then following the signs you continue to the junction for the descent of Cresta della Mussaia where the CAI 875 paint markers start and shortly after reach Piz de Mezodì North (Zima de la Crós - Piz de Meodì - Pizzón).

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Descent from Piz de Mezodì North (Zima de la Crós - Piz de Meodì - Pizzón) to Forcella Franche via CAI 875

Now return to the descent junction at Forcella Franche and descend along Cresta della Mussaia.

This is a ridge of a different “style” from the previous one between the two peaks of Piz de Mezodì, perhaps not easy for a beginner but easy for those who reached here: it is a true well-marked CAI route.

You reach a saddle where you turn left.

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Turning right, with a complicated route and different from the Tabacco map tracing, you would arrive at the upper exit of Bus de le Neole: very beautiful, but … it is another excursion – see the itinerary → Forcella Bus de le Néole - Piz de Mezodì North and West Summit if needed.

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The left stretch to Forcella Franche, instead, is a steep and very dirty and slippery slope that descends into Van or Busa del Contrón de Fòra.

There are evident CAI white and red signs guiding you on the best line, but caution is needed: even a simple “slide” from standing can cause injuries.

Immediately a gentle climb leads to a pass (Col dei Camòrz or Forzèla del Contrón) where you enter Van or Busa del Contrón de Inte descending into a dolomitic environment.

Then the final starts with a long stretch in wide cuts through the rhododendrons: walking base always wide and CAI marked, but “disturbed” by rhododendron roots – not difficult but you cannot go fast.

Finally forest on varied terrain, from easy to some retaining steep parts.

A special mention … to the spring at Forcella Franche which I well used before jumping on my mountain bike that brought me back to the starting parking lot.