A hike on Monte Piana (2,325 m), not far from the tre Cime di Lavaredo, offers beautiful nature, a 360° panoramic view and inevitably also an insight into a dark period of Europe's history: the First World War.
You can reach the Plateau mountain by car from the Pustertal valley via the Höhlenstein valley near Dobbiaco. The starting point can be either Lake Dürren (hikers' car park at Hotel Drei Zinnen) or Misurina. From Misurina, a sweeping ascent is possible by jeep taxi to the Bosi Hut. From there you reach the south summit after a short hike.
From Lake Dürren you climb the summit via the pioneer trail, where absolute surefootedness is required. This path leads past a small military cemetery to the Austrian positions and to the northern peak, the so-called Monte Piano with the Dobbiaco Cross.
The summit area is characterised by white dolomite rock, high alpine flora and the "remains" of the 1st World War. Trenches, tunnels, barbed wire entanglements and troop bases of both the Italians and the Austrians (or rather the imperial and royal monarchy) lie close together. The Kaiserjäger held the northern peak, the Alpini the southern peak.
The view is breathtaking - you can enjoy views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the Paternkofel, the Cadini di Misurina, the Sorapiss, the Cristallo, the Hohe Gaisl and many more. Precisely because of this far-reaching view and the valleys that can thus be easily controlled, this mountain was a hard-fought part of the Dolomite front.
The preservation of the open-air museum, which was built in the 1980s, is difficult but also important, as a memorial and reminder.
Monte Piana is thus a historical memorial to the tragic events of the past century and at the same time a beautiful excursion destination in the Dolomites, which is on the Kronplatz Resort Outdoor Programme this year!