Technical data:
- Start point: Cason Lanza
- Arrival point: Cason Lanza
- Difference in height: 400mt
- Maximum elevation: 1882mt
- Minimum elevation: 1537mt
- Length: 9km
- Estimated travel time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
- Cartography: Tabacco Chart 1:25000 sheet #09 – Carnic Alps – Middle Carnia
- Difficulty: touristic
Description:
Starting from the parking area, take the CAI 451 trail, which climbs up through a sparce wood of spruces and larches. In a short time, you’ll reach an open rolling plain stretch. After passing a plain with peat bogs and meadows, cross two creeks until you’re out and into the rangelands of Casera Cordin Grande (tasting of local food produces available). From here, enjoy a steady view over the northern side of Mt.Zermula.
Reach through bends the dairy hut (elevation 1689mt) and the fork with trail 448 that quickly reachesCordin Pass at elevation 1776mt, located between Mt. Cordin and Creta di Lanza. The vegetation is almost exclusively shrubby, with alders, rhododendrons and blueberries that runa long grassy areas with heather and arnica. The itinerary proceeds on the right (ex-CAI 403), following for about 2Km the sweet ridgeline and crossing the high elevation meadows. Still proceeding between low shrubs and moors, pass over a ridge at the foot of Pale di San Lorenzo, where the panorama opens over east as well. The trail proceeds towards Lanza Peak, which can be also reached with a short detour. From the peak, you can admire a wonderful panorama with the typical “flatiron” profile of Creta d’Aip through the crest of Mt. Zermula. The trail proceeds along the ridge, crosses a mountain pine-planted area and reaches Val Dolce Pass, where you abandon the border line. Turn right (indications) and proceed down to Cason di Lanza Pass.
Val Dolce Pass is interested by the presence of “high elevation peat bogs” – testimony of the glacial process and of the karst phenomena developing in correspondence of the carbonate horizons alternated in a complex mainly arenaceous and siltstone.
The carbonaceous levels that are more resistant to the action of the ancient glacier are the ones rising from the moraine deposits, and are the ones more affected by the karst morphologies.
Under the ridge, at the edge of a peat bog, there opens the cave named “Cave of Attila”, known since the ancient times to the point it gave birth to various legends.
It develops for over 400mt, a gap of about 30mt and constitutes an active karst sinkhole. Further down, several trails cross with each other, but all meet down at the road. After reaching Casera Cason di Lanza –that manages agritourism activity- and the nearby pass, follow the road until the parking area below (start point)
Access:
Proceeding along Carnia state road toward Tolmezzo-Mt. Croce Carnico Pass, at Cedarchis, by the bridge over Chiarsò River, turn right toward Paularo. At the village, take the long and narrow road leading to Cason di Lanza Pass. Proceed along it until you pass the wide curve at Barbabacis Brook. Some hundreds of meters more, and you’ll reach an open space from which, on the left (sign), the CAI 451 trail starts.
Cason di Lanza Pass can be also reached from Pontebba, through a road along Val Pontebbana
