{"id":3094,"date":"2026-10-27T10:59:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T10:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.d4u.house\/blog\/?p=3094"},"modified":"2026-10-27T10:59:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T10:59:05","slug":"forcella-zumeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.d4u.house\/blog\/en\/forcella-zumeles\/","title":{"rendered":"Forcella Zumeles Cortina: how to hike to the saddle from Son Forca"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most people who come to Cortina head straight to the Tofane<\/strong>, Cristallo<\/strong>, and Lago di Sorapis<\/strong>. A short walk from the Son Forca chairlift, though, there’s a quiet grassy saddle with one of the best views over the Ampezzo valley and far fewer people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s Forcella Zumeles<\/strong>, and depending on the route you pick, it’s either an easy half-day walk or the finish line of an exposed ledge traverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here you’ll find where the pass is, how high it sits, the main routes including the via ferrata option, and the practical details you need before setting off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Forcella Zumeles?
\"\"<\/figure><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A forcella<\/em> is a mountain saddle or col, the low point on a ridge between two higher sections. Forcella Zumeles<\/strong> links the long Pomagagnon ridge to the Cristallo massif, north-east of Cortina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On one side, paths drop back towards the larch woods of Larieto and Rio Gere. On the other, the Val Padeon runs down towards Ospitale on the old Alemagna road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where is Forcella Zumeles?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Forcella Zumeles Cortina d’Ampezzo<\/strong> sits a few kilometres north-east of the town centre, above the Rio Gere area on the road to Passo Tre Croci.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll often see it described as Forcella Zumeles in Monte Cristallo<\/strong>, because the saddle lies at the foot of a spur coming down from Cristallo di Mezzo. It marks the meeting point of two groups: the Pomagagnon ridge<\/strong> to the west and the Monte Cristallo<\/a> massif to the east.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That position is what makes the view so good. From the saddle you look across to Sorapis, Croda da Lago and the Tofane, and down onto the Larieto larch forest, often described as the largest in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forcella Zumeles height and elevation profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It measures around 2,072 m to 2,075 m, making it one of the lower altitude peaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Point<\/th>\nAltitude<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Cortina d’Ampezzo (town centre)<\/td>\nAbout 1,224 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chiave, start of the ferrata approach<\/td>\n1,319 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Forcella Zumeles<\/strong><\/td>\nAbout 2,072 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rifugio Son Forca<\/td>\n2,215 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Punta Erbing (Pomagagnon)<\/td>\n2,301 m<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tip<\/strong>: the saddle is actually lower than Son Forca. So if you take the chairlift up, the walk to the pass is mostly downhill, and the loop back to the hut involves only about 156 m of climbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Routes to Forcella Zumeles Cortina<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are three main ways to reach the saddle, and they couldn’t be more different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Route<\/th>\nStart<\/th>\nDistance<\/th>\nTime<\/th>\nHeight gain<\/th>\nLevel<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Son Forca loop<\/td>\nRifugio Son Forca (chairlift from Rio Gere)<\/td>\n4.3 km<\/td>\n2 h 30<\/td>\n156 m<\/td>\nMedium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rio Gere to Val Padeon<\/td>\nRio Gere car park, finishing at Ospitale<\/td>\n9.5 km<\/td>\n3 h 30<\/td>\n499 m<\/td>\nMedium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ferrata via the Terza Cengia<\/td>\nPutti institute car park, Chiave<\/td>\n16.3 km<\/td>\nAbout 6 h<\/td>\nAbout 1,000 m<\/td>\nExposed, for experienced hikers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Son Forca loop<\/strong> is the easiest option. From the hut, follow the dirt road to path 205, which reaches Forcella Zumeles<\/strong> in about 30 minutes. You can then return the same way, or continue on paths 203, 206 and 211 down through Larieto back to Rio Gere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Val Padeon traverse<\/strong> climbs from Rio Gere on paths 211 and 204, then drops down the other side through Val Padeon to Ospitale. It’s a one-way route, so you’ll need a lift or the bus back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ferrata Forcella Zumeles<\/strong>, also called the Sentiero attrezzato Zumeles or Terza Cengia del Pomagagnon, is a ledge traverse along the south face of Pomagagnon to Punta Erbing (2,301 m), followed by a descent to the saddle. It’s graded technically easy, but the exposure is high. The ledge has a constant drop on one side, the footing is loose gravel in places, and some sections have no cable at all. The equipment was largely updated in 2017. If you’ve already done the nearby Pomagagnon via ferrata<\/a>, you’ll have a good sense of the terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Not sure which route to pick?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n