The Tofane are among the groups that best represent Cortina d'Ampezzo: three great peaks rising above 3,000 metres and commanding the Ampezzo basin. The lift that takes you up is the Freccia nel Cielo — one of the historic cable cars of the Dolomites — which from the centre of Cortina climbs in three stages to Cima Tofana at 3,244 metres, with intermediate stops at Col Drusciè and Ra Valles. It is Ra Valles itself, at around 2,475 metres, that is the heart of the ascent: a natural amphitheatre of rock and snowfields where the mountain reveals its most austere, almost lunar face.
From Ra Valles and the upper stations, exceptional views open over the entire Ampezzo basin and the surrounding Dolomites, while for mountaineers via ferratas and routes lead up to the summits, including the Formenton on Tofana di Dentro. Along the way you pass historic refuges, from the Pomedes to the Duca d'Aosta. It is the ideal destination for anyone who wants to rise quickly into the heart of high mountain terrain, approach the great walls of the Tofane and breathe the thin air of one of the most dramatic environments in the Dolomites — without committing to a long walk.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ascend to Ra Valles and the Tofane?
By the Freccia nel Cielo cable car, which departs from the centre of Cortina and rises in three stages: first to Col Drusciè, then to the Ra Valles plateau at around 2,475 metres, and finally to Cima Tofana at 3,244 metres.
What can you see from the Ra Valles plateau?
A high-altitude panorama over the entire Ampezzo basin and the surrounding Dolomites, in a natural amphitheatre of rock and snowfields beneath the walls of the Tofane. Nearby stand historic refuges such as the Pomedes and the Duca d'Aosta.