A hut in the heart of the Sella plateau, a classic staging post for traverses of the massif.
Rifugio Boè stands at 2,871 metres in the middle of the Sella Group plateau, on a rocky shelf at the foot of Piz Boè. The setting is hard and almost lunar: pale rock and wide horizons. It is one of the highest and oldest huts around. The Bamberg section of the Alpenverein built it in 1898 as the Capanna di Bamberga, it took damage in the First World War, and it passed to the SAT in 1921. A lot of routes start from here, including the normal way up Piz Boè, the highest peak in the Sella, and the traverses that cross the whole massif.
You can walk up from the Passo Pordoi lifts via Sass Pordoi, or come straight from the pass in roughly two and a half hours along the plateau traverses. The kitchen does warm, filling food, which you will want: even in midsummer the air stays cool up here. With around sixty beds and a winter room, it makes a good base for Sella traverses or for taking Piz Boè at your own pace. The season runs roughly from late June to late September.
The most common starting point is Passo Pordoi, which you reach by car along the Dolomite pass road between Canazei and Arabba. At the pass there is a large car park in front of the cable car station that climbs to Sass Pordoi. From up there you walk across the plateau to the hut, or you go straight up from the pass on foot in roughly two and a half hours. The cable car runs in the summer season, with dates that change from year to year, so check opening and fares for the current year. The hut is open in summer, roughly from late June to late September. At this altitude the air stays cool even in high summer, so bring an extra layer.
Services & info
Trails passing through Rifugio Boè
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Rifugio Boè?
You walk up from the Passo Pordoi lifts via Sass Pordoi, or come straight from the pass in roughly two and a half hours along the Sella plateau traverses.
Can I stay overnight at Rifugio Boè?
Yes. It has around sixty beds and a winter room, and it works well as a base for Sella traverses and the climb up Piz Boè. Book ahead in season.
How high is Rifugio Boè?
It stands at 2,871 metres, which puts it among the highest huts in the Sella Group. The air stays cool up here even in midsummer.
Where do I park for Rifugio Boè?
At Passo Pordoi, on the pass road between Canazei and Arabba, there is a large car park in front of the Sass Pordoi cable car. From there you continue on foot across the Sella plateau. Cable car fares and dates are worth checking for the current year.
When is Rifugio Boè open?
The hut opens in summer, roughly from late June to late September, once the plateau is clear of snow. Out of season only the winter room is available. At this altitude it stays cool even in July and August, so dress in layers.