Mount San Daniele
Geographical Features
.the Peaks Mount San Daniele is part of the Central Mountain Group of Comelico together with Mount Schiaron, Longerin’s Rocks, Mount Zovo and Mount Curie’. It is generally always visible from all over the territory, it has an elongated shape with a rocky peak towards the North West which reaches 2229 meters above sea level.
.the Valleys From North to East it forms together with the Longerin’s Rocks and Mount Schiaron, the Vissada valley. To the north the summit descends and merges with the ridge of Cima Sud of Longerin, while to the southeast it forms a narrow gorge with a waterfall with Mount Schiaron. To the south, lowering to the woods, it borders with Mount Zovo and Hill of Tambar, and to the west it overlooks the steep Vizza della Madonna.
.the Rivers Like its direct neighbors, Mount San Daniele has its supply of water on the side of Vissada valley, while on the rest of the perimeter it is scarce. In the South West side, from its slopes, the Rio Rin torrent arises, which runs a few kilometers before flowing into the Piave river in the locality of San Pietro di Cadore. Along the east side the mountain is crossed by the Rio di Vissada.
Political boundaries
All Mount San Daniele rises entirely within the territory of the Municipality of San Pietro di Cadore. To the north west it delineates the border with the Municipality of San Nicolo’ di Comelico.
The Approach
.from F.la Zovo The mountain can be approached comfortably by car. From the south side you reach F.la Zovo where there is a small parking lot and a refuge currently (2015) closed. This fork can be reached in three different ways, however, starting from the built-up area of S. Stefano di Cadore. You can go up by car in about 15 minutes, covering 9.7 km, passing first through the town of San Pietro di Cadore, then crossing its hamlet of Valle and then going up along the east coast of Hill of Tamber and crossing a forest of Firs along the municipal road called “Terrible”, until reaching the altitude of 1605 mslm of F.la Zovo. You can also go up to the town of Costalta in 16 min, covering 11 km, always along the asphalted municipal road you leave the hamlet of San Pietro di Cadore and you reach, along a narrow flat road, the locality of La Siega and then start going up a steep road until you reach Pramaio and immediately after Forcella Zovo. Alternatively, you can go up through the Visdende valley along 17 km in about 30 minutes. From Santo Stefano di Cadore proceed in the direction of Sappada, for Statale 355 until Km 43.5, then turn left going up a comfortable asphalted road and you will reach Val Visdende (1250 msl). We continue straight on a plateau up to the junction for Pra Marino, there we turn left still going straight to the junction for Pra della Fratta, here we turn left again and we continue up to Pra Cividella where we begin to climb along the woods and so you reach F.la Zovo.
.from S.la of The Pradetti From south-west San Daniele can be tackled starting from the Sella of The Pradetti. This route first involves the crossing of Mount Zovo. You can go up from the town of Costalissoio and, after leaving your car in La Baita, continue to climb the paved and steep forest road along the Forest of Giavi until you reach (1610 mslm) and cross the Coston di Sasso Grigno (1834 mslm); from here you walk in a false plane approaching Mount Zovo until you reach the crossroads for Costa village (1896 msl) where you descend in a north-easterly direction up to the altitude of 1757 msl. della Sella of The Pradetti, travel time 10min by car and 1h30min on foot (6.2Km and 7.7Km). At Sella of The Pradetti you can also go up from the town of S.Nicolo ‘di Comelico. By car you reach Costa, fraz. of S.Nicolo ‘, and go up through fir woods along an asphalted road until you reach the locality’ Fronta’ (1573 mslm), distance 16min-8.8 Km. Once you have left the car, go up through meadows along a dirt road up to the junction for Costalissoio, under the summit of Mount Zovo (1896 mslm), from here go down to the Sella of The Pradetti (1757 mslm), distance 1h-4.3Km.
.from P.so Palombino The mountain can also be approached from the North-West starting from Malga Melin (1663 msl). From Santo Stefano go up along State Road 52, at Sega Digon, take the Val Digon Municipal Road on the right. Once in Cappella Tamai, continue straight up to the crossroads for the Melin Valley (11Km 17min) where you can leave your car (1458 msl). Continue in the woods to the right in an easterly direction up to Malga Melin on a paved forest road (2km 24min). Alternatively, you can leave your car at Cappella Tamai (7.5 Km 10min) and continue by turning right, once you reach a crossroads, continue straight towards Giao Storto going up the woods along a gravel forest road with the CAI 142 sign to the hairpin bend to the Costa of Aiaredo (1602 mslm) (3.5 Km 1h10min).
.from Visdende valley Alternatively from Visdende Valley you can reach the Ciadon junction by car by continuing straight to Pra Marino and, after passing La Fitta, you enter the woods and continue north until you reach the Ciadon junction (1400 ms. lm), having thus covered 15 Km in about 24min. Then go up to M.ga Londo (1643 ms. Above sea level) for the CAI-167 trail along almost 2 km.
The Climb
The climb to Mount San Daniele is undertaken starting from the upper floors of the Vissada valley where it fades with the Longerin’s Rocks. You go up a rocky path not marked by the CAI flags, but only with little stone men. From F.la Zovo go up by the CAI-169 sign, from S.la of The Pradetti by the CAI-165 sign, while from the Malga Londo follow the CAI 167 then 169 sign, until F.la Longerin, and then cross the Piani of Vissada to the edge of the valley. Finally from M.ga Melin you can follow the CAI-165 signpost to F.la Longerin and then cross the Piani of Vissada to signpost 165 to the edge of the valley in a South West direction and, before descending along the scree slopes, you can take the path to the top.
