The itinerary starts at Passo Falzarego (2105 m). You can reach the pass by car or by local bus service, driving along SR48 road for 17 km.
CAI trail No. 402 begins in front of the Lagazuoi cable car station. Soon leave the trail and join a new trail rising south-west over the scree slope created by a mine explosion.
Hike up to the left over the no man’s land between the Austro-Hungarian trenches to the west and the Italian trenches to the east.
Continue along a few ledges to reach the famous suspended bridge, about 10 m long and 25 m above ground. Cross the bridge and you get on a fairly exposed, though protected ledge. The equipped trail continues through well preserved war emplacements to then descend to Cengia Martini. A steep climb leads to the ridge and further up to the summit of Mt Piccolo Lagazuoi and finally to Rifugio Lagazuoi.
You can descend by cable car, but you would miss the war tunnel. A veritable must-do.
The tunnel is over 1 km long, totally dark – wear a headlamp – except for some small openings (protected military lookouts) carved out in the rock and open onto the void. It features several branches, intersections, and a few rooms with remains-reconstructions of war emplacements and huts. The tunnel is rather steep, with high wooden steps and iron cable as hand railing, and since some sections are rather low wearing a helmet is highly recommended. The route is often wet and slippery for the snow melting on the outer walls and might feature some icy patches, therefore if you meet these conditions you’d better give up. Even in summer best scenarios, the tunnel is very cold and damp. High altitude, total darkness and lack of oxygen may affect those who suffer from claustrophobia, even if there are no real dangers.
The bottom end of the tunnel opens onto a large ledge equipped for safety leading to a water funnel where the left branch departs. It ends up in a vast rocky cave, starting point of the famous “Martini Ledge” (equipped trail reserved to expert equipped hikers). After a short stretch through a tunnel you finally end up in the open air, continue along a few equipped stretches and then descend along CAI trail No. 402 down to Passo Falzarego.
The descent is about 2 and a half hours.
Rest stop: Rifugio Lagazuoi: Ph. +39 340 719 5306
