Cima di Cece: The summit cross as a goal

The destination for my winter vacation this year is Val di Fiemme in Trentino, Italy. It is no coincidence that I have chosen this region as my vacation destination. As an avid ski tourer, I am always on the lookout for the most beautiful and popular ski touring destinations. Val di Fiemme is definitely one of them. The valley is located in the Dolomites. These alone are worth climbing on foot or with skis strapped on. But what makes a ski tour particularly exciting for me is the untouched nature. And there is plenty of it in Val di Fiemme. The snow-covered mountains there are not quite as busy as in many other regions. If you do meet other ski tourers, the likelihood is quite high that they are also experienced mountaineers. For ski touring in this region, a good base of skills and physical fitness is advisable. The advertised tours lead over passes and far up into the mountains. Of course, for the less experienced there is always the possibility of being accompanied by a mountain guide. These are available on site and know the local weather and avalanche conditions.
Besides the tour to the Cece peak, which I have in mind for my vacation, there are many other routes in the area. All of them promise a magnificent panorama, vastness, untouched nature, glittering powder snow and artistic summit crosses. And that is exactly what drives me: The summit cross as a goal. As exhausting and arduous as climbing a mountain can be, the more incredible is this feeling of happiness when you then make it to the summit solely with the help of your own strength. "Man is bored with pleasure received, and far prefers pleasure conquered," the French philosopher Émile-Auguste Chartier once said. Additional icing on the ski touring cake: the descent through fresh powder.

Ski tour to the Cima di Cece
The ski tour on the Cima di Cece offers imposing rock formations, beautiful downhill slopes and a magnificent view. No wonder that it is often described as one of the most beautiful in the Lagorai chain. The starting point for the tour is the parking lot at the Miola Restaurant. From there, my ski touring buddy Georg and I follow the forest road to Malga di Valmaggiore (Sennhütte). Shortly before the alpine hut the valley divides. The route takes us to the left towards the Paolo and Nicola bivouac, located at 2180 meters above sea level. First we go through a wood, then through a wide valley that finally ends at the Valmaggiore saddle. Shortly before, however, we leave behind us a steep wide gully. This leads into a large hollow. Above us: the vertical walls of Cece and its characteristic peak - very imposing. We continue and reach a short steep gully. We briefly consider whether or not to leave our skis strapped on for this passage. Unbuckled it seems more advantageous to us, so down they come. After we overcome the gully, they come back on. We reach the northwestern ridge. During the tour, always the same thought: what a great environment! Now we face the last part of the climb. It is short but steep and must be done on foot with crampons. After 4.5 hours, 9.9 kilometers and 1100 meters of ascent, we have finally made it: we are on the summit of Cima di Cece. Unbelievable. We rest a bit and admire the beautiful view of the surrounding mountain formations. Then we pull the skins off our skis and enjoy the descent through the glittering powder snow.

Supplementary program
After this challenging tour we are already looking forward to the wellness program in our hotel. In the whirlpool and sauna our muscles can recover properly. What is still missing: The answer to the question of what we want to do the next day. Fortunately, the friendly hotel staff has the right answer for us: cross-country skiing. We like the idea, after all Val di Fiemme is the venue for the Nordic World Ski Championships and the Tour de Ski. The hotel - it is a hotel specialized in cross-country skiing - also gives us competent advice on the cross-country skiing offer in the region. With two cross-country ski centers and 150 kilometers of trails, it really is made for cross-country skiers. As a cross-country skiing hotel, our accommodation is also located right near the nearest cross-country ski trail. So we can also save ourselves long journeys. And the sport itself is fun for us anyway.

My vacation this year in Val di Fiemme was really great. Once again, I was able to climb a new peak and, by the way, also get to know the scenic diversity while cross-country skiing. Nothing stands in the way of a reunion from my side - I'm even really looking forward to it.