The Big and the Small Lagazuoi constitute an almost 3,000 m high mountain massif which is known beyond borders for its war tunnels
The Lagazuoi, a mountain with two peaks in the Fanes Group, is already located on the territory of the province of Belluno, but can be scaled from Alta Badia. The Big Lagazuoi rises up to 2,835 m a.s.l., the better-known Small Lagazuoi, however, is 2,778 m high and accessible by cable car from the Passo di Falzarego. The two peaks are separated by the Forcella Lagazuoi wind gap (2,572 m a.s.l.) - several paths and climbing routes lead to the top of the Small Lagazuoi.
A tour starts at the Capanna Alpina hut (1,720 m a.s.l.) near San Cassiano and proceeds in about 3.5 hours via the Rif. Scotoni mountain hut to the top of the Small Lagazuoi. The panoramic view is simply breathtaking and includes the Fanis Peaks and Mt. Marmolada as well as the Puez Group and the Sella alpenstock in the Dolomites. Along the route you pass Lake Lagazuoi (Lech de Lagaciò), a wonderful alpine lake situated at 2,180 m a.s.l. in the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park.
Mt. Lagazuoi was the scene of heavy fights between the Italian and the Austro-Hungarian troops during the Mountain Warfare 1915-1918. Old war tunnels and fortifications dating back to WWI can still be seen. Nowadays, the tour “On the traces of the battle front” (Giro della Grande Guerra) leads in summer as a hike and in winter as a ski tour to these memorials of the battle front.
