An old military dirt track to Monte Rite in the Dolomites

Monte Rite is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.168m (7,112ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto.

How long is the road to Monte Rite?

Set high in the heart of the Dolomites, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s an old military road. Starting at Passo Cibiana, the road is 6.2 km (3.85 miles) long.

Is the road to Monte Rite open?

The road to the summit is closed to private vehicles and usually impassable from late October through late June or early July (depending on snow). The summit hosts a mountain refuge (Rifugio Dolomites), a fort (Forte Monte Rite) and a museum (Museo Messner- The Museum in the Clouds). Named after mountaineer Reinhold Messner, it’s said to be the highest museum in Europe. The fort was constructed at the summit in 1912-14 for the Italian line of defense against the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef. The summit offers a 360° panorama of the most spectacular mountains in the Dolomites.

Is the road to Monte Rite steep?

The road to the summit is very steep, hitting a 12% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at Passo Cibiana (where there’s a car park for the visitors of the area), the ascent is 6.2 km (3.85 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 593 meters. The average gradient is 9.56%.
Pic: martin damo