The hike to Rifugio Sette Selle from Frotten is a pleasant and fairly direct route in the heart of Val dei Mòcheni, with a moderate but still noticeable elevation gain, especially in the central section of the trail. The itinerary runs through spruce and larch forests, clearings, mountain huts and increasingly open views over the valley.
The access route follows Val del Fersina from Pergine Valsugana, passing the village of Palù del Fersina and continuing to the Frotten car park. The car park is paid: on the date of the hike, the fee was €1 per hour or €6 for the day, with payment also possible through the EasyPark app.
From the small building near the payment column, you take the trail, which enters the woods for a short first section before reaching the road again. From here, continue along SAT trail 343, which climbs steadily through spruce and larch trees, allowing you to gain elevation at a regular pace. The route crosses two small bridges and passes through an area still marked by the effects of Storm Vaia, with several fallen trees.
The path then reaches a small building and, shortly afterwards, a beautiful clearing with a hut: this is the Baiti Laner area. Here, the route meets a forest road, which you leave almost immediately to take the trail on the left, facing uphill.
In this section, the trail is wide and well maintained, partly protected by a wooden railing. A few fairly steep bends lead to the upper part of the forest, just below the Croce di Laner. One final uphill stretch leads to the cross, where there is also a small area with benches and tables. From here, a lovely view opens out over Val del Fersina.
Beyond the cross, the trail continues more gently through a more open forest of larch and spruce, with blueberry plants covering the undergrowth. After the final metres of elevation gain, the path leaves the woods and reaches a grassy clearing where trail 343 joins trail 324, coming from the Miniera and Lago di Erdemolo area. From here, it takes only a few minutes to reach Rifugio Sette Selle.
After a break at the refuge, Beatrice and I descended to the first junction and took trail 324 towards Lago di Erdemolo and Miniera. The path initially descends across a meadow, heading towards a small bridge over a beautiful stream. It then continues through the woods, losing about one hundred metres of elevation, until reaching a junction: trail 324 continues towards Lago di Erdemolo, while we descended towards 343B, a separate variant from the 343 used on the ascent.
The descent continues quickly through a beautiful forest until reaching a few houses and a forest road, partly paved with concrete tracks. Follow it almost to a hairpin bend; shortly before it, a small path cuts the corner and saves a few metres. Anyone wishing to visit the Grua va Hardömbl Mine should instead continue along the road to the hairpin bend. After rejoining the road, the route eventually returns to the initial trail, which leads back through one last short wooded section to the Frotten car park.
Hike completed by Federico and Beatrice on 2 June 2026.
