Reaching Seceda without the cable car

Can you hike to Seceda without a cable car?

Yes. Marked paths lead up from Ortisei and from the Col Raiser area, and walkers who arrive on foot do not need a lift ticket.

The lift is a convenience, not a gate. Seceda sits in the Puez-Odle Nature Park, and the paths across it are open to hikers. The only point on the ridge that charges walkers is the private turnstile at the famous photo spot, run by local farmers since 2025. That fee covers the private photo location only, and the rest of the mountain is free, as explained in the guide on whether Seceda is worth it.

The question is how much effort you want to spend. The full climb from Ortisei is a serious day hike. The Col Raiser gondola cuts most of the climbing, and the first lift section to Furnes is a middle option. The table below sets the options side by side.

How long is the hike from Ortisei to Seceda?

One hiking guide measures the Cristauta route at about 13.9 km with about 1,064 m of climbing, taking about 6 hours. Treat it as a full day.

The Cristauta route is the classic way up on foot from Ortisei. The figures above come from a single blog that walked and measured it, so actual times depend on your pace, breaks and the weather. Over 1,000 m of climbing is a large effort for walkers who are not used to mountain terrain, and the descent is hard on the knees.

• Start early. A start soon after sunrise gives you cooler air on the climb and time to spare at the top.
• Carry water and food. There are huts in the area, but plan as if you need to be self-sufficient on the way up.
• Plan the descent. Many hikers walk up and ride down. If you want to use the lift for the descent, check the timetable and the ticket rules at seceda.it first, because the lift closes at 17:30.

What is the Col Raiser route to Seceda?

The Col Raiser gondola leaves from Santa Cristina and runs from 22 May to 1 November 2026. From the top, the Seceda ridgeline is about an hour on foot.

Col Raiser is a separate lift, run independently from the Seceda cable car. It starts in Santa Cristina, the village between Ortisei and Selva. A photography guide that uses this route describes about an extra hour on foot from the Col Raiser area to the ridgeline, compared with arriving at the Seceda top station.

The advantage is that you avoid the Seceda time slots for the ascent. The trade-off is the extra walking time and the need to plan your return: you either walk back to Col Raiser, walk down to the valley, or check the Seceda cable car rules for a descent. Check the Col Raiser lift times locally before you set out.

Can you take the gondola to Furnes and walk from there?

Yes. One photo hiking guide describes a round trip from Furnes to the ridgeline of a little under 9 km with about 700 m of climbing.

The first section of the Seceda lift, the gondola from Ortisei to Furnes, climbs 450 m. Walking from Furnes skips the cable car section, which climbs another 700 m. The route described by the photo hiking guide is a good middle ground for fit walkers who want to earn the view but do not want a full day of climbing.

In 2026 the lift sells ascents in time slots, so check on seceda.it what a ticket to Furnes covers and how the slot rule applies. If your plan depends on a ride back down from Furnes, keep the 17:30 closing time in mind.

Can you reach Seceda by e-bike?

Yes, with a guided tour. Two GetYourGuide e-bike tours climb towards Seceda, one from Ortisei and one from Selva, and neither uses the cable car for the ascent.

The Seceda e-bike group tour from Ortisei lasts 5.5 hours and meets at the Seceda cable car station. The listing states that the e-bike, helmet, guide, insurance and lunch at Rifugio Firenze are included, and that cable car fees are not included. The route passes St. Jacob's church and gravel roads to Lech Sant before lunch, then descends to Ortisei. The tour is for ages 16 and up and the listing asks for mountain bike experience.

The Seceda Evolution e-bike tour from Selva meets at a rental shop in Selva. The listing describes a climb towards Juac and the Col Raiser mountain station to Seceda at about 2,400 m, lunch in a hut, a descent on a forest road to Santa Cristina, and a return on a panoramic bike path. Duration and cancellation terms are not stated in the listing, so confirm them before you book.

Can you walk down from Seceda instead of riding the cable car?

Yes. Walking down lets you see more of the area, but it is hard on the legs and takes time.

Several marked routes lead down from the Seceda area. The seceda.it hiking page lists the walk from Seceda past Pieralongia to the Odles hut at 5.8 km and 1.5 hours, and the walk from Seceda past the Trojer hut to the Fermeda hut at 4.2 km and 1 hour. The lift company describes both as easy. From these huts you continue down to the valley or to another lift.

The Fermeda chairlift, which would shorten the return from the Fermeda hut, is listed as currently closed on seceda.it for summer 2026, while valgardena.it lists it from 20 June to 20 September 2026. Check its status on the day before you rely on it. The ridgeline hike guide describes these walks in more detail.

The e-bike does the climbing: a 5.5-hour guided ride from Ortisei with helmet, insurance and lunch at Rifugio Firenze.

Seceda E-Bike Group Tour with Hut Lunch · 5.5 hours

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How fit do you need to be to hike to Seceda?

For the full hike from Ortisei, you need good fitness and mountain experience: over 1,000 m of climbing in about 6 hours. The Col Raiser and Furnes options suit walkers with average fitness.

The difference between the options is mostly about climbing. Over 1,000 m of ascent in a day is demanding even for regular walkers, and the high ridge is exposed to sun and wind. If you have not hiked in the mountains recently, a lift-assisted route is the safer choice.

• Footwear: boots or trail shoes with good grip; paths can be loose or wet.
• Layers: the weather on the ridge can change quickly, and the top is at about 2,500 m.
• Timing: start early, and set a turnaround time so that you are not racing the 17:30 lift closing on the way back.
• Stay on the path: the meadows are hay fields that farmers rely on, and local rangers ask walkers not to leave the marked trails.

Is there a guided hike near Ortisei that skips the cable car?

Yes. A 4-hour private hike to St. Jacob's Church starts in Ortisei and uses no lift at all, on an easy to moderate route towards Col de Flam.

The private hike to St. Jacob's Church is a different kind of day from the Seceda ridge. The listing states that it meets at Outdoor Guides Ortisei at Via Rezia 46, takes 4 hours, and follows a panoramic trail towards Col de Flam and forest paths to what the listing calls the oldest church in Val Gardena. The return runs via Santa Cristina or directly back to Ortisei.

It suits visitors who could not get a Seceda slot, families who want a shorter outing, or anyone who wants a quiet morning with a local guide before trying the ridge on another day. The listing states free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start and guiding in English, German or Italian.

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