Elferkofel
3,092 m
Italy
Also known as Cima Undici, Cima Undici - ElferkofelAlso known as
Cima Undici · Cima Undici - Elferkofel
- Elevation
- 3,092 m
- Prominence
- 661 m
- Difficulty
- 6/10
- Alpine climb
- Best Season
- Aug–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: EEA – A – III – AD (VieNormali.it) · AD+/D- (Attila Adventure (2023))
A long, serious route on very loose rock: from the Zsigmondy-Comici hut into the Busa di Dentro, up the De Zolt wall (II–III, old pegs and rings), over the Zsigmondy ridge and down to the Forcella Zsigmondy and the Bivacco Ai Mascabroni (2,932 m), then a gully and an exposed north-side traverse to the summit. About 1,500 m from the Fischleintal; 7h30 or more up.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 10.7 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,888 m
- −250 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,092 m
- Time Up
- 8h 08m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 56m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the Fischleintal (Rifugio Piano Fiscalino) walk via the Talschlusshütte (path 102) and path 103 to the Zsigmondy-Comici hut, about 2 h. Continue on path 103 towards Forcella Giralba; about 500 m before it, at the site of the former frozen lake, turn left on path 101 (Strada degli Alpini), then leave it to the right into the scree valley of the Busa di Dentro (about 1 h from the hut). Follow traces on its left side towards Forcella Alta di Popèra to a large boulder on the scree, about halfway up the slope above the snowfield (about 45 min); harness up here. The De Zolt wall rises on the left: start up a crack with an old rope and a steel cable, then climb about 70–100 m straight up (II–II+, short III; five single-peg belays with rings, some bolts and old pegs) to two big iron rings left by the Alpini in the First World War. A ledge left and a loose gully (about 60 m, move together) lead to the plateau and cairns up to the top of the Zsigmondy ridge (wartime ladder). Descend along the ridge for about 150 m on loose, exposed rock with a thin cable and a few pegs, then zigzag down to a red-painted ring and abseil about 45 m into the gully below the Forcella Zsigmondy; many parties leave this rope fixed to climb back up with prusiks. From the forcella a ledge leads to the Bivacco Ai Mascabroni on the Mensola terrace (5–6 h from the car park, 3–4 h from the hut). A few metres before the bivouac climb the scree gully above it, bypassing a huge chockstone on the right, to the Forcella della Caverna. Cross onto the north side and traverse about one and a half rope lengths across the face to the notch between the south-east fore-summit and the main summit: exposed, very loose, with few old pegs, and dangerous with verglas or frozen scree. A short, easy ridge leads to the summit (1h30 from the bivouac). Return the same way, belaying or abseiling the traverse, the gully, the fixed rope and the De Zolt wall; an alternative descent from the Busa di Dentro follows the Strada degli Alpini to Forcella Undici and paths 124/122 to the valley.
Start
Rifugio Piano Fiscalino1,455 m
- Bus 446 (Toblach/Dobbiaco – Fischleintal) and shuttle 440 (from Sexten/Sesto) in summer
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rifugio Piano Fiscalino → Zsigmondy-Comici Hütte | 6.3 | 858 | 92 | 3h 50m |
| 2 | Zsigmondy-Comici Hütte → Elferkofel | 4.4 | 1,030 | 162 | 4h 19m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Rifugio Piano Fiscalino1,455 m
- Hut: Talschlusshütte1,531 m
- Hut: Zsigmondy-Comici Hütte2,223 m
- Feature: Busa di Dentro2,479 m
- Shoulder: Cresta Zsigmondy2,977 m
not on route line
- Bivouac: Bivacco Mascabroni2,907 m
- Summit: Elferkofel3,092 m
Key Passages
- De Zolt wall (II–III)
- Loose, exposed descent of the Zsigmondy ridge and 45 m abseil
- North-side traverse from the Forcella della Caverna
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 65%Overview
A jagged, crumbling crown of towers above the Fischleintal (3,092 m), one of the Sexten 'sundial' peaks and a First World War front line. Its normal route is a long, committing climb on very loose rock via the De Zolt wall, the Zsigmondy ridge and the tiny Mascabroni bivouac.
The Elferkofel (Italian Cima Undici) is the north-eastern bastion of the Sexten Dolomites, a long serrated ridge of towers between the Fischleintal and the Popera group, on the border between South Tyrol and the province of Belluno. Its German name ('the Eleven') places it in the Sexten sundial, the ring of peaks over which the villagers of Sexten read the time from the sun. The highest point is the south summit (3,092 m); a lower north summit is reached separately from the Sentinella pass.
During the First World War the front line ran across these crests, and the normal route still passes wartime remains: the Strada degli Alpini ledge path, iron rings left by the Alpini at the top of the De Zolt wall, a stone wall and a ladder on the Zsigmondy ridge. The small Bivacco Ai Mascabroni was built in 1967 on a narrow terrace (the Mensola) just below the summit. The route links the Busa di Dentro scree basin, the De Zolt wall, the Zsigmondy ridge and an exposed traverse on the north side.
This is not a Dolomite classic in the modern sense. The rock is described by every source as extremely unstable, route-finding is difficult on the ridge and the final traverse, and the north side holds verglas into summer. It suits experienced alpinists who want a lonely, historic summit; others should hire a guide.
Climbing Notes
Plan for a long, two-day trip: about 2 h from the Fischleintal to the Zsigmondy-Comici hut, then 3–4 h to the Mascabroni bivouac and 1h30 to the summit, about 1,500 m of ascent in all. You must be able to climb II–III unroped on loose ground, belay, abseil and reascend a fixed rope with prusiks, and judge rock that comes away in the hand. Carry a 50–60 m rope, slings, quickdraws, prusik loops and all your water; there is none above the hut.
Go between mid-July and late September, in settled, cloudless weather, when snow has left the Busa di Dentro gully and the north-side traverse is free of ice. Until mid-July the snowfield in the Busa di Dentro needs microspikes. In fog or bad weather turn back: route-finding on the ridge and ledges is hard. Alpinschule Drei Zinnen in Sexten offers the climb with a guide.
History
Michel Innerkofler made the first ascent in 1878 by the south-west side; his companions, his brother Johann and Baron Roland (Loránd) Eötvös, stopped below the final tower. Eötvös reached the summit with Franz Happacher and Michel Innerkofler on 25 July 1879. Ludwig Purtscheller and Emil and Otto Zsigmondy climbed it by the Busa di Fuori on 22 July 1882, and the east side was first climbed on 27 July 1891 by Josef Hausberger, Veit Innerkofler and Otto Schuster. In 1915–1916 the ridge was part of the Austro-Italian front; the iron rings at the top of the De Zolt wall date from the Alpini occupation.
Season
Best Aug–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Not advisable
- July: Good
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Not advisable
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter
- Feb
- Winter
- Mar
- Winter
- Apr
- Snow and avalanche risk in the Busa di Dentro
- May
- Snow
- Jun
- Snow on the north-side traverse; Busa di Dentro snowfield
- Jul
- From mid-July once the snow gully has melted out
- Aug
- Best conditions; afternoon storms
- Sep
- Recommended until late September in settled weather
- Oct
- Verglas and frozen scree on the north side; hut closed
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Zsigmondy-Comici hut: book online via alpsonline.org (linked from zsigmondyhuette.com). The Bivacco Ai Mascabroni is an unstaffed shelter and cannot be booked.
- Fees
- Parking in the Fischleintal is limited and always paid
- Rules
- No parking for campervans or coaches in the Fischleintal; spaces are usually full from June to October
- Getting There
Sexten (Sesto)
Innsbruck (INN), Venice Marco Polo (VCE) or Treviso (TSF)
- Bus 446 from Toblach (Dobbiaco) and shuttle 440 from Sexten run to the Fischleintal in summer; no reservation needed
- By car: Pustertal to Innichen and Sexten (or from Comelico over Passo Monte Croce), then to the paid car park at Fischleinboden (Rifugio Piano Fiscalino)
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- Remoteness
Huts & Shelters
2- 2,224 m
Zsigmondy-Comici HütteHutStaffedBooking required
Summer; closed on 4 October in 2026
- 2,932 m
Bivacco MascabroniBivouacUnstaffed
Always open; unstaffed