Piz Starlex

From Taufers im Münstertal (Tubre) follow the signs for Avigna on a narrow, steep road, gravel at the end, to the driving ban by a bridge a little below the Mangitsalm; there is a small car park for about ten cars at roughly 1,780 m. Follow the alp road (path 1) past the Mangitsalm (1,837 m) to a junction and turn left onto path 4, which crosses a meadow and climbs through larch forest to the Starlexhütte (2,119 m), a herders' hut, in about an hour. Above the hut the route follows waymarks, partly without a path, up the alpine heath and across slopes to a small col with signposts, then on a marked path to a second col in a rock rib, crossing the 'Schwarze Wand' shortly before the Fuorcla Starlex. Faint tracks lead into the steep gully that splits the summit block. The final 200 m or so climb dolomite scree, blocks and short rock steps (easy climbing, UIAA I to I+); it is tiring, often holds hard snow or ice early in the season, and it is hard not to dislodge stones, so keep groups close together and wear a helmet. The gully tops out at a notch on the south-west ridge; turn right through a short chimney-like section and walk easily to the broad summit plateau and its large wooden cross. The view takes in the Engadine Dolomites, the Sesvenna group and the Ortler. Descend the gully with great care. A recommended loop then crosses pathless ground to the Fuorcla Starlex (2,631 m), with a small lake on the Swiss side, and follows path 4 across the Stierberg pastures to the Stierberghütte (2,176 m); path 3 drops steeply to the forest road and back to the start (about 2 hours down, 12 km and 1,300 m in all).