Overview
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco seen from the south |
The
Kassian Group of the
Sarntal Alps is the central of the three eastern subgroups of that horseshoe shaped range. It is wedged between the
Tramin Group, where the highest mountains of the eastern groups can be found and the area around
Rittner Horn / Corno Renon and
Villanderer Berg / Monte Villandro, which in fact is a giant plateau, covered with some of the biggest pastures of the Alps. The
Kassian Group itself consists of about a dozen more or less easy summits, which form standalone groups of two or three mountains, arranged around cirques, which thanks to the poor rock quality in that area can barely distingished as such.
Among these groups two stand out: the highest one around
Kassianspitze / Cima San Cassiano and its direct neighbour to the west, the two mountain group of
Getrumspitze / Cima Getruna and
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco. On a good day all five mountains can be climbed in one go! The latter group is a broad, curved massif, consisting of two mountains with three summits. The two peaked Getrumspitze is located to the north, one peaked
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco to the south. Both are separated by a barely pronounced saddle, which indeed is so small that it is hard to tell one mountain from the other. However, geology does the trick: while
Getrumspitze / Cima Getruna is brightly red, thanks to the amount of porphyry mixwed to its fragile rock,
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco shimmers in bright white colours since here limestone has taken the place of porphyry.
Both mountains can be climbed by three routes, two of which start at South Tyrol's highest sanctuary the pilgrimage chapel at
Latzfonser Kreuz / San Croce di Lazfons:
- Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco east ridge
From Lazfonser Kreuz hike through the Lückl Saddle to Getrumsee / / Lago Gethruna. From here a steep but easy couloir takes you to the broad, plateau-like east ridge of Blankenhorn, from where several hundred of easy metres lead you to the main summit of
- Getrumspitze / Cima Gethruna east ridge
From Kassianspitze / Cima San Cassiano a ridge traverse leads to the Getrumspitze / Cima Gethruna east summit. Descend the north-west ridge of Kassianspitze, then ascend the long east ridge of Getrumspitze. To reach the main summit you will have to descend into a saddle precariously. From there a similarly horrible path leads to the main summit of Getrumspitze and on to Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco.
- Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco west ridge
The shortest, easiest and most popular route makes use of the cable-car which runs from the village of Reinswald / San Martino to Pichlberg. From there a ridge traverse takes you across Jochplatte to Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco andGetrumspitze / Cima Getruna.
As all summits of the
Kassian Group are excellent lookout summits,
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco is no exception. Judge for yourself from the next section.
Summit Panoramas
Having shot a 360° panorama from nearby
Getrumspitze, on
Blankenhorn I concentrated on the three big mountain groups in the north:
Ötztal Alps,
Stubai Alps,
Zillertal Alps. Here are the results:
Getting There
Getrumspitze Group (left) and Kassianspitze Group (right)
There are two reasonable trailheads for
Blankenhorn / Corno Bianco, one at
Reinswald / San Martino in
Sarntal / Val Sarentino (or rather
Durnholztal / Valdurna) and
Lazfons in
Eisacktal / Valle Isarco. Both trailheads are connected by the pilgrimage trail to the sanctuary at
Lazfonser Kreuz / S. Croce di Lazfons
- Reinswald / San Martino trailhead
- Take Brenner Motorway A22 to Bozen / Bolzano
- Drive through the city, following signs to Sarntal / Val Sarentino on SS508
- At Astfeld / Campolasta turn off onto SP137, direction Durnholz / Valdurna
- At Unterreinswald / San Martino Bassa turn onto SP138 to Reinswald / San Martino. Park at the cable-car station.
- Lazfons trailhead
- Take Brenner motorway A22 to the exit Klausen / Chiusa.
- Take SP74 to Feldthurns / Velturno
- Turn left onto SP142 to Lazfons
Red Tape
Blankenhorn and Getrumspitze
There's no red tape. You might have to cross pasture gates which you are requested to shut behind you.
Accommodation
Eisacktal / Valle Isarco
Bozen / Bolzano
Weather Conditions
Maps & Books
Maps
- Digital Maps
- Regular Maps
- Sarntal/Val Sarentino
Kompass Map WK 056
1:35.000
ISBN: 3-85491-340-0
- Brixen / Bressanone
Kompass Map WK 56
1:50.000
ISBN: 3-85491-063-0
- Bozen / Bolzano
Kompass Map WK 54
1:50.000
ISBN: 3-85491-061-4
- BOLZANO-RENON / BOZEN-RITTEN-TSCHÖGGLBERG
Tabacco Map 034
1:25.000
- MONTE SARENTINI / SARNTALER ALPEN
Tabacco Map 040
1:25.000
Books
- Bozen-Salten-Schlern
Kompass Guidebook WF953
Kompass Verlag
ISBN: 3-85491-406-7
- Rund um Bozen
Helmut Dumler
Rother Verlag
ISBN: 3-7633-4267-2