Kaserkopf / Punta Casera

Overview

Kaserkopf, Hochalpenkopf, Maurerkopf seen across Pustertal

Kaserkopf / Punta Casera is the first (that is easternmost) of the more serious mountains of the Olanger Köpfe Subgroup of the Prags / Braies Dolomites. Like its neighbours - and much of the greater range as well - it is composed of extremely brittle limestone rock, wich forms impressive, though somewhat scary faces. In the south the mountain runs out in a shallow slope while to the north there is a vertical, in some places even overhanging north face. Thanks to the poor rock quality a great number of towers and spires gave formed in the face, mainly pointing northward from the main summit of the mountain.

Kaserkopf / Punta Casera has two summits, a lower eastern one and the main summit. Both are located on the curving east ridge of Olanger Köpfe, a ridge which on the western side of the mountain heads on to Hochalpenkopf / Cima dei Colli Alti. In this section you can find the only ferrata in the Prags / Braies Dolomites. It starts at Kaserkopf / Punta Casera and follows the ridge towards a big step underneath the Hochalpenkopf summit. The ferrata is hard to find and thanks to the poor rock quality it also is prone to rockfall. Therefore, none of the Dolomites ferrata guidebooks recommend it.

Of the Olanger Köpfe summits, Kaserkopf is among the ones which are least frequently climbed, mainly due to the fact that neighbouring Hochalpenkopf is higher with better maintained hiking trails. For Kaserkopf you have to search for the paths to the summit. In winter, the mountain can be climbed as a ski tour but also often is bypassed for the higher mountains in its west. However, it is an excellent lookout summit for Pustertal / Val Pusteria and the Hohe Tauern Range beyond.

Getting There

The best trailhead for Kaserkopf / Punta Casera is at Pragser Wildsee / Lago di Braies in the east of the mountainIt can be easily reached from Toblach / Dobbiaco.

From The North

• Take A22 Brenner Motorway to exit Brixen / Bressanone
  
• Turn off onto SS49 east to Bruneck / Brunico or Toblach / Dobbiaco

From Austria (East)

• Take A12 Inntalautobahn to exit Kufstein.
  
• Turn onto B178, later B161 south in direction Kitzbühel.
  
• At Mittersill B161 turns into B108 which heads through Felbertauern Tunnel.
  
• Take B108 until Lienz were you turn right (west) onto E66 which on the border crossing turns into SS49 to Toblach / Dobbiaco and Bruneck / Brunico.

From Udine

• Take A23 north to exit Carnia.
  
• Turn off onto SS52 which leads through several detours to Innichen / San Candido
  
• Turn east on SS49 to Toblach / Dobbiaco and Bruneck / Brunico.

From Venezia

• Take motorway S27 north towards its end near Belluno.
  
• Turn onto SS51 towards Cortina d’Ampezzo and on to Toblach / Dobbiaco.

Red Tape

In 1980 an area of 25680ha has been set aside for the natural Park Fanes Sennes - Prags. You are required to treat the Natural Park with care: leave animals and plants in their place, use trails (especially when mountain biking), and take the official open roads with your car.

For more information you can look at the parks official website

• Fanes-Senes-Prags Natural Park

Be prepared to pay small fees (3€) for the parking lot at the trailhead.

Accommodation

For hotels and apartments have a look at the websites of the towns and cities of the area:

• Bruneck / Brunico
  
• Prags / Braies
  
• Toblach / Dobbiaco

Weather Conditions

Maps & Books

Books

The Prags Dolomites / Dolomiti de Braies are not as well covered in terms of Guidebooks. The list below offers the German books I know of dealing with the area but there certainly are more, especially Italian ones.

• Dolomiten 5 - Sexten - Toblach - Prags
  F. Hauleitner
  Rother Verlag
  ISBN: 3 7633 4199 4
  
• Dolomiten
  P. Fleischmann
  Kompass Verlag
  ISBN: 3 8705 1409 4
  Sextener Dolomiten extrem - Alpenvereinsführer
  R. Goedeke
  Rother Verlag
  ISBN: 3 7633 1255 2

Maps

The most commonly used maps are the ones by Kompass and by Tabacco. The Kompass one is good as an overview map while the Tabacco one offers more details.

• Bruneck - Toblach / Brunico Dobbiaco
  Kompass Map WK 57
  ISBN: 3 85491 064 9
  Scale: 1:50000
  
• Dolomiti di Braies / Pragser Dolomiten / Marebbe / Enneberg / Plan de Corones / Kronplatz
  Tabacco Map 031
  Scale: 1:25000

Images

View Kaserkopf / Punta Casera Image Gallery - 12 Images