Summit · south of the valley
Creta Forata
The mountain with the hole, behind Siera
Creta Forata is the highest summit of the Siera group, with a pillared north face above the valley that bears its name. According to the calculation the summit is seen from the eastern part of the village, and best from Cima Sappada; further west it is hidden by Siera. The hole that gives it its name can be seen only from Val Pesarina.
- Summit altitude
- 2,462 mSource 1CAI Sezione di Sappada, OpenStreetMap and Regione del Veneto, regional technical map (spot heights): the three sources agree · 7 October 2026
- Group
- Siera group, Pesarine Dolomites
- Other names
- Preitkofel (German)according to OpenStreetMap: to be confirmed on a map
- The summit is visible from
- 7 hamlets out of 15borderline from 2 more
What kind of mountain it is
It is made of Triassic dolomite and limestone, the same great block of rock as Siera and Cimon, cut by a fault that geologists call the ‘Creta Forata line’. The summit stands on the municipal boundary, between Sappada and Val Pesarina. Towards Sappada it falls with a pillared wall into the Vallone della Creta Forata; the natural hole that gives it its name is on the other side, and cannot be seen from the village.
Who sees it and who does not
It is one of the mountains that divide the village in two. For those who live in the western and central part, Siera stands in front and hides it. From Cottern eastwards the summit appears, and at Cima Sappada it faces the houses. For anyone looking for a house it is a practical criterion: the same basin, two different horizons.
The valley and the pass
The classic hike starts from Rifugio Monte Siera and climbs through the Vallone to the pass, in a couple of hours: a hiking path, with a short section on a ledge equipped with a cable, which the Alpine Club (CAI) grades for experienced hikers. You walk beneath the north face, in a severe setting.
The summit
The normal route follows the slanting ledge of the north face: it is for experienced hikers, with grade one moves, and a helmet is needed. From the hut it is about three hours; the full round from Cima Sappada is a long day, for fit people.
Computed on the terrain model
Which hamlets can see it
The summit appears only from the eastern part of the village; further west Siera hides it. Where the calculation says ‘borderline’ we make no claim.
7 hamlets see it 2 borderline 6 hamlets do not see it
- Lerpahidden · short by 370 m
- Granvillahidden · short by 185 m
- Palùhidden · short by 265 m
- Pillhidden · short by 88 m
- Bachhidden · short by 81 m
- Mühlbachhidden · short by 51 m
- Cotternin view · 4.5 km
- Hoffein view · 4.3 km
- Fontanaborderline
- Krattenin view · 4.1 km
- Soraviaborderline
- Ecchein view · 3.9 km
- Puichein view · 3.8 km
- Crettain view · 3.6 km
- Cima Sappadain view · 3.3 km
From Bach, in the direction of the summit, the horizon is formed by a point on the slope at 1,982 m, 2.6 km from the houses.
Method: from the reference point of each hamlet, with the eye 6 m above the ground, on the 10 m terrain model (computed on 7 October 2026). ‘In view’ means that at least twenty metres of summit remain clear; ‘borderline’ means less than that is clear, or less than that is missing: there we make no claim. It holds for the centre of the hamlet, not for every house; trees and buildings are not taken into account.
Paths, with the figures from the route sheets
Getting there
From Cima Sappada to Rifugio Monte Siera, by chairlift in summer or on foot; from the hut path 321 enters the Vallone della Creta Forata.
| Section | Waymark | Length | Ascent | Time, ascent only | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Rifugio Monte Siera to the Vallone and the Forcella della Creta ForataA short section on a ledge with a cable. | 321 | 2.8 km | 552 m | 2 h – 2 h 15 min | E / EE |
| From Rifugio Monte Siera to the summit, normal routeAlong the slanting ledge of the north face: grade one moves, helmet. | 319, 321 | — | — | 3 h | EE |
| The full round from Cima Sappada | 319, 321 | 15 km | 1,300 m | — | EE |
Source of the figures: PromoTurismoFVG, schede degli itinerari firmate dal CAI Sappada/Plodn; CAI Società Alpina delle Giulie (Trieste), programma «La Creta Forata», 23/08/2020 · 6 October 2026
T tourist path · E hiking · EE experienced hikers · EEA experienced hikers with equipment (Italian Alpine Club scale). The words ‘easy’, ‘moderate’ and ‘difficult’ are those of the local tourist board, where no Alpine Club sheet exists. A dash means the source does not give the figure.
The route sheets, the Italian Alpine Club warns, ‘cannot be regarded as a substitute for the presence of a professional mountain guide’. This page even less so: it helps you choose, not set off.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Creta Forata?
Because of a natural hole in the rock (‘forata’ means pierced). It cannot be seen from the village: it is on the Val Pesarina side.
Can Creta Forata be seen from Bach?
According to the calculation on the terrain model, no: from Bach the summit stays behind Siera. It begins to be seen from Cottern.
Sources
- CAI Sezione di Sappada, “Gruppo del Siera” (archived copy, 2012)
- PromoTurismoFVG, “Vallone e Forcella della Creta Forata dal Rifugio Siera” (CAI Sappada route sheet)
- CAI Società Alpina delle Giulie, programme “La Creta Forata”, 23 August 2020
- Regione del Veneto, regional lithological map (“Litologia” layer, 2012 update)
- CAI Sezione di Sappada, pagine dei gruppi (Chiadenis, Olbe, Terze, Siera, Clap; copie d'archivio del 13/08/2012)
- OpenStreetMap (nodi delle vette, rifugi, corsi d'acqua; dati © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL)
- PromoTurismoFVG, schede degli itinerari firmate dal CAI Sappada/Plodn
Facts checked against the sources on 7 October 2026