Rifugio Cima d’Asta – Ottone Brentari

Rifugio Cima d’Asta – Ottone Brentari is a mountain hut (rifugio) in the Lagorai group of the Trentino Alps, northern Italy. It is owned and operated by the Pieve Tesino section of the Società degli Alpinisti Tridentini (SAT), the Trentino mountaineering association. The hut sits at 2,476 metres above sea level on a small moraine hill at the end of the Val Sorgazza, directly below the south face of Cima d’Asta and a few metres from Lago Cima d’Asta. It is a key stop on the Sentiero Italia and the Alta Via del Granito long-distance trails. The hut was first built in 1907 and inaugurated on 24 August 1908, making it one of the oldest mountain huts in the Lagorai, the largest mountain group in Trentino. It was severely damaged in World War I and reopened in 1922, when it was named after Ottone Brentari, a Trentino journalist and geographer who had died the previous year. It was looted several times during World War II and reopened again in August 1952. In 1982 SAT decided to enlarge the hut; work began in 1984 and the enlarged, roughly three-times-larger building was inaugurated on 1 September 1985. Today the hut offers 56 bunk beds in dormitories and smaller rooms, some with views of the lake and summit. It is a base for hikers and climbers: the south bastion of Cima d’Asta has about 30 climbing routes opened since 1952, on solid granite with cracks, plates, dihedrals and arêtes. The hut is open seasonally, typically from mid-June to late September; for 2026 the announced season runs from Saturday 13 June to Sunday 27 September 2026. It is a convenient base only a few minutes from the southern cliff and is described as comfy and welcoming. The hut is also a starting point for summit ascents such as Cima d’Asta (2,847 m, about 1 hour 15 minutes), Col del Vento (2,634 m) and Cima dei Diavoli (2,806 m).

The idea of building a mountain hut below Cima d’Asta emerged shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Construction began in 1907, and the hut was inaugurated on 24 August 1908. At that time it had a compact, cube-like form, similar to many other huts in Trentino, and for a long time it was the only rifugio in the Lagorai, the largest mountain group in Trentino. During World War I the hut was severely damaged, but it was reopened in 1922. On that occasion it was named after Ottone Brentari, a journalist and geographer from Trentino who had died the previous year. During World War II the hut was broken into and looted several times. It was reopened for the second time in 30 years in August 1952, retaining its original 1908 form and offering only 18 beds. In 1982 the SAT decided to enlarge the rifugio and increase the number of beds. Work began in 1984, and on 1 September 1985 the enlarged hut, now three times its former size, was inaugurated. The hut continues to be operated by the Pieve Tesino section of SAT and serves hikers and climbers in the Lagorai group, with the south face of Cima d’Asta offering about 30 climbing routes opened since 1952.

• 2026

  Announced season from 13 June to 27 September 2026.

• 1985

  Enlarged hut inaugurated on 1 September, three times its former size.

• 1984

  Enlargement work begins.

• 1982

  SAT decides to enlarge the hut and increase bed capacity.

• 1952

  Hut reopened in August after World War II looting; retains 1908 form with 18 beds.

• 1922

  Hut reopened after World War I damage and named after Ottone Brentari.

• 1908

  Hut inaugurated on 24 August.

• 1907

  Construction of the hut begins.

Historic, welcoming SAT mountain hut in the Lagorai, off the beaten tracks of the main Dolomites routes, serving hikers and climbers on granite terrain.

• Mountain hut accommodation

  56 bunk beds divided between dormitories and smaller rooms with lake and summit views.

• Climbing base

  Base for about 30 climbing routes on the south bastion of Cima d’Asta, opened since 1952.

• Hiking base

  Stop on Sentiero Italia and Alta Via del Granito; access to summits such as Cima d’Asta, Col del Vento and Cima dei Diavoli.

1. 1Rifugio Cima d’Asta official websiterifugio-cimadasta.it
2. 2Rifugio Cima d’Asta – Ottone Brentari (Wikipedia)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Rifugio Cima d’Asta (Wikidata)wikidata.org