Puez-Odle

The Puez-Odle System covers an area of 7,930 hectares within the Province of Bolzano and is entirely contained within the protected area of the Puez-Odle Natural Park. It is made up of a relatively compact mountain chain surrounded by three delightful valleys: Val di Funes to the north, Val Badia to the east and Val Gardena to the south.

The northern part of the System is dominated by two imposing massifs, Odle d’Eores and Odle di Funes. A high plateau occupies the southern face, at an altitude of 2,500m. Towering over the archetypical Alpine scenery of pasturelands and little lakes are Col de Puez and Col de la Sonè. The highest peak of the Odle d’Eores chain is Sass de Putia, while the Odle di Funes chain is dominated by Sass Rigais.

The name Odle is derived from the word for “needles” in the local Ladin language. In fact, the peaks appear like a row of needles. It was Reinhold Messner who made these peaks famous in the mountaineering world, as it was here that he was born and began his extraordinary career.