The Sorapiss massif rises north of San Vito di Cadore in a tangle of towers, couloirs, and sheer faces that constitute some of the most technically demanding terrain in the Dolomites. At around 3,200 metres the group is dominated by the Punta Sorapiss, but it is the lake at its base — Lago di Sorapiss — that attracts most summer visitors, drawn by its extraordinary milky turquoise water, one of the most vivid alpine lakes in Italy.
The walk to Lago di Sorapiss starts from the Passo Tre Croci road (northeast of San Vito, on the Cortina side) and takes around three hours return via a well-marked trail through forest and alpine meadow, with some exposed sections requiring care. The lake sits at about 2,400 metres beneath a near-vertical rockface. The approach offers increasingly dramatic views of the Sorapiss walls, and the lake itself — especially in morning light — ranks among the most visually striking destinations in the area. Experienced alpinists use the Vandelli refuge as a base for routes on the higher peaks.