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A Night in Spectacular Bivacco Fanton in Marmarole Mountains, Dolomites

Last Modified: 08/31/2025

Recently, I visited the trully spectacular Bivacco Fanton in the Marmarole mountains group in the Italian Dolomites, and spent a night there. Here is my first-hand detailed report. 

The Bivaco Fanton is a modern and nicely designed shelter with 12 beds equipped with mattrasses, blankets, and pillows. It is always open and free to use. With its angled window, it offers breathtaking views of the valley below. Plan around 6-7 hours to get there.

Bivacco Fanton.
Bivacco Fanton.

Bivacco Fratelli Fanton coordinates, numbers & details

  • Elevation: 2667 m (8750 ft). 
  • Coordinates: 46.5057275 N, 12.3428556 E.
  • Route difficulty: walk-up & easy ferrata.
  • Places to sleep: 12 people.
  • Elevation difference from the parking: 1567 m (5141 ft).
  • Parking coordinates: 46.5424464 N, 12.3737425 E.
  • Time needed to the bivouac: 6-7 hours. 
Incredible view over Val Baion.
Incredible views over Val Baion.

The Bivacco Fanton is an innovative frontier architecture. It redefines the relationship between man and extreme landscapes through three core principles: anchoring, suspension, and habitat.

This compact, experimental design integrates with the Dolomite mountains, balancing technical precision with theoretical exploration. The structure, a lightweight fiberglass shell inspired by nautical construction, minimizes environmental impact by anchoring at just three points, ensuring reversibility and preserving the natural terrain.

Elevated and aligned with the slope, see the photo below, it hovers delicately, blending into the rugged orography while offering a thermally efficient shelter.

This inhabitable telescope-shaped structure frames the Auronzo di Cadore landscape, harmonizing protection and risk, nature and artifice, to create an intimate, immersive alpine experience.

Modern design.
Modern and advanced design.

Route description

Here, I describe the access route from the north side, i.e., from Auronzo di Cadore valley. There is yet another route from the south, from Rifugio Chiggiato where you get from Calalzo di Cadore, but I did not walk it and cannot provide details here.

So when you are in the valley between Auronzo di Cadore and Giralba, at the restaurant Bellavista, try to locate a narrow road that splits from the main road into the south-west direction and goes over Ponte Da Rin into Val Da Rin.

After a few kilometers you will see Rifugio La Primula on the right side. I do not think this is a real hut, it is small and it looks more like a restaurant to me. In any case, keep drivining for a few hundred meters more and you will be at a picknick area with a free car parking.

Note that there is a water source just a few meters below the parking so you can fill your bottles.

The interactive map below shows all the details. You can zoom in and out as you wish. The marker 1 shows the position of the La Primula hut; the marker 2 is the parking area, and the marker 3 is the position of Bivacco Fanton.

From the parking, you cross the water stream (the picture below) and keep walking parallel to it and up the mountain. This is now Val Baion area. 

At the beginning of Val Baion which is an extention of Val da Rin.
At the beginning of Val Baion which is an extention of Val da Rin.

The first part is through a pleasant forrest, and after that you will be above it and the route becomes very steep. When you are half-way up, you will get to an area with several fixed cables, see the photo below.

If you have your ferrata equipment with you, this is the place where you may use it. I used it on my way up because I did not know what to expect. But this is all doable even without equipment, so on descent I did not use it. 

There are a few fixed cables in the midde of the route.
There are a few fixed cables in the midde of the route.

Very soon you will have the Bivacco in sight, the photo below shows how it looked when I was there. This motivates you to keep going on the harsh terrain where the progress is very slow.

This is how the bivouac appears in your view.
This is how the bivouac appears in your view.

Inside, you have 12 beds in two levels, and the whole space is angled and with inner stairs, see the photo below. One window is on the upper side, and there is one smaller on the longer side of the bivouac, on the right in the photo:

View inside.
View inside.

The beds are wood platforms with very good mattrasses covered in some plastic material, see the pictures. This all makes the space look clean and modern. There are thin pillows as well, made of the same material. 

Very comfortable beds and pleasant wood walls.
Very comfortable beds and pleasant wood walls.

When you put your sleeping bag here, you need nothing more, but there are many blankes to use if you feel cold. Plenty of storage space is under each of the bunk beds, in addition to shelves that are visible in the photo below.

Plenty of blankets are available.
Plenty of blankets are available.

The sitting area is simply incredible, and I do not remember seeing anything similar to this in any of the bivouacs I have visited in the past. Here you have the third and the largest panoramic window, the crux of the place:

The sitting area with the main window.
The sitting area with the main window.

Please see more in my video:


My tour

This was my first tour in the season, so as usual, it was very hard and my progress was slow. Just to stress that I stayed in the mountains more than 50 days after that. 
 
I carried my Deuter backpack with 4.5 liters of water. This was because I realized that I forgot at home my water filter/purifier, a really bad mistake that followed my in all those weeks in the mountains. 
 
So it took me 6 hours and 20 minutes to get to the bivouac, and this is far more than what I normally need for a 1567 meters elevation difference. 
 
There was nobody when I arrived to the shelter. I had plenty of time to cook a meal for me and to have a coffee after that, in the photo above you can see the coffee pot I used.
 
Later, two girls arrived, and soon after that three young men from Germany, so six of us slept in the bivouac that night. It was surprisingly warm during the night. In the morning, the girls continued their tour, and I descended with Germans the same way back to the parking. 
 

Equipment

I carried my Crua sleeping bag, and my Forclaz pillow. For this tour I used Mammut Sapuen GTX boots, and had a pair of trekking poles.
 
You should always have a rain protection layer or at least a rain poncho. It was raining on my way back, so we all used our rain stuff. If you plan to sleep in the bivouac, bring at least a sleeping bag. 
 
As mentioned, for the cables passage you might want to have a ferrata set with you, but it is doable even without that. However, even if you do not use a harness and Y-rope, having a climbing helmet is definitely recommended. 

Final thoughts

In summary, the Bivacco Fanton stands as a testament to innovative design, seamlessly blending into the Marmarole Mountains’ rugged terrain.

Its minimalist footprint, lightweight construction, and immersive views redefine alpine shelters, offering a unique balance of protection and exposure. This architectural gem elevates the hiking experience, inviting adventurers to connect deeply with the Dolomites’ untamed beauty.

The place is very popular and you might want to avoid weekends and public holidays because it may be very crowded.

Thank you for reading. Let me know if you have questions or comments, there is a comment section below. For more texts from the sam area please follow the link for Dolomites. 

 Please join us at our Facebook group Dolomites Visitors Hub. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Bivacco Fanton?

The Bivacco Fanton is a modern, free-to-use alpine shelter in the Marmarole Mountains, Dolomites, at 2667 m elevation. It accommodates 12 people with beds, mattresses, blankets, and pillows, featuring a unique fiberglass design for minimal environmental impact.

How do I reach the Bivacco Fanton?

From the parking area (46.5424464 N, 12.3737425 E) near Rifugio La Primula in Val Da Rin, follow the trail through Val Baion. The 6-7 hour hike involves a 1567 m elevation gain, a forested path, and a steep section with fixed cables requiring basic ferrata gear.

What equipment do I need for the hike and stay?

Bring ferrata equipment for the cabled sections, a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, inflatable pillow, and rain protection. Trekking poles and sturdy boots (e.g., Mammut Sapuen GTX) are recommended. Carry sufficient water, as no reliable sources are available en route.

Is the Bivacco Fanton suitable for beginners?

The route is moderately challenging with a walk-up and easy ferrata section. It is manageable for fit beginners with proper gear, but the 6-7 hour ascent and 1567 m elevation gain require good physical preparation and basic hiking experience.

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Mountains for Everybody site is reader-supported. This means that some of the links in the text are affiliate links, and when you buy products through our links we may earn some small commission to keep running the site. Filed Under: Huts and Shelters, Italian Alps Tagged With: Dolomites

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