Longarone: German Man Falls 35 Meters on the Alta Via 1 in Front of His Son

A 56-year-old German hiker is on the Alta Via 1 He fell about 35 meters in the Belluno Dolomites and was seriously injured. The accident occurred on Tuesday morning, July 14, 2026, near the Rifugio Pian de Fontana above Longarone. The man was hiking with his son when he fell off the trail and plummeted into the depths below.

The Fall on the Alta Via 1

According to the mountain rescue service, the German man was hiking in the Val dei Ross area at the foot of the Talvena around 10:40 a.m. when he lost his footing and fell about 30 to 35 meters. According to emergency responders, he struck the ground several times during the fall and sustained serious injuries.

His son, who was with him, was unharmed but was unable to continue on his own.

Rescue by the „Falco“ helicopter“

The „Falco 2” emergency medical helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The team administered first aid, stabilized the injured man, and rescued him using a 15-meter-long winch. The man was then flown to the hospital in Treviso, where he was admitted in critical condition.

The Carabinieri Forestali brought the boy down to the valley. The operation took place in the Belluno Dolomites National Park (Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi).

Alta Via 1 – a challenging high-altitude trail in the Dolomites

The Alta Via 1 is the best-known of the Dolomite high-altitude trails. It stretches approximately 120 kilometers from Lake Braies (Pragser Wildsee) in the north to Belluno in the south and is typically hiked in several day-long stages with overnight stays in mountain huts. The trail is considered spectacular in terms of scenery, but requires sure-footedness and good physical conditioning; some sections run along exposed, steep slopes.

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