Another adventure! Now 11 months out of my TKR (see blog “TKR or, Yikes, Am I Old?” Jan 24) and after months of serious PT, some additional personal training (Bulgarian split squats anyone?), and a weekly summer training hike with my friend Andrea, Greg and I headed to northern Italy for a hut-to-hut multi-day hike in the Dolomites. This trip has been on my mind since neighbors Sally, Phil, and Char had visited some 3 years ago. Since then we’ve been busy but so has the whole Dolomiti scene: Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted the most recent Winter Olympics just 7 months ago.
Yeah, hiking again. Can’t say I love punishing my quads or knees but I can say the scenery and experiences are overwhelmingly worth it. (See blog “The’ W’, a Patagonian Hiking Adventure, Mar’ 23.) Plus, I love to eat. Our friends Andrea and Steve are again joining us. This time Andrea and I participated in the itinerary selection. Being 3 years older and wiser since our last hiking experience (the “W”), we wanted maximum reward for ‘minimal’ effort. We hired an agency, 57 Hours, to book our tour, a self-guided hut-to-hut multi-day hike on part of the Alta Via 1. https://57hours.com/adventure/alta-via-1-self-guided-hiking-tour/. The convenience of using 57 Hours to book the trip meant we were guaranteed reservations at the huts or ‘rifugios’ along our the trails. With the recent Olympics and annoyingly ubiquitous influencers the Dolomites have become very popular and bookings are tight. Luckily, we started our planning a year in advance.
First, a few bliss-filled days spent with the grand-twins and their parents (hi Dan!), then we flew to Italy. Our United/Lufthansa flights from Newark to Frankfurt to Venice were smooth and I even slept a little but then Greg’s luggage didn’t arrive. After consultation with the friendly Lost and Found clerk we decided to wait til the next Lufthansa flight arrived from Frankfurt. Another several hours in the airport spent Wordling and WWFriending, et voila his luggage arrived! We had already booked a car transfer to Cortina so we were whisked north through flat farmland and vineyards to the foothills and then mountains that are the Dolomites.
The Dolomites, or Dolomiti, are named after the 18th century geologist, Deodat Dolomieu, and are pale in color due to the sedimentary limestone of magnesium and calcium composition. Part of the Southern Limestone Alps, they have a unique cultural influence from both Italy and Austria (to the north). Slovenia borders the eastern side. Signs are generally written in both German and Italian or in the local, unique dialect. Ladino. In fact, WW1 bunkers, tunnels, guy-wires and other structures are scattered throughout the peaks, reminders of the fierce battle between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Italians who were trying to reannex the area. Two thirds of the 150,000 men who perished died from exposure.
We arrived to our hotel, the Ancora Cortina around 9pm. Many of the buildings were renovated for the recent Olympics, as was this hotel. Andrea and Steve met us at our bar for a drink, and we collapsed. Our first day in the Dolomites was sunny and bright and warm as the hot spell that had baked Europe this past summer continued. With no real plan we decided to visit the funicular “Arrow in the Sky” (Freccia Nel Cielo) which would take us up to Tofana Mezzo, above the many ski runs and mountain bike trails covered in limestone scree, or loose stone. Three cable cars later we were near the top but the summit called, so Greg, Steve, and I continued up the trail. Greg and I perched at over 10,000 feet enjoying a spectacular 360 view next to a hiker smoking a cigarette. Ugh. Invoke Zen. And carefully move upwind…
We were told of a hike that would take us down to Lago Ghedina; since we were itching to get our hiking legs ready and the weather was gorgeous we got off the cable car midway down and started the descent. Apparently we lost the trail and just meandered down the ski slopes, our toes rammed into the front of our shoes with each step. We never found the lake but were grateful to find the mid-station and rode the remainder of the way down. The views up and down were spectacular. Pizza and Aperol Spritz (or beer) for lunch then we headed for some minor shopping and downtime before dinner.
Dinner was at Ra Stua where Greg and I shared a giant, delicious Florentine steak. We also enjoyed 2 bottles of Nebbiolo wine with Steve, then collapsed into bed.
Day 1 stats: 2 ish miles hiked, about 2 hours, guessing about 100-200 feet climbed, about 1200 feet descent, 1 tumble, no Advil or bandages used.
We started on the Alta Via 1 on Saturday, checking out of Ancora Cortina in the morning. The Alta Via 1 (“high route”) is a 125km hiking route from Lago di Braies in the North to Belluno in the South that combines ancient shepherd paths, military mule tracks, and alpine trekking paths. We were planning on doing only a portion of the entire route which takes 9 days or more. We’re not that crazy.
After some transportation fumbling we caught the #52 bus to Pocol, about 7 km away to our next hotel, the Villa Argentina, where A+S awaited. We dropped our luggage then got back on the next #52 bus to go up to Passo Falzarego. The bus was pretty full at this point with hikers destined for various trailheads further on. A young woman spotted Greg’s ADK 46R hat so we had a lovely conversation about Saranac Lake over the heads of the other riders. Turns out she was from Saranac Lake and her dad was Greg’s urologist! The bus driver, meanwhile, navigated narrow mountain switchbacks while motorcycle, bicycle, and Porsche rallies swarmed the roads. I’m glad we didn’t rent a car; Greg would’ve been fine navigating the drive while I would’ve hated every minute of it! Eleven km on we disembarked at Passo Falzarego (a mountain pass now hosting a bus depot and rest stop) and proceeded onto another cable car to the Lagazuoi summit at 2835m (9301 ft). From there we headed down the scree covered narrow paths. Great. Large and small stones, some dagger shaped and aimed for my head or loose and testing my ankles, threatened me with disaster at every step. Whining aside, tiny caves, tunnels, and battlements were dug into the limestone thus reminding me of the incredible dangers the WW1 soldiers endured. Three hours later we had descended about 2000 feet back to the Passo F and the bus back to Pocol. Hotel Villa Argentina was simply but neatly designed and a park across the street had live music for us to relax to before dinner. The mountain backdrop was stunning. Dinner itself was ‘meh’ and I slept poorly again.
Day 2 stats: 2,000 feet descent over 2.3 miles, about 3 hours, 1 tumble (stupid scree got me), no Advil or bandages.
Day 3 began with a breakfast buffet and an early morning bus ride back to Passo Falzarego with full backpacks. Our hut-to-hut adventure began! From the rest stop we hiked up and over rolling hills on scree covered paths into limestone lined canyons with the Lagazuoi massif we had hiked down yesterday at our backs. Hikers of all ages passed us or were passed. We chatted with lots of them, Cindy and Ingrid and a shirtless young man from Portugal and remarkably, Skidmore, who shared figs with us. Eventually we scrambled up rock-laden chimneys and along a narrow cliff-side path with alpine farmland far below. It was a perfect day. We stopped at Refugio Averau for a strudel and beer (I got the strudel, Greg, the beer) while A+S gnoshed on leftover sandwiches. It was a very popular location, accessible by ski lift and with many hiking options nearby so Sunday day trippers swarmed about. Greg and Steve continued 700 ft elev further up a limestone ridge to visit Rifugio Nuvolau, at 8500 feet, while Andrea and I made our way down to our night’s lodging, Rifugio Cinque Torre. More ankle-testing. Astounding mountain and Alpine valley views surrounded us on this blue sky day. Rifugio Cinque Torre sat at the base of the Cinque Torre rock formation, so named for 5 spires rising up out of the ground (apparently 2 have since collapsed). The Rifugio was rustic but welcoming, serving beers and Aperol spritzes and Black Forest cake to tired hikers and mountain bikers. The 4 of us played Spades under the shadow of Cinque Terre while we waited for dinner and chatted with Danes and Canadians and hikers alike (Greg and I ruled at Spades despite some whining). The shower was cold as heck, not a great value at 2.5 minutes for 5 EU! Dinner was much better than the previous night’s: homemade rustic fare like sage and speck flavored breadballs, minestrone soup, salad, and melted cheese accompanied with “bulk” wine and followed by Black Forest cake (of course!) and strudel. Sleep was very welcome, all 4 of us in one room in twin beds. The next day would be a big hike.
Day 3 stats: 3.5 miles hiked, about 5 hours, 1200 feet elev gain (+700 for Nuvolau), no falls, bandaids, or Advil. Plenty of sunshine and scree.
Sharing a room with S+A overnight was cozy, the 120 year old floors creaking as all the pensioners staying there visited the few lavatories throughout the night. No snoring was observed. We rose to catch the sunrise coming up over the mountains and lighting up the Cinque Torre behind us. Stunning!
After breakfast, a modest buffet of yogurt and prosciutto and cheese, we headed out towards Croda del Lago. This 15 km hike took us up and down limestone rock fields, scree paths, alpine meadows, steep narrow scrambles, excessively long inclines, through a herd of sheep, finally arriving at Croda del Lago, a lake at the base of a sheer limestone cliff. We applauded our day’s achievement with a beverage. It was a long, hard day: hot, sunny with lots of elevation to navigate, both up and down. We saw the Guardia Finanza performing helicopter rescue training on a mountain peak nearby, glad they were close as we scrambled down and up rock falls and more chimneys. We crossed Passo Giau and snacked at the Rifugio there before proceeding into some mountain pastures and along steep hillsides with sheep grazing far below. Some scrambling was required. Then we hit a huge incline of about 1200 feet which took us about an hour to ascend in the hot sun. We rested and lunched at the top, congratulating ourselves and others as they arrived. Now at Forcella Giau at 7336 feet, we began descending through more alpine meadows with limestone cliffs (Ra Gesula?) looming overhead. Crazy rock climbers were heard yet barely seen far far above. Soon after we met a shepherd of a 1300 sheep herd with a sprinkling of goats and donkeys (he’s on Instagram!), saw unbelievable beauty and mountain scenery, and managed to stay upright (one minor fall by Andrea). Finally, we hiked over a ridge and down to Croda del Lago Rifugio. It was a welcome site yet so tiny in the distance, the approach was so.long. Were we ever tired! Yet, our overnight accomodation was “only 30 minutes further away” according to our trip planners. Thirty minutes straight downhill, another 800 feet! Did we complain as we switchbacked down the steep grade? Yes. This was to be tomorrow morning’s return! Luckily, as we arrived at Rifugio Malga Federa, our night’s lodging, a huge sign advertised a shuttle option which assuaged our tired minds. The Rifugio itself was an alpine dairy farm with a lovely host, Barbara, who was also the chef of our delicious dinner of hearty fare: tagliatelle with venison, meatballs on polenta, beef goulash on more homemade pasta, delicious homemade crusty bread, and a decent Pinot Noir. The booking agency said we’d have private rooms but we ended up sharing again with S+A, me on the top bunk. Unfortunately, sleep once again evaded me, tired as I was.
Day 4 stats: about 10 miles hiked, 8 or 9 hours, over 1500 ft elevation gain, 2500 ft descent, one fall for Andrea, 1 bandaid, 2 Advil (for me).
Having breakfasted on a simple buffet, we climbed into the Jeep shuttle with 2 young girls who also begged for a ride, offering to pay anything not to walk back up that incline: 800 feet at 25% incline (fyi 25 EU each and well worth it. What a racket for the Jeep driver!) Others began their hike there. Better them than us! We said goodbye to our driver, Paolo, and hiked up another 1,000 feet on the ‘gentler’ slope out of Crodo del Lago for an hour. Once we crossed the ridge and through the turnstile, we saw Anton, the shepherd, (@antonunkersteiner) and the sheep, goats, donkeys, and dogs right where we left them the evening before. We headed in the other direction below a massif on a terraced scree-filled ridge until we crossed another mountain pass that again opened up a new stunning view of alpine meadows, mountains, and a village, below. At this point we sat for a snack and to enjoy the views, at Greg’s suggestion! Greg rarely takes a break so this was a welcome surprise. We then headed down through the narrow sheep paths, rutted and with tripping hazards at every step. Eventually we came to a track road used for mountain biking and followed that for a while as it undulated across the pass and into alpine forest. More mountain views, shaded and with modest inclines, made for a lovely hike. We eventually descended to Rifugio Citta Fiume for the usual Coke Zero, beer, and strudel break. It was still sunny and hot, and our 15-20 pound packs felt heavier as the day wore on. From here it was a ‘short’ 2 km to our Rifugio for the night, Passo Staulanza, but we descended rocky, root laden paths onto a huge scree field below Mt Pelmo. In the center of the scree field mountain rain runoff had created a washout which we navigated with aplomb, sliding and crawling through the cement-like mess. Our dirty clothes became a badge of honor. Another 1.5 km through forest and we arrived at the Rifugio, enjoying Aperol Spritzes and beer before dinner. We again shared a room with A+S, with a private shower and unlimited hot water. Greg and Steve killed at Spades while we awaited dinner. This was our last day of hiking as rain and thunderstorms moved in. We enjoyed pasta and beef goulash for dinner and packed our gear for the return trip to Cortina in the morning.
Day 5 stats: 8 miles hiked, approx. 6 hours, 1000 feet or so elevation, no falls (other than intentional sliding), 2 Advil, no bandages.
We had a taxi return us to Pocol for our luggage and then to Cortina to catch the bus to Venice. The driver navigated narrow switchbacks in heavy rain. We drove ridiculously close to many of the paths we had hiked the previous days. It took only about an hour and a few to drive to Cortina which took us 3 days by foot. How ironic that our “remote” experience was kinda close to civilization at various points. The journey, however, remained exceptional.
The rain was pouring down as we thought of our hiking friends out on the trails. We lunched at our original hotel, Ancora Cortina, before catching the bus to Venice, a 2+ hour ride. Our hiking adventure had ended: 5 days of hiking, 25 miles traversed, 15-20 pound backpacks humped, a bazillion feet of elevation climbed and descended, innumerable “wow” moments of beauty, a few jealous moments as 20 and 30-something year olds and even several 70+ year olds moved faster and more easily past, but mostly, a giant feeling of gratitude and not-a-little sense of accomplishment were felt. Onto Venice!
Tips: Download the Dolomiti bus app for bus tickets at a considerably reduced price. 4.5 EU wasn’t a bad price but 2.5 EU was better! Also, Cortina Express and Flux buses run from the airport to Cortina and back regularly but some might be full; we had to wait a few hours for the next available bus.
Andrea and I felt we could do distances and moderate elevation but 90% of the paths were loose stone or rock making walking difficult and menacing ankles and balance at every step. These trails required mental as well as physical fitness. So much for our research!
There are many paths and rifugios to choose from, so distances and elevation can be managed if you can read the maps. Greg and Steve were our guides using the 57 Hours app, but luckily we had also purchased a durable paper map and even relied on Google maps a few times. Many people hike only the high paths, taking cable cars up and down daily to hotels below. I think we’d do this next time. Our packs got heavier and the hikes seemed longer each day.
What I packed for the whole trip: quick dry short sleeve and 2 long sleeve tees, 1 pair hiking pants, 1 pair bike shorts, 4 pr wool socks, 2 bras, several undies, Patagonia nanopuff jacket*, wool hat*, water proof gloves*, rain pants*, rain/wind jacket, foldable cap or something to keep sun off my face, sunglasses, a buff*, 1 pair hiking boots, 1 pair collapsible hiking poles (indispensable), a lanyard for my phone (immensely useful for any kind of travel), minimal toiletries but definitely include sunscreen, bar soap, bar shampoo, and bar conditioner, 30 liter backpack with rain cover*, hiking towel (once again, useless as it was basically a chamois which didn’t absorb), backpack bladder* but used 2 water bottles instead. Phone charger and converter. A battery backup charger* and cable for phones-must be in your carry-on on the plane. Also brought camping utensils* and ziploc bags (always useful. We had to carry our passports* in case the rifugios required-they didn’t, but kept them in ziplocs in case it rained). Also some larger plastic trash bags* to line the backpack in case of rain. A small medical kit including Compeed pads* for blisters, bandaids, arthritis pain gel*, antibiotic cream*, and my daily meds. Greg also hauled his camera and camera accoutrements. We were lucky the weather was sunny, but hotter than we’d like, and we adjusted course when the weather changed to all rain. Maturity has its benefits.
‘*’ indicates didn’t need or use.
My new reality 