Dolomites - Italy
Alta via 1
While planning my 2022 vacation, I came up with the idea of going to the Dolomites and doing the Alta Via 1, a traditional crossing located in the Alps in northern Italy on the border with Austria.
This trek is recommended for experienced hikers, as there are many climbs and descents at high altitudes and fantastic landscapes.
The Alta Via 1 starts at Lago di Braies and ends in Belluno, with a length of 100 to 130 km depending on the variants you choose. During the route, you will admire the Lagazuoi massif, Mount Marmolada, Cinque Torri and many others. It is a challenging trail, but with comfortable mountain huts.
There are many variants with varying degrees of difficulty. The most difficult are those with via ferratas.
The Alta Via 1 is, above all, a hike, without glaciers or climbing. Some sections with via ferratas are more difficult but can be avoided by using a variant.
There are some sections where the trail crosses rocky terrain, loose, steep and very exposed sections. And for those who are afraid of exposure, like me, they are quite challenging, but nothing that after some fear and basic stress cannot be overcome.
As we wanted a more peaceful trail, we chose to avoid the via ferratas, both because of the difficulty and to save weight, since we will not need to carry equipment.
It is necessary to reserve the shelters, to guarantee a resting place. We met people doing it without reservation, but some had problems not finding a place.
As we were unable to reserve the initial shelters, we made a variant for the first 3 days.
If you need more information, contact CAI (Italian Alpine Club)
Our daily itinerary was as follows:
1 – Venice to Cortina D’ampezzo to Fiames – Arrival at the start of the trail.
2 – Fiames to the Pomedes refuge.
3 – Pomedes refuge – Cinque Torri – Pomedes.
4 – Pomedes refuge to Forcella del Bos – Pomedes
5 – Pomedes refuge – Cinque Torri to Novulau.
6 – Nuvolau refuge to Passo Staulanza.
7 – Staulanza refuge to Sonino al Coldai
8 – Rest and climb to the top of Coldai
9 – Sonino al Coldai refuge to Vazzoler refuge
10 – Vazzoler refuge to Carestiato.
11 – Carestiato refuge to Sommariva.
12 – Somariva refuge to Bianchet refuge.
13 – Bianchet refuge – Pisa – Belluno and Venice.
Day 0 - Arrival in Venice
We arranged to meet in Venice.
It would be the best place to go to Cordina D’ampezzo.
And of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Venice again.
Day 1 - Venice to Cortina D'ampezzo and Fiames
We met the night before in Venice.
Early in the morning, we took the bus to Cortina d’Ampezzo, where we had lunch and went out to explore the city.
At the end of the day we went to Fiames where we started our trail.
More information about Cortina D’ Ampezzo.
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Day 2 - Fiames (1300 m) to Pomedes refuge (2303 m).
This is where our hike to Alta via1 really began.
We left Fiames at 8 am, took the trail along the road until we passed the Olympia international campsite, which is on the other side of the river, crossed the bridge and then went up to the left.
The trail slowly climbed until we reached Piè Tofana, which is the base of the first cable car.
We continued to the right along trail 407, and shortly after crossing the ski slope we turned left onto the Sentiero dei Camosci trail 405 to the Duca d’Aosta refuge (2100 m).
We stopped for a lovely lunch with wine
I didn’t know it until now, but the quality and quantity of the food at the refuges would be one of the highlights of this crossing.
With renewed energy we continued to climb along trail 420 to the Pomedes refuge.
That day we gained 1000 meters of altitude, but it was worth it for the wonderful view from the Pomedes refuge.
We had a 270 degree view of the Cortina valley to the Cinque Torri, Nuvolau and Averau refuges.
