Tre Cime di Lavaredo ALTA VIA 1 IN THE ITALIAN DOLOMITES, AUGUST 27 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2016, ITINERARY Note: All times given are estimated hiking times and do not include breaks. VG means vertical gain.
Sat, Aug 27 - Fly to Venice.
Sun, Aug 28 - Take the Cortina Express shuttle from the Venice airport to Dobbiaco in the Dolomites. Overnight in Dobbiaco.
Mon, Aug 29 - Local hike to the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo area in the Sexten Dolomiten Natural Park. Considered to be one of them most awe-inspiring places in the Dolomites with guaranteed dramatic alpine scenery. This was also a WWI hot spot with the front running right through the area,
Tue, Aug 30 - Start of the Alta Via 1. Hike Stage 1 and part of Stage 2 starting at Lago di Braies and ending at the Rifugio Fedara Vedla. Lago di Braies is a beautiful alpine lake set amidst pine forest and soaring Dolomite peaks and is a thrilling opening to the Alta Via I. It entails a straight forward steady climb through the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park to a high plateau that rewards hikers with wide-reaching vistas. VG 2854 ft, 6 miles, 4 hrs.
Rifugio Fedara Vedla Wed, Aug 31 - Hike Stage 2 from the Rifugio Fedara Vedla to the Rifugio Fanes . The AVI crosses undulating rocky terrain on easy paths and 4WD tracks constructed for military purposes during WWI. Along the way lie several rifugios where refreshments, with spectacular outside seating and views, may be in order. VG 2066 ft, 6.5 miles, 3 3/4 hrs.
Thurs, Sep 1 - Hike Stage 3 from the Rifugio Fanes to the Rifugio Lagazuoi. A laidback stroll along former military roads and across undulating stony pasture uplands becomes, little by little, more enthralling as all types of Dolomite formations are approached. The Forcella del Lago marks the AVI's entry into the dramatic and breathtaking Cortina Dolomites. The day concludes after a tiring climb to the Rifugio Lagazuoi with its dramatic location above the peaks. We will also have the opportunity to explore the living World War I outdoor museum. VG 3608 ft, 7.5 miles, 5 1/2 hrs.
Fri, Sep 2 - Hike Stage 4 from the Rifugio Lagazuoi to the Rifugio Averau. Today we will do a memorable traverse along the bottom of the awesome Tofane de Rozes with a side excursion to the base of the start for the climb of the Tofane de Rozes Via Ferrata. Here we will explore the Gallerie del Gasteletto, the site of a WWI gallery used as a strategic military location and still containing a WWI canon. VG 2624 ft, 8 miles, 4 3/4hrs.
Tofane de Rozes on the left Entry to the Gallerie del Gasteletto Sat, Sep 3 - Rest day at the Rifugio Averau. We will have the opportunity to climb the easy Via Ferrata Averau to the top of Averau and/or do some alternate hikes in the area of Cinque Torri and visit the Great Outdoor War Museum. Or you can just relax and enjoy the surroundings.
Averau Cinque Torri Sun, Sep 4 - Hike the rest of Stage 4 and Stage 5 from the Rifugio Averau to the Rifugio Città di Fiume. This day has quite an amazing series of Dolomite landscapes in a superb succession of peaks and ranges. The stage begins with a short and easy, but moderately exposed, via ferrata section of 25 meters of wire and a small ladder to get you over the rocky realms of the Nuvolau. No climbing equipment is needed for this section but it is also possible to avoid it by going on TR 443 if you choose or if weather dictates. Once crossing the road pass of Passo Giau, a few moderate climbs lead to a magnificent open pasture basin, once the hunting ground of Mesolithic men. Panoramas are non-stop as a brilliant line-up of Dolomites come into view. VG 1312 ft, 7.5 miles, 5 hrs.
Mon, Sep 5 - Hike Stage 6 from the Rifugio Città di Fiume to the Rifugio Coldai. After a spectacular traverse that gives hikers an ample time to appreciate the Pelmo from close quarters, the main ATI makes its straightforward way via a road pass and up for a stiff climb to a superbly reun alpine hut, Rifugio Coldai, in the realms of another awesome stone giant, the Civetta. Our luggage will be transferred to our Wednesday night location at Passo Duran. We will carry what we need for the next three days. VG 1705 ft, 6 miles, 3 hrs 40 mins.
Rifugio Coldai Rifugio Vazzoler
Tue, Sep 6 - Hike Stage 7 from the Rifugio Coldai to the Rifugio Vazzoler. This is an easy-going and absolutely brilliant stage spent appreciating the phenomenal Civetta, one of the most impressive Dolomite formations. Shaped like an enormous trident and likened to a set of organ pipes, it rises majestically between the deep-cut Cordevole river valley and smiling pasture of Val Zoldana. VG 1246 ft, 6 miles, 3 hrs 45 mins.
Wed, Sep 7- Hike Stage 8 from the Rifugio Vazzoler to the Refugio Passo Duran. This stage progresses at lower altitudes on the edge of forest and scree, beneath a breathtaking lineup of soaring rock walls and towers belonging to the Siamese twinned Civetta and Moiazza groups, to our stop at Passo Duran where our luggage awaits. VG 1968 ft, 6.3 miles, 4 hrs.
Another view of the Refugio Coldai The peak of San Sebastiano rises above Passo Duran. Thurs, Sep 8 - Hike Stage 9 from Passo Duran to Forno di Zolda. Today the AVI enters the Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi, heading through quieter, less frequented places with the spectacular San Sebastiano-Tamer groups and beautiful woodland. We can stop along the way at the dairy farm of Malga Pramper for delicious home-made cakes and we will end our beautiful trek in Forno de Zolda where we will spend the night in a hotel. VG 2092 ft, 9.3 miles, 5 1/2 hrs.
Fri, Sep 9 - Take a shuttle to Venice. We will overnight in the Hotel Titian Inn nearby to the Venice airport. From hear we can catch a bus at the nearby bus stop for a trip into old Venice for dinner and a little sightseeing.
Sat, Sep 10 - Spend a day sightseeing in Venice. Possibilities include walking the back alleys of Venice to St. Mark's Square, with its huge trapezoid 596 feet long by 266 feet wide, and then taking a vaporetto (water taxi) back down the Grand Canal. From St. Mark's Square you can visit the magnificent St. Marks Basilica, built between 1043 and 1071, a harmonious blend of Byzantine, Gothic, Renaissance, and Islamic styles. We can also visit the Doges Palace, decorated mainly by Venetian marble craftsmen in the most elaborate of the medieval styles, the Flamboyant Gothic. Other options are to take a water taxi over to the island of Murano and view some glass factories where skilled glass blowers have been blowing glass since 1289. For those that want to skip the tourist attractions, it is easy to walk away from St. Mark's Square down small alleys to visit lazy tree lined quaint neighborhoods and squares where the real Venetians live. Be sure to try some of the fresh local seafood. We found the grilled seafood platters particularly scrumptious at this time of year!
