This complex range is the most colourful in Europe. Group after group of bizarre mountains, scattered in picturesque confusion, create landscapes of surrealistic imagery. ‘Keep your eyes level,’ wrote Janet Adam Smith, ‘and you see villages, fields, churches, woods, a normal pattern of human life; swivel them up thirty degrees, and you see shocks and freaks of crude pink stone, whose shape, proportion, and colour bear no relation to the valleys from which they spring.’ (Mountain Holidays)
The Dolomites are among the most eccentric peaks of all. By Alpine standards they are not high mountains, and only 50 or so top the 3000 metre mark. But mere altitude measurement counts for little here, for these astonishing limestone pinnacles and towers capture the imagination in other ways.
Picture if you will a country of green hills carpeted with forest and flowery meadow. Set upon these hills in random fashion clusters of rock with precipitous walls and jagged splinters bursting with every conceivable shape and form. Wash them with pastel shades of pink, cream or golden yellow, then introduce the soft blue of cloud-shadow. Fleck the turrets with black, purple or red; add the stain of sunrise or sunset for special effect, and pour bleached-white screes at their ankles and you have, in the words of Leslie Stephen, ‘the fairyland of the Alps.’
It is the light which plays upon the Dolomites that adds a special magic to their fairyland aspect. Take, for example, the great west-facing cliffs of the Catinaccio (Rosengarten) and Pale massifs. Morning shadow is banished only in the afternoon when the sun casts hues of yellow and pink across their flanks. An intensity of colour deepens until at sunset the peaks seem to burst into flame, scorching the sky. Others, such as Monte Cristallo which faces south, take on the rosy stain of dawn, while the Tre Cima di Lavaredo are as memorably colourful at dusk as they are when flushed with sunrise. Even when the sun is not playing directly upon them, the Dolomites take on colours and tones unique to Nature’s palette as witnessed on a day of storm, or under a sky chased with clouds in a fulsome wind. At times these upthrust coral reefs can appear less like mountains than the skeletons of mountains that died long ago. With no streams to murmur in their upper glens, an eery stillness grips the land on a midday in summer. But when studied from a respectable distance, changes occur that are not easy to explain, as Leslie Stephen noted:
Never did I see hills change their shape so rapidly, in all varieties of weather ... I lay under a chestnut-tree in a lovely meadow at Primiero through a hot summer afternoon, and watched the strange transformation of the cliffs. They would not remain steady for five minutes together. What looked like a chasm suddenly changed into a ridge; plain surfaces of rock suddenly shaped themselves into towering pinnacles; and then the pinnacles melted away and left a ravine or a cavern ... and it required a heartless scepticism to believe that the only witchcraft at work was that of the sun, as it threw varying lights and shadows over the intricate labyrinths of the rocks.
(The Playground of Europe)
As has been pointed out by many writers, limestone is noted for its boldness of form, but the limestone of which the Dolomites are constructed contains magnesium as well as calcium, is harder than ordinary ‘mountain’ or carboniferous limestone, and is more liable to crumbling too. Being prone to fierce erosion and the processes of weathering has helped create such a startling series of landscapes. Named after the French geologist, the Marquis de Dolomieu, who visited the district in 1789, Italian climbers rightly say that the correct name for their mountains is Dolomiti, but so commonly accepted has it become over the last two centuries, that the Dolomites will continue to be the name used here.
The magnetic sight of the Tre Cima from the Forcella di Lavaredo in the Dolomiti di Sesto
Apart from the Brenta which is divorced from the main range on the ‘wrong’ side of the Adige, the Gothic assortment of groups that makes up the Dolomite region is concentrated in a rough rectangle east of the Adige which, above Bolzano, has as its main tributary the Eisack, with Val Pusteria to the north, Val Sugana to the south, and the valley of the Piave (the Cadore) as the eastern boundary. Within this rectangle well-engineered roads, many of which are a legacy of military defence work prior to the First World War, traverse the high passes and present the non-walker or climber with some of the finest mountain vistas in all the Alps accessible from a motor vehicle, while the walker is no less generously provided for in a wealth of mountain trails. These roads and passes link the main valleys which divide the Dolomites into their individual groups, as listed below, beginning in the west.
Accessible from the busy Brenner highway midway between Bolzano and Bressanone, Val Gardena at first glance seems too green and gentle to offer typical Dolomite scenery. Fragrant meadows clothe the undulating valley bed, with forests dark against the hills. Then you turn a bend and suddenly the Sassolungo (Langkofel; 3181m) springs into view at the head of the valley; an impressive peak first climbed by Paul Grohmann in 1869. Ortisei (St Ulrich), Santa Cristina and Selva are the main valley bases; to their north rise peaks of the Puez-Odle Nature Park, while the southern side of the valley is noted for the Alpe di Siusi, a vast high plateau of pastureland whose trails provide views south to the Sciliar massif (which towers over Bolzano), and east to the majestic shapes of the Sassolungo.
Sassolungo from the Pordoi Pass
The Odle group bursts from a fan of scree
Sassolungo is more massif than mountain. Assuming a variety of complex shapes, depending from where you view it, it dominates the upper valley. Between the main peak and neighbouring Sasso Piatto a great hollow reveals a wilderness of scree, in which Rifugio Vicenza stands tight against the cliffs. In the cleft of the Forcella del Sassolungo at the head of the screes stands the Demetz hut, reached by a gondola lift known as the coffin; the forcella enables an exciting traverse of the massif to be made which puts a strain on untrained legs. Though Sassolungo is the preserve of climbers, the summit of Sasso Piatto (2964m) is accessible to walkers via the south-west flank, while starting from the Vicenza hut the Oskar-Schuster-Steig provides an interesting route for via ferrata enthusiasts.
Most popular of all routes for walkers here is a day-long circuit of the Sassolungo massif, a visual extravaganza best tackled in the early summer when the flowers are at their best, and snow patches add to the mountain’s beauty. Usually begun from the Sella Pass and tackled in a clockwise direction, the circuit visits no less than eight huts, and every step is a delight.
Rising above the north side of the valley the Puez-Odle Group can be reached not only from Val Gardena, but also from Val di Funes which flows roughly parallel with Gardena to the north, as well as from Val Badia to the east. At the head of the Vallunga (or Langental) above Selva the Puez mountains form a massive block south-east of the saw-tooth Odle peaks, their highest summit being Punte del Puez (2918m); Sass Rigais is the loftiest in the latter group at 3025 metres.
Whilst well-known Val Gardena is extremely busy, and its trails invariably stream with walkers in high summer, Val di Funes has a greater sense of remoteness, with Santa Maddalena (bus from Bressanone) near the roadhead being a starting point for many walks. Views from this valley are perhaps the grandest in the Puez-Odle Nature Park, its walking potential being enhanced by prospects of peaceful trails. The Sentiero delle Odle is said to be one of the best; Sentiero dei Signori is another which offers outstanding views of the Odle needles, and the Dolomites high route, Alta Via 2, makes a traverse of the region on its way from Bressanone to Feltre. From Santa Maddalena a local path strikes southward to Rifugio Brogles, nestling at the western foot of Sass Rigais, but there are high trails accessed by cableway from Ortisei that also visit this hut. These high trails suggest numerous opportunities for making circuits of various length, as well as exciting traverse routes directly below the dramatic cliffs of the Puez-Odle mountains, while there are sufficient huts to make touring the region a practical option.
Val di Tires and Val d’Ega form a link between Bolzano and Val di Fassa by way of the Costalunga Pass. North of Val di Tires lies the Parco Naturale Sciliar, but at the eastern end of the valley the Catinaccio massif stretches its long line of cliffs in a north-south alignment from the Schlern massif at one end to the vicinity of the Latemar towers at the other. Facing the sunset these mountains are transformed into a world of legend recalled by their original name of Rosengarten. Laurin, king of the dwarves who lived there, turned the roses to stone vowing never to allow them to bloom again by day or night. However, he forgot about the evenings, and now as the sun goes down the alpenglow once more inspires the stone roses to blaze in glory.
Several huts are located along both the west and east flanks of the mountains, with trails and via ferrata routes working among them. At the southern, Costalunga Pass, end a relatively new climbing path has been created which, when linked with standard trails, makes for a long day’s circuit. The Alberto hut suggests an enticing destination, set as it is beside a small lake below the Santner Pass with the spectacular and elegant Vajolet towers in full view. Some 300 metres or more below Rifugio Alberto stands the Vajolet hut (2243m), from which an hour’s walk leads to Rifugio Passo Principe. Cima di Terra Rossa can be climbed from there to gain an excellent view of the northern Catinaccio, while Monte Pez above the hut of the same name is a fine place from which to capture the sunset stain on these delightful mountains.
As for the fluted Latemar towers which rise on the south side of the Costalunga (or Karer) Pass road, these have been a showpiece of the Dolomites for decades, since they’re seen reflected in the pine-fringed Lago di Carezza by travellers journeying past on the scenic Bolzano to Cortina road. It is this northern view that shows the mountains at their best, for their inner basin of scree forms a rude contrast, but this cannot be seen from the outside. Gillian Price’s guidebook, Walking in the Dolomites, describes a loop-trip through the Latemar massif, with an optional overnight being spent in the Torre di Pisa hut on the southern rim of the mountains. This same hut enables a traverse to be made of the group, which includes ascent of the two highest summits. This high route has a section of protected path on it, but otherwise the only difficulty could be found in the exposure that adds a certain buzz to the walker’s day.
Encircled by roads to the east of the Sassolungo, the Sella Group rises like some gigantic citadel with massive, square-cut blocks supporting a flattish crown topped by the cone-shaped Piz Boè (3152m). There are several scrambling routes onto the summit plateau, and various cableways too that give access to the upper slopes from (among others) the Pordoi Pass on the south side and Corvara at the north-east corner. No less than 17 rifugios and inns provide accommodation, refreshment or both, and the Alta Via 2 long-distance trail crosses the massif a little to the west of Piz Boè itself. Various via ferrata routes explore both the stern outer walls and high projections from it, including the oldest protected path in the Dolomites, the Pössnecker, which ascends the south-west corner from the Sella Pass. The summit plateau is akin to a stone desert, but it’s a desert with deep clefts cut into the rock, and with magnificent distant views – north to the Zillertal range on the Austro–Italian border, and south to the heavily glaciated Marmolada.
This group begins immediately south of the Passo Pordoi where an extensive ridge running west to east provides one of the finest unbroken views of all to the Marmolada’s impressive north face, caked with the only real glacier of worth in all the Dolomites. At 3342 metres the Marmolada is the highest in the range, but appearances suggest it has more in common with traditional Alpine mountains than with its extravagent Dolomite neighbours. Of the two highest peaks, Punta Rocca and Punta Penia, John Ball reached the former in 1860, leaving Paul Grohmann and his guides to make the first true ascent of the main summit four years later. Today the mountain is climbed without great difficulty by its voie normale, cableways adorn its north and east flanks, and summer skiing is practised on the Ghiacciaio della Marmolada, but west of the Forcella della Marmolada, and rising as an adjunct to the main massif, are several striking rock peaks dominated by the Gran Vernel at 3210 metres. Paths wander round the massif’s surrounding valleys and make a traverse of the southern side, but one of the most scenic trails, and certainly one of the most popular of all, is that which has been adopted by Alta Via 2 from the Pordoi Pass to Lago di Fedaia; the trail known as Viel del Pan.
Soon after leaving Passo Pordoi this well-marked path crosses the low dividing ridge and breaks away eastward on an undulating traverse of steep grass slopes topped with broken crags. An uninterrupted panorama across the depths of the Avisio valley shows the Marmolada in full splendour, with Lago di Fedaia soon coming into view at its foot. It’s an extremely busy trail throughout the summer, as I once discovered when caught behind a crocodile of 30 or so walkers where the path was at its narrowest, while dozens more ambled along at their own leisurely pace in small groups or family parties. Rifugio Viel del Pan exploits the view from a small projecting spur; just above it a narrow cleft in the ridge grants a lovely view north to the Sella Group, and north-west to the distant Sassolungo. Farther along the ridge, beyond the point where the main trail descends towards Lago di Fedaia, Porta Vescovo provides an opportunity to cross back to the north, thereby enabling one to complete a circuit by returning to Passo Pordoi. The Viel del Pan, and Alta Via 2, continue downhill, however, as far as the lake where accommodation is available at both ends of the reservoir.
At 3342 metres, the Marmolada is the highest of the Dolomite mountains
In order to explore the southern side of the Marmolada, where the massif is buttressed by near-vertical rock walls, one could either follow the main Alta Via trail which stays with the road below the dammed lake as far as Malga Ciapela (cable-car nearby leads almost to the Marmolada’s summit), then bears right through Valle di Franzedas where there are alternative options, or take the Alta Via variant up the north face of the mountain to cross Forcella della Marmolada (2910m). By linking these options, and adopting another trail over Passo Ombretta (2704m), a complete circuit could be achieved. Rifugio Falier, located midway between Malga Ombretta and the pass, provides lodging on this south side of the mountain.
Before leaving the Marmolada mention should be made of the numerous via ferrata protected routes that exist here, mostly, it must be said, on the southern flank, but others which have been created on the west side of Val di Contrin. Of these, one of the recognised Dolomite classics is Via Ferrata dei Finanzieri on the Collaccio (2715m), a strenuous route of a little over 600 vertical metres.
This is the most southerly of the major Dolomite groups whose scale and bulk rivals that of the Sella. ‘The tremendous wall of the Palle di S. Martino [is] vertical to all appearances if not to the eye of the geologist,’ wrote Leslie Stephen. ‘It is scarred and gashed by some of the characteristic gullies of the Dolomite mountains. Some of them may be climbed for a distance, or a path may even lie through their hidden depths to the summit of the mountain, but they appear at any rate to be closed by the most forbidding of rocky walls.’
These formidable mountains represent the most dramatic section of the Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino which stretches south of the Passo di San Pellegrino almost as far as Primiero, and divides at San Martino di Castrozza. East of this division the ragged peaks and karst plateaux form a direct contrast to the vast primeval forest of Paneveggio to the west, a wilderness of silver fir, arolla and mountain pines, larch and Norway spruce from which the Venetian fleet claimed its timber in the 17th century. Further west lie the granite ridges of Lagorani, so the Pala is really the last (or the first) of the Dolomites hereabouts. And what Dolomites they are!
If you enter the region from the north and travel down through Val di Fassa from Canazei, the route forks at Predazzo. Turning east now the road follows the Travignolo and rises gently to Paneveggio village (formerly a hospice) before climbing in hairpins to the Passo di Rolle from where the imposing Cimon della Pala (3184m), the so-called ‘Matterhorn of the Dolomites’ is seen to startling effect like a narrow tapering pinnacle. Below lies Val Cismon and the fashionable resort of San Martino di Castrozza. Originally a monastery, San Martino is beautifully situated in a wooded basin at the foot of tremendous rock walls, while to the south the Vette di Feltre chain seems to block the lower valley beyond Primiero. A chairlift rises to Col Verde from where the Rosetta cableway gives access to the south-west edge of the Pale plateau. A 30 minute ascent of Cima della Rosetta is recommended for its amazing overview of the surrounding area.
Facing west the long wall of Pale di San Martino rivals the Catinaccio for its reflected alpenglow, which was described long ago by Guido Rey in the following tribute:
The mountains are aglow with their own light ... at the supreme moment the wondrous forms of the ancient towers, palaces and temples appear as if by magic; the dead castles come to life again, the battlements are crowned with shining breastplates ... the blind loopholes are endowed with sight and the deep caves reveal their treasures.
The Pale is rich in walking routes, as well as vie ferratae. Across the top lies the Altopiano, a high central plateau of stone, once a coral lagoon now dotted with cairns to aid route finding, while to the south lies the Canali glen which flows out to Primiero (Fiera di Primiero to give its full name). A tributary of the Canali is Val Pradidali which flows out behind the Sass Maor and Cima di Ball, described by Leslie Stephen as ‘a steep lateral gorge enclosed by precipitous rocks on each side’. North of the Pale a minor road branches off the Passo di Rolle, wends its way north then east, passes Rifugio Capanna Cervino and reaches the teeming Baita Segantini hut (refreshments only) with Cimon della Pala looking magnificent to the south. A fine two-day walk leads from here across the Pale di San Martino to Primiero. Several rifugios invite multi-day explorations of the Pale hinterland, which is also traversed by the route of Alta Via 2.
First climbed by Tuckett in 1867, Monte Civetta (3220m) presents a seductive face when seen reflected in the green waters of Lago d’Alleghe to the north-west. It’s a big, impressive mountain massif whose north-west face is some seven kilometres long and 1200 metres high. It has crusty ridges, chiselled tops, slabs and organ-pipe-like pinnacles; a climber’s peak, but one which the modest walker can approach without trepidation along the Alta Via delle Dolomiti 1 which provides such magical views. But the Civetta does not hold a scenic monopoly, for the whole group offers a wide spectrum of fine views. Monte Pelmo (3168m) is an outstanding example; overlooking Borca di Cadore its pale rock glows at dawn. Croda da Lago is another, as is Monte Averau, and the curious nobbly spires of the Cinque Torri also capture one’s imagination, while long views crowded with white, grey or soft pink peaklets add a lustre to the walker’s day.
The Civetta Group is, again, bounded by roads that form an imaginative diamond shape. Place Cortina at the topmost point and follow the road south-west across the Falzarego Pass (the huge pink slab of Le Tofane to the north), then run southward to Alleghe, Agordo and down to Belluno – in so doing here we include the Bellunese Dolomites which have been protected as a national park since 1991 (Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi e Feltrine). North-east now, then northward along the Piave to Pieve di Cadore where Valle d’Ampezzo sweeps in a clockwise curve back round to Cortina along the base of the Marmarole. Lesser road systems penetrate this diamond block of mountain and forest and, in fact, run between Monte Civetta and Pelmo. Yet it is not roads with which we are concerned here, but trails for walking, and of these there are plenty.
Long-distance routes, such as Alta Via 1 and Alta Via 3, describe multi-day tours through these mountains, while numerous ‘local’ paths visit huts and viewpoints, or link with the longer routes to produce a veritable grid of possibilities, added to which a handful of vie ferratae contribute the spice of exposure for those who enjoy such excitement. One of the finest of Dolomite viewpoints is the rocky Nuvolau, on which the Nuvolau hut is located south-east of Monte Averau. From here Le Tofane to the north appears to tower above the stumpy Cinque Torri, while south-eastward Monte Pelmo presents itself as a great wedge of a peak. A circuit of Monte Pelmo is an obvious example of the range of tours available, with three huts spaced around it providing either accommodation or refreshment on the way; or a loop of this peak followed by a similar loop round part of the Civetta, thereby creating almost a figure of eight trek; although it has to be said that rather too many roads, both made and unmade, plus cableways, tend to fuss the countryside accessible from Alleghe and Selva di Cadore. But crossing the district from west to east, starting say from Alleghe and finishing at either Borca or San Vito di Cadore, provides a consistently high degree of quality views if you choose the way with care, and at the same time teases with prospects of neighbouring districts that cry out for further exploration.
North-east of the Civetta, the combined Sorapis and Marmarole Groups overlook a heart-shaped road circuit fed from Cortina. The steeply plunging cliffs of Sorapis (3205m) form the east wall of the Ampezzo valley, while the north flank contains a huge amphitheatre that is seen to such good effect from the lake at Misurina – one of the classic Dolomite views that appears on countless postcards, calendars and chocolate boxes. The multi-summited Marmarole spreads east of Sorapis, with the glen of Valle di San Vito nudging between, while south of that, and on the other side of Valle d’Oten, stands the 3263 metre Antelao, from whose crown Monte Pelmo can be seen in full splendour across the depths of the Ampezzo valley. Valle d’Oten flows down to Lago di Cadore where Pieve di Cadore, birthplace of the great 16th-century painter, Titian, provides a base for exploration of the south and east sides of both Anteleo and Marmarole.
Despite the fact that these mountains consist of bold and seemingly impenetrable fortress-like blocks, there are walkers’ routes that exploit those few weaknesses that exist in their defences. In so doing it becomes not only possible to traverse the district from north to south and from east to west, but also to stray onto their ridges, nudge among their inner glens and, by dint of imaginative sections of protected paths, create a high-level circuit of Sorapis, not to mention some exciting routes among the daunting crags of Marmarole with prospects of seeing ibex in their natural habitat.
The ski playgrounds of Cortina stray onto the north-west flank of Sorapis and rather devalue that corner of the mountains for summer visitors, but that still leaves a remarkable wealth of country to explore. The pass of Tre Croci, a grass and tree-crowded saddle at the foot of Monte Cristallo, is as good a place as any to begin, for an easy trail goes through woodland in a south-easterly direction and rises into the Sorapis ampthitheatre where Rifugio Vandelli gazes out to the north, with the ‘finger of God’ (Dito di Dio) soaring above and behind it from a small tarn. From this point various options present themselves. One trail, a variant of Alta Via 3, climbs west through the cirque to its austere headwall below Punta Nera and then forks. One crosses the ridge heading north, the other goes south, crosses the ridge also and tackles a via ferrata before joining a clearer, easier path on a traverse of the south side of Marmarole. This last-mentioned could also link with a traverse of the south-eastern flank before dropping down to Auronzo.
Trails on the Sorapis provide sudden views of Monte Cristallo across the Tre Croci pass
Other options from Rifugio Vandelli include the Via Ferrata A Vandelli across the eastern arm of the amphitheatre, a path adopted by Alta Via 4 on its way from San Candido to Pieve di Cadore, and a more straightforward route crossing of the northern spur at Forcella del Cadin. On the way to this col an amazing long view north-east shows the Tre Cime di Lavaredo at the head of a tree-filled basin, while the nearby Monte Cristallo reveals its great south face to perfection. Turn a corner and out to the south-west shines the Marmolada, and everywhere you look one Dolomite group after another hassles for attention.
As we have already seen, this very fine massif stands to the north of Sorapis and is the dominant mountain group above Cortina d’Ampezzo. Once again, as is the norm in the Dolomites, serpentine roads make a complete circle round it, as indeed do a series of trails. Alta Via 3 is one such. This makes a traverse along the east side of the mountain before crossing the Tre Croci Pass onto the Sorapis massif. Monte Cristallo itself rises directly above the pass, and at 3221 metres, is a handsome, slightly twisted tower that almost looks as though it belongs further west in the Brenta, instead of forming one of the eastern-most Dolomite groups. So closely compacted are the individual turrets, towers and peaklets of the massif when seen from the south, that to all intents and purposes they appear as a solid unit. However the northern side is rather different, for now they become disjointed, cleft by glens that push into the heartland and with a couple of small glaciers wedged in high corries, while the south-western aspect (as seen above Cortina) is graced by open slanting meadows in which the roots of the mountains are firmly planted.
An easy day’s stroll returns to Cortina from the Tre Croci (bus from Cortina) by way of Passo Son Forca and the Val Giande, which flows between the Cristallo massif and the Pomagagnon crest, then swings round the northern end of the latter along path 208 on the eastern side of Valle d’Ampezzo. At the other end of the spectrum a short but sometimes tricky protected route may appeal to experienced mountain walkers and scramblers with a good head for heights, for just below the Tre Croci Pass, on the Cortina slope, a cableway ferries visitors to Rifugio Lorenzi at 2932 metres, from where the Marino Bianchi via ferrata leads to the Cima di Mezzo (3163m), the central summit of the Cristallo complex – to be attempted in good conditions only. Those two possibilities show the extremes of walking options in the Cristallo area, while between them lie assorted trails offering a wide gamut of experience.
With the Tre Cime di Lavaredo as its symbol, this group, which is located east and north-east of the Cristallo, contains the best-known and most photographed of all mountains in the Dolomites. Thanks to ease of access by road and an extraordinarily well-maintained system of paths, it will seldom if ever be experienced in solitude. Or at least, not that section of it that pays homage to the Tre Cime. As to the rest, and there’s quite a bit of it, the honeypot principle ensures that most of the crowds will be funnelled along specific routes. Let’s look at these first.
Without question the best-known Dolomite peaks are those of the Tre Cima di Lavaredo
Cortina being the main centre, most visitors approach by vehicle across the Tre Croci Pass, down and round to Misurina, then by way of an intrusive toll road that ends at a huge terraced car park by Rifugio Auronzo at around 2300 metres. If you can ignore the road, traffic and crowds (and these last are usually confined to the period mid-morning to early evening), this is an impressive spot with the soaring cliffs of the Tre Cime towering above, the Cadini pinnacles clustered to the south, and the deep Vallon di Lavaredo yawning below. A jeep road leads round the base of the Tre Cime to Rifugio Lavaredo, and a broad and easy path continues from there over a bare saddle (Forcella di Lavaredo; 2457m) which provides a startling view along the north side of the three turrets that are now seen in profile. From this point another hut is seen ahead to the north. This is Rifugio Locatelli, also known as the Tre Cime or Drei Zinnen hut. (Drei Zinnen is a reminder that all these mountains were Austrian before the First World War, and walkers following any one of a number of trails will be conscious of the terrible battles that were fought here, for tunnels, fortifications and other debris of warfare, including coils of barbed wire, have all become part of the landscape.) The Locatelli hut is a sizeable inn from which the Tre Cime may be seen at their individual best. Although the hut is invariably busy, the majority of day visitors leave in time to miss the evening light-show that plays on the mountains round about. Most wander back to the roadhead by the same route by which they arrived at Locatelli, but in order to complete a circuit of the Tre Cime another trail, rougher and not so wide as that which led here, descends into a basin below the north face, then climbs to the Forcella Col di Mezzo (2315m), on the way to which another superb profile view is granted of the Tre Cime to match that enjoyed from the Forcella di Lavaredo.
That circuit is a truly magnificent one, as far as the wild mountain scenery is concerned. But oh how one’s experience of it can be affected by the long and loud parties that tackle it day by day throughout the summer! The broad and easy track from Rifugio Auronzo to the Locatelli hut is inviting to all, and the fame of the Tre Cime is such that its popularity is ensured. But the trail from Locatelli over Forcella Col di Mezzo back to the car park is a mountain path pure and simple, and a number of those who tackle it are neither physically capable nor well-enough shod to enjoy it, as I discovered when I came upon an Italian coach party in some distress after an elderly (and overweight) woman wearing town shoes suitable for shopping arcades but not the mountains had slipped on a patch of scree and broken her arm. The freedom of the hills, it appears, exacts a price upon those who are unsure of what to do with that freedom.
Those Tre Cime paths are the busiest of all. Happily that leaves plenty of others. Even a variation of the above circuit will have its rewards, especially if that variation ignores the Forcella di Lavaredo and heads east, then north-east and north round a long ridge extending from Monte Paterno (Paternkofel) where the little Pian di Cengia hut is tucked away on a ridge at 2457 metres. Another trail leads from there to the Zsigmondy-Comici hut in full view of the Elferkofel, Zwölfer and Einserkofel – so-named because when seen from Sesto (Sexten) in Val di Sesto to the north, the sun is directly above them at eleven, twelve and one o’clock respectively.
Sometimes claimed to be the prettiest of all Dolomite valleys, Val di Sesto marks the start of two long-distance routes, Alta Via 4 (the Grohmann), and Alta Via 5 (the Titian), both of which make a good job of exploring the Sesto (or Sextener) Dolomites before straying to other districts and ending together in Pieve di Cadore. The early stages of those two routes enjoy comparatively empty country, and it is in the tributary glens of Campo di Dentro and Fiscalina that some charming short walks may be had too.
Rifugio Locatelli, otherwise known as the Tre Cima Hut, seen from the Forcella di Lavaredo
Valle di Landro forms the western boundary of the district, and the view of Monte Cristallo from the shores of Lago di Landro is quite exquisite. Just north of that lake a trail cuts through the feeder glen of Valle di Rienza heading south-east, but as you come to other side glens so alternative paths break away. One or two remain in green pastoral country, while others climb into the stark boneyard of the mountains. One heads roughly northward to Passo Grande dei Rondoi and links up with a variant of Alta Via 4; a second goes south, crosses Forcella dell Aghena then rises up to Forcella Col di Mezzo at the western end of the Tre Cime, while a third follows through Val di Rimbon, at the head of which it climbs to Rifugio Locatelli, thereby confronting the crowds but also gaining access to yet more enticing trails.
One of these, a novel route that adopts paths and tunnels created during the bitter fighting of the First World War, leads to the summit of Monte Paterno (Paternkofel; 2744m) which overlooks the hut from the south-east. This route is dedicated to the memory of Piero de Luca and Sepp Innerkofler, and includes no less than 600 metres of tunnel bored into the heart of the mountain; some windows allow views out to the Tre Cime, but mostly a headtorch will be required. It should be pointed out that the cable protection fitted for use once out of the tunnel is not always in the best of condition and should be checked first before relying on it. Needless to say, the view of the Tre Cime from the summit is a sufficient antedote to the claustrophobic ascent.
South of the Tre Cime, and rising to the east of Misurina, the Cadini Group also offers some adventurous walks, with several vie ferratae thrown in for good measure. A circuit could be made beginning at the southern end of Lago di Misurina, heading in a counter-clockwise direction by way of Col del Viro and the Citta di Carpi hut, then sloping down Val d’Onge to its confluence with Valle Marzon, before veering west into the Campedelle glen and over Forcella di Rimbianco which takes you back to the forested valley above Misurina. An alternative path breaks south from the Rimbianco col to reach the Fonda-Savio hut, while north of the col the Via Bonacossa is a protected path leading to the summit of Monte Campedelle (2346m), from which the Tre Cime di Lavaredo look very impressive.
On a number of occasions in the foregoing paragraphs mention has been made of the various Alta Via long-distance routes that criss-cross the Dolomites, each of which enables the walker to experience the wild nature of these other-worldly mountains, and to gain a true perspective of the region as a whole. These ‘high routes’ (and there are eight at present) are of assorted length and standard, but most are quite clearly waymarked, although maps of the area are not always as accurate or up to date as one would like. Some routes involve sections of via ferrata; all require at some time or another the traverse of fairly remote country, and cross high, exposed ridges where good settled weather conditions are all-important. Huts and occasional village inns provide accommodation along the way, but it should be noted that many huts are extremely busy in the peak summer period, and beds may not always be available at this time unless booked in advance.
The following section describes in very basic terms the routes of three of these Alta Via tours. More detailed descriptions will be found in the guidebook Treks in the Dolomites (Alta Via 1 & 2 only), while both these and Alta Via 4 are included in the large-format primer, Walking & Climbing in the Alps. Of the remaining high routes Alta Via 3, also known as Alta Via dei Camosci, links a number of chamois hunters’ trails between Villabassa in Val Pusteria and Longarone in the Piave valley; Alta Via 5 closely follows AV4 between Sesto and Pieve di Cadore, and Alta Via 6 travels through largely peaceful country (hence the name, Alta Via dei Silenzi) on the way from Sappada in the Carnic Alps to Vittorio Veneto south of Belluno.
Alta Via 1
Making a north to south crossing of the Central Dolomites in a journey lasting nine or ten days, this high route is probably the best-known of all. It is neither as long nor as high as Alta Via 2, nor as remote in places as that of Alta Via 4. But it does have its strenuous stages, and enough challenge to make completion a cause for quiet satisfaction. It begins by Lago di Braies in Val Pusteria north-west of Cortina, and over a distance of about 120 kilometres, crosses first the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park, skirts the Tofane, approaches Monte Pelmo, strays alongside the Civetta and makes a traverse of the Parco Nazionale delle Dolomiti Bellunesi e Feltrine before descending to Belluno on the River Piave. A good head for heights is essential as there are several sections with considerable exposure, but it’s an extremely rewarding tour and one that makes the best possible introduction to the Dolomite region.
Alta Via 1 – Route Summary | |
| Day 1: | Lagi di Braies – Porta Sora ‘l Forn – Rifugio Pederu |
| Day 2: | Rifugio Pederu – Malga Fanes – Forcella del Lago – Rifugio Monte Lagazuoi |
| Day 3: | Rifugio Monte Lagazuoi – Rifugio Nuvolau |
| Day 4: | Rifugio Nuvolau – Forcella Giau – Rifugio Citta di Fiume |
| Day 5: | Rifugio Citta di Fiume – Lago Coldai – Rifugio Vazzoler |
| Day 6: | Rifugio Vazzoler – Passo Duran – Rifugio Sommariva |
| Day 7: | Rifugio Sommariva – Forcella Sud del Val de Citta – Rifugio Bianchet |
| Day 8: | Rifugio Bianchet – Forcella del Marmol – Rifugio VII Alpini |
| Day 9: | Rifugio VII Alpini – Belluno |
Alta Via 2
At the western end of the range Alta Via 2 makes another north to south traverse, this time taking in the Puez-Odle, Sella, Marmolada and Pale Groups before crossing the Vette di Feltre wilderness and descending to Feltre, dominated by its castle to the south-west of AV1’s destination of Belluno. The route begins at Bressanone, on the Bolzano–Brenner–Innsbruck highway, an historic town known also as Brixen, which may be reached by train from either Bolzano or Innsbruck. The complete walk could be completed in 11 or 12 days, but two clear weeks should be allowed. It’s a longer and rather more strenuous route than the better known Alta Via 1, with consistently high terrain, several via ferrata sections, and some remote countryside along the way. Mountain huts provide accommodation throughout.
Alta Via 2 – Route Summary | |
| Day 1: | Bressanone – San Andrea – Rifugio Plose * |
| Day 2: | Rif. Plose – Forcella della Putia – Sass de Putia (optional) – Rifugio Genova |
| Day 3: | Rif. Genova – Forcella della Roa – Forcella Forces de Sielles – Rifugio Puez |
| Day 4: | Rifugio Pue – Passo di Crespeina – Passo Gardena – Rifugio Pisciadù |
| Day 5: | Rifugio Pisciadù – Rifugio Boè – Passo Pordoi – Rifugio Castiglioni |
| Day 6: | Rifugio Castiglioni – Malga Ciapela – Passo di Forca Rossa – Passo di San Pellegrino – Rifugio Passo Valles |
| or: | Rifugio Castiglioni – Forcella della Marmolada – Rifugio Contrin |
| then: Rif. Contrin – Passo di Cirelle – Passo di San Pellegrino – Rifugio Passo Valles | |
| Day 7: | Rifugio Passo Valles – Passo di Venegiotta – Rifugio Mulaz |
| Day 8: | Rifugio Mula – Passo delle Farangole – Rifugio Pedrotti – Rifugio Pradidali |
| Day 9: | Rifugio Pradidali – Passo delle Lede – Rifugio Treviso – Rifugio Cereda |
| Day 10: | Rifugio Cereda – Forcella di Comedon – Rifugio Boz |
| Day 11: | Rifugio Boz – Rifugio Giorgio dal Pia – Passo di Croce d’Aune – Feltre |
| * Note: Some walkers choose to avoid the steep uphill section to Rifugio Plose by taking a cable-car from Bressanone, and then going as far as the Genova hut, thereby reducing the overall walk by one day. However, the cable-car only operates in the main summer season. An alternative would be to ride a bus as far as the Val Croce hotel at 2040 metres, and walk from there. | |
Alta Via 4
This short but spectacular route takes about six days to cross the Sesto district, passing the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Cadini pinnacles, and on to the lovely Sorapis massif where it then curves between the Marmarole Group and Antelao to end at Pieve di Cadore. Parts of the route are shared with Alta Via 5, and others with Alta Via 3. Huts in the Tre Cime region will be very busy, and the trails crowded, but the southern section of the route is likely to be more secluded. It is here, however, that the route takes on a more serious tone with some exposed vie ferratae to add zest. All in all a scenically delightful route that begins in San Candido at the junction of Val di Sesto with Val Pusteria just west of the Austrian border. San Candido is served by trains on the Bressanone-Brunico-Lienz railway line, or by bus from Cortina.
Alta Via 4 – Route Summary | |
| Day 1: | San Candido – Passo Cavenga (Gwengalpenjoch) – Rifugio Locatelli |
| Day 2: | Rifugio Locatelli – Forcella Col di Mezzo – Via Bonacossa – Rifugio Fonda-Savio |
| Day 3: | Rifugio Fonda-Savio – Rifugio Citta di Carpi – Rifugio Vandelli |
| Day 4: | Rifugio Vandelli – Forcella Alta del Banco – Forcella Grande – Rifugio San Marco |
| Day 5: | Rifugio San Marco – Forcella Piccolo – Forcella del Ghiacciaio – Rifugio Antelao |
| Day 6: | Rifugio Antelao – Forcella Antracisa – Pieve di Cadore |
The Dolomites
Location:
In the South Tirol of north-east Italy; Alto-Adige and Belluno provinces.
Principal valleys:
Naming from west to east, these are Val Gardena, Val di Fassa, Val Badia, Val Cismon, Valle d’Ampezzo, Val Cadore, Valle di Landro and Val di Sesto.
Principal peaks:
Marmolada (3342m), Antelao (3263m), Monte Cristallo (3221m), Civetta (3220m), Cimon della Pala (3184m), Sassolungo (3181m), Monte Pelmo (3168m), Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2999m)
Centres:
Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva in Val Gardena, San Martino di Castrozza, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Alleghe
Huts:
There are literally dozens of huts throughout the Dolomites. Most are owned by the CAI, although some are in private ownership; a good many are like large mountain inns. Well patronised and, in the more popular districts, likely to be full to capacity throughout the peak season.
Access:
By air to Venice, then by coach to San Martino or Cortina. Verona is another useful airport for fly/drive visitors. Otherwise by air to Innsbruck, followed by train via the Brenner Pass to Bressanone and Bolzano. Trains also run along Val Pusteria in the north between Fortezza (north of Bressanone), Brunico and Lienz in Austria. Many private coach companies provide access to major Dolomite centres from such north Italian cities as Milan, Bologna, Verona and Venice. A reasonable local bus service operates throughout the region in summer.
Maps:
Tabacco, Geografica and Kompass all publish maps at a scale of 1:50,000 of use to walkers in the Dolomites. Tabacco also publish 1:25,000 scale for the same area.
Guidebooks:
Walking in the Dolomites, and the companion Shorter Walks in the Dolomites by Gillian Price (Cicerone Press) are by far the most useful guides for general walking in these mountains. Thoroughly researched and interestingly written, all the main groups are included.
Treks in the Dolomites: Alta Via 1 & 2 by Martin Collins & Gillian Price (Cicerone Press) describes the two most popular long distance walks.
Trekking in the Dolomites: by Henry Stedman (Trailblazer) describes a west to east trek across the Dolomites, and the Alta Via 2.
Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites, Vols 1 & 2 by John Smith & Graham Fletcher (Cicerone Press). Volume 1 describes 78 routes in the North, Central and Eastern Dolomites; Volume 2 covers the south and western (Brenta) Dolomites.
Other reading:
Walking & Climbing in the Alps by Stefano Ardito (Swan Hill Press) contains chapters on Alta Vias 1, 2 and 4. Beautifully illustrated, but with rather poor translation from the Italian original.
Classic Walks in the Alps by Kev Reynolds (Oxford Illustrated Press). Alta Via 1 and 2 are described by Martin Collins.
Trekking in Europe by Giancarlo Corbellini (AA Publishing) describes high route Alta Via 1.
The Mountains of Europe by Kev Reynolds (Oxford Illustrated Press) has a chapter by C. Douglas Milner that serves as a good primer for anyone planning a visit to the Dolomites.
Wild Italy by Tim Jepson (Sheldrake Press/Aurum Press); a natural history guide with a good section devoted to the Dolomites.
The Outdoor Traveler’s Guide to The Alps by Marcia R. Lieberman (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York, 1991) has a few pages devoted to selected districts.
The Dolomites by C. Douglas Milner (Robert Hale, 1951) is a good, if dated, background. Illustrated with 150 b&w photographs.
The Dolomite Mountains by Gilbert & Churchill (Longmans, 1864). This is a classic of mountain travel, beautifully illustrated with line drawings.
The Playground of Europe by Leslie Stephen (Longmans, 1894) contains a chapter entitled ‘The Peaks of Primiero’ with some fine descriptions of the Pale di San Martino region.
