Alta Via 1 - Italian Dolomites

Alta Via WOW!

Every twist and turn of the trail elicited an outburst of “wow!” The scenery is stunning, the mountains are dramatic, and the huts are comfortable. Nothing quite like a shower, three course meal and a soft bed at the end of a hard day of hiking.

Highlights

Scenery 

• First dramatic views of the Civetta range after Lago Coldai — towering vertical rock walls (Day 1)
• Lunch at Rifugio Tissi with panoramic views of Civetta’s cliffs (Day 1)
• Alpine climb from Pramperet to Forcella de Zitta Sud — fog, cairns, knife-edge ridge, scrambling, and sweeping vistas (Day 3)
• Meadows above Rifugio Pian de Fontana — marmots and chamois in peaceful alpine terrain (Day 3)
• Traverses beneath sheer rock walls — awe-inspiring terrain throughout the trek (All days)

Rifugios & Meals 

• Favorite Rifugio: Pian de Fontana — historic charm, breathtaking location, cozy size, and a delicious dinner (Night 3)

Weather & Atmosphere 

• Moody skies and cool temps — dynamic clouds made for striking scenery
• Lucky with weather — barely any rain despite dramatic conditions (All days)

Final Push 

• Sprint to catch the bus — 4.5 miles in an hour, heavy packs, pouring rain, uphill sections… and we ran the whole thing (Day 4)
• Felt strong, proud, and unstoppable

Last but not least, Rachel’s company!

Day 1: Rifugio Palafavera to Rifugio Vazzoler

10mi, 4100ft, 4.5hrs
Palafavera - Coldai - Tissi - Vazzoler
Lunch at Tissi

Thunder and lightning the previous evening had us a bit nervous for our first day. But the storm spent itself out overnight. Great start to the trip!

     

It was a chilling morning, and the lodge was so cozy... 

The first views. We were so excited and had no idea what was to come.

Popping up to the first hut - Coldai.

Lago Coldai

The trusty signs leading the way. Always a welcome site somehow!

The absolutely massive vertical walls of the Civetta -- nicknamed the wall of walls -- they're over 1,000m tall and 4km long. These walls were once part of a vast prehistoric ocean floor. Tectonic collisions between the African and European plates pushed the seabed upward, forming the dramatic peaks.

        

Rifugio Mario Vazzoler - our first night on the trail. Large mountain hut - 80 beds!

Day 2: Rifugio Vazzoler to Passo Duran

7.8mi, 3700ft, 3.5hrs
Vazzoler - Carestiato - Passo Duran
Lunch at Carestiato

Sunny skies, more epic mountains, and a lazy lunch at Rifugio Carestiato. A busy hut! It's a popular day hike for families. A great day to be out in the mountains.

Leaving Vazzoler in the morning.

A cluster of larches. Lots of larch forests along the way.

Just more wow... 

Sign check - yep, correct direction.

Carestiato's sunny patio,

Arriving at Passo Duran.

Passo Duran with the morning light.

Day 3: Passo Duran to Pian de Fontana

12.7mi, 5800ft, 6.5hrs

Lunch on the trail

This was my favorite day - variety and a challenge from start to finish. It felt like multiple hikes all crammed into one day, including climbing through the dark forest, traversing alongside the mountains, and scrambling along a narrow ridge. The second half of the day involved a big climb through the fog into an unreal alpine rocky landscape. Then we descended into a grassy meadow basin, where we spotted wildflowers, a chamois and a family of marmots. Closed out the day with a knee-busting descent to the Rifugio. 

Started the day with a whole extra hour of hiking in the wrong direction... uphill... It included a bit of a hairy section where the trail had washed out. 

We got back on track, and the views didn't disappoint.

Hiking into the fog.

Cairns marking the way.

Made it above the clouds. Very different scenery along this section as we made it above the tree line into this more arid alpine terrain.

The top of the rocky scrambly section and the start of the narrow ridgeline.

Sort of a knives edge, but not really. Fun nonetheless.

The start of the alpine meadows below the ridge. This is where we saw the family of marmots and the chamois. This was a really fun (and runnable) section of trail. 

More of the alpine meadows and rock gardens. 

Relaxing at the hut after showers and a beer. Both cold ;-)  

The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage site due to their geological formations and landscapes. UNESCO World Heritage status is a global standard for places that hold exceptional cultural, historical or natural significance. It's awarded by the United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to sites deemed to have "outstanding universal value" -- meaning they matter not just to one country, but to all of humanity.

 

Trekking poles are a definite must for these trails.

Vino!

Trying to capture the vibe of the hut. It was cute and cozy. Built originally as a shepherd's cabin. It has thick stone walls and is partly built into the hillside. My favorite hut. 

Relaxing outside the hut.

Day 4: Pian de Fontana to La Pissa

8.2mi, 1300ft, 2.75hrs

Another beautiful day to wrap up our hike. The weather held out just long enough for us to get out of the mountains and into the trees. Then it just dumped rain. The highlight of this was running the last 4.5 miles to catch the bus. We made it in record time despite our giant packs, and the technical - sometimes uphill - terrain. So strong!

Last view of the hut.

Go-go gadget arm!

So long Dolomites. Until next time...