prices and timetables are based on the year 2004, if not otherwised showed
 

Getting there	Coming Back	Signposting/Maps	Staying overnight	Food	Equipment
Stages	via Ferrata	Dolomites Crossing		Links	mail me

The Dolomites High Altitude Hiking Routes 1-5
The Dolomites High Altitude Hiking Routes are high mountain treks that go through the beautiful scenery of the Dolomite mountain area. There are six routes altogether, the first four go from North to South, passing different mountain groups.

No.1  Prager Wildsee - Belluno 120 km 8-12 days   Stages
No.2  Brixen/Plosehütte - Feltre
No.3  Toblach/Niederdorf - Longarone
No.4  Innichen- Pive de Cadore 150 km ( passing the natural monument "Dreizinnen / Tre Cime / Three Pinnacles )
another route passing the "Tre Cime / Three Pinnacles / Drei Zinnen" for an extended weekend of 4 days

The Dolomites click on to enlarge are named after the French geologist De Dolomieu, who was the first to identify the composition of the sediment limestone, (calcium carbonate and magnesium).  The Dolomites are actually an ancient coral reef from the Triassic period. Marine fossils are often found among the rocks. During the Ice Age erosion by glaciers shaped the fantastic scenery of pinnacles, towers and sheer drops you see today.

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The Alta Via Uno (Dolomiti High Altitude Way Nr.1)

The Alta Via Uno is one of the most popular hiking treks in the Dolomites. Starting point is Pragser Wildsee near Toblach and its end is in Belluno. It takes between 8 and 12 days for 120 km hiking.

A weekend trip (3 days) can be done from Pragser Wildsee to the Passo Falzareggo. A bus goes from Paso Falzarregio to Cortina D' Ampezo and from there are busses to Toblach.

I have hiked only the first stage and was walking alternatively to the natural monument "Drei Zinnen (Three Pinnacles)" and along the "Alpinisteig" ("Via Ferrata Alpini").

 

Getting there:
Coming from the Brenner you take the next exit (Brixen) in Italy and go in the direction of Bruneck, Toblach and Innichen. Near Toblach you take the road to the right to Prager Wildsee. But it is advisable to park your car in Toblach and go by bus to Prager Wildsee, because parking at Pragser Wildsee is really expensive, in particular if you park your car for some days.

 

Coming back
a short bus trip from Belluno to Toblach. It' s not advisable to go (7 hrs, 25 Euro) by train ( trenitalia.it ), unless you want a stop over at Venetia!
Busses only go in the early morning.

 

Bus: (Summer 2004)
If you change the bus, use the first ticket, the second trip will be cheaper

Toblach to Prager Wildsee  8.10, 9.30, 10.45, 12.15, 14.00, 16.45, 18.10  the trip takes 30 minutes
Pragser Wildsee to Toblach: 8.50, 10.00, 11.15, 13.30, 16.05, 17.25

Cortina D' Ampezzo to Toblach (change possible in Pragser Wildsee) 8.40, 9.50, 12.40, 14.30
Cortina D' Ampezzo to Passo di Falzarego 9.00;  back from Falzaregio to Cortina D' Ampezzo 16.00

Link: qnex.it, sii.bz.it,

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Signposting / Maps:

Via Uno  click on photo to enlarge

the treks are well signposted. There are 1: 50,000 maps available, where all hiking trails are listed

 

Accommodation:
You can stay overnight in huts (called "rifugio" in Italian) the majority belong to the Italian Alpine Association. Accommodation is between 15 and 23  Euro ( 8 -15 Euro for members). If you want to hike the whole trail, it is cheaper to join the association. They must offer you accommodation as a member. If there are hot showers, there is an additional fee of  2-3 Euro. A pre-booking is recommended on Saturdays in summer. The huts are only open from June to October.
Camping is officially forbidden, but getting caught is not likely (if you camp out of sight of huts and roads).
But don't make fires, destroy nature or leave rubbish !!!

 

Food:
In the rifugi/ huts:
Breakfast is available from 7 Euro. It is very poor, only some toast, cheap marmalade, nougat créme and cheese spread in small boxes and if you are lucky, you may get more than one cup of coffee or tea. Some simple pasta with tomato sauce cost about 7 Euro, a glass (0,4 l) of beer 3,50 Euro, but a liter of red wine only 7-10 Euro. Therefore we drank mostly the more tasty wine.

Field rations on the way
bread, salami and cheese are my usual food on the trek and some sweets help to cheer me up. Fill up your water bottle wherever possible, there is not much water in the high mountain areas. Avoid places, where sheep could have contaminated the water with faeces, because that could cause severe illness. Some effervescent tablets are light and give some taste to the water.

 

Equipment
You need no particular gear for the trail, if you don't take the "via Ferrata" ("Klettersteige").

 

Via Ferrata (Klettersteige):
"Via Ferrata (Italian)" or "Klettersteige (German)" are mountainous paths that are more difficult. They go for example along steep inclinations on narrow paths. Often the path is secured by thick wire cables, that you can hold to keep balance. Sometimes you have to climb up iron ladders. They can only be used in summer. Some are easier than others, ask at your rifugio. If you haven't done it before, you should only try the easier "via Ferrata/Klettersteige", where mountaineer gear and experience is not required. But even the route between "Alpinisteig" to the Elferscharte needs courage. You must put your hiking sticks in your rucksack, you will need your hands to maintain balance, grapping the wire cables. There is also the danger of tripping over the walking sticks. Normally you don't need mountain gear for many via Ferrata, but in early or late summer it might be necessary even for all of them.
You must be careful, you can fall to death if you slip or trip! Every year dozens of fatal accidents occur in the Alps. It is important to ask for the weather forecast at your rifugio. Don't walk, when there is the danger of bad weather, the path might become slippery or icy. Sometimes it is impossible to cross snowy firns (hard frozen snow fields). Don't risk your life, it's better to return to the rifugio, if walking further becomes to dangerous.

Begin of Alpinsteig 

Telephone: The international area code of Italy is 0039

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Stages:

 

1. Stage

Lake "Pragser Wildsee"  click on photo to enlarge

Hotel Wildsee Prags to Seekofl Hut/Rif. Biella - 2327 m -:  4 hrs climbing and another 3 hrs for climbing the "Seekofl"
if you start early in the morning you might hike to the next hut ( Sennes Hut - 2112m -).

The trail (just follow the sign No.1) leads around the right shore of the lake and then ascend steeply on the scree up to the saddle of the mountain. After reaching the saddle the trail ascends above the tree line to the mountain pass. From there you have a great view of the mountain range and downwards to the Seekofl Hut (5-10 minutes walk). To the right you can climb the Seekofel, but it might be better to leave your backpack in the Seekofl hut first.

Climbing the Seekofl (2810 m ) is very strenuous (app. 1,5 hrs.) but easy, even it doesn't look so. It is further away than it appears, the Seekofl peak is behind the peak you can see. It is a stunning view down to the Pragser lake and the surrounding mountains.

Prices of the Seekofl hut: accommodation 15 Euro (8 Euro) dorms , 5 Euro breakfast ( poor, but coffee as much as you like), Beer (0,4) is 3,60 Euro but red wine on tap only 7 Euro per liter !!!)
Tel No. Seekofl Hut: 0436-866991 or 0474-745119

Seekofl Hut  click on photo to enlarge

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more stages, not experience yet!

2. Day Seekofl Hut ( 2.327m ) - Fanes Hut Tel. No. 0474/501097 or 0474/501355
Way (marked) No. 7 to Pederü and further on the Fanes Hut.

3. Day: Fannes Hut( 2.060m) (or Lavarella Hut Tel. No. 0474/501097)  - Lagzuoi Hut Tel. No. 0436/867303
Up to the Limojoch, downwards and 1 hrs further on to the "Jausenstation" (Fanes Alm),. Route 20b passing the "Seescharte" to lake Lagazuoi. Ascend by walking or by the cable car, which is behind the hut

4. Day: Lagazuoi Hut ( 2.778m ) - Nuvolau Hut Tel. No. 0436/867938
Descend to Fazorego Pass (Route 402) or with the cable car to mind your knees.
There is a bus to Cortina D'Ampezzo at  4 p.m. ( 9 a.m. from Cortina)
Route 441 to the Averau Hut and on route 436 to Nuvolau Hut.

5.Day:  Nuvolau Hut (2.574m)  -  Rifugio Palmieri (Croda de Largo Tel.No.0436/862085)
Descend route 439 to Cinque Torri-Hut (alternatively the easy "via Ferrata" to Ra Gussela ); from there down to the road Passo-Glau. On route 437 and 434 to the Rifugio Palmieri

6. Day: Rifugio Palmieri (2.046m) - Rifugio Citta di Fiume Tel. 0437/720268
On the route 434 to Forcela Amrizzola, then 436 and 437 to the rifugio

7. Day: Rifugio Citta di Fiume (1. 918m) - Rifugio Coldai Tel. 0437/789160
On route 472 in direction Forcela Staulanza, then 472 to Col de le Crepe Cavaliere, to the right descending the route 474 to Rifugio Pelmo.
Route 564 to Malga di Pioda and then route 556 to the rifugio

8. Day: Rifugio Coldai (2.135) - Rifugio Vazzoler Tel. 0437/660008
On the route 560 to Lake Coldai and to the rifugio

9. Day: Rifugio Vazzoler (1.714m) - Rifugio Carestiato Tel. Nr. 0437/62949
0,5 Std hiking to the turning off and further on route 554 to the rifugio (alternatively route 549 to Rifugio San Tome)

10. Day: Rifugio Carestiato (1.834m)  - Rifugio Pamperet Tel. 0422/306759
in direction to Agordo, then 543 to Rifugio Pamperet.

11. Day: Rifugio Pamperet (1.857m)- Rifugio Pian de Fontana Tel. 0444/501071
a short walk back and then the steep ascent on 514 to Forcella di Zita. From there steep descend to the rifugio .

12 Day: Rifugio Pian de Fontana - Belluno
Route 514 to Forcella La Vareta and southwards to the branch off to the Rifugio Bianchet. Via Ferrata No. 7 over Rifugio Alpini (Tel. 0437/941631) to Belluno or descend through the valley Val Vescova to the Bianchet hut and further on to the bus stop in the Valley Agordo

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Alto Via 2  Brixen/Plosehütte - Passo di San Pelligrino -  Feltre

Part 1 Brixen/Plosehütte - Passo di San Pelligrino
1. Day Plosehütte (cable car)- Hasl- Pleiterscharte - Schlüterhütte- ( 5 h)
2. Day  Schlüterhütte - Sobutch- Kreuzjoch, Dorcella de la Roa- Puezhütte (7 h)
3. Day  Puezhütte- Ciampaijoch- Crespeinajoch - Cirjoch- Grödner Joch-Klettersteig "della Triodenta" - Pisciadahütte-Boèhütte ( 8 h)
4. Day  Boèhütte- Rifugio Focella Pordoi-Pordoijoch- Bindelweg - Rifugio Ettore Castiglioi - (6 h)
5. Day  Rifugio Ettore Castiglioi - Marmoladagletscher - Forcella della Marmolada- Rifugio Contrin (4,5 h)
Alternatively: with time saving of 1,5 h :  Lift Fedaiasee to Rifugio Pian de Fiacconi or climbing the Punta Penia
6 Day  Rifugio Contrin - Passo di Cirelle - Rifugio Fuchiade - Passo di San Pallegrino (4 h)
Alternatively 5.-6. day:  Rifugio Ettore Castiglioi- Passo di Deaia- Malga Ciapela- Francedastal- Rifugio Fuchiade- Paso di san Pellegrino (7,5 h)

Part 2 Passo di San Pelligrino -  Feltre
Paso di San Pellogrino- Riffugio Passo Valles- Rifugio Mulaz- Rifugio Pedrotti alla Rosetta  - Rifugio Pradidali - Rifugio Treviso in Val Canali -
Passo Cereda- Bivaco Feltre-  Rifugiu Bruno Boz - Rifugio dal Piaz- Passo Croce d'Aune - Pedavena- Feltre

Alto Via 3 Toblach/Niederdorf - Longarone

Christallo Group from Dürrsteinhütte

1. Day  Toblach/Niederdorf - Sarlsattel- Forcella Valetta- Rif. Plätzwiese- Dürrsteinhütte ( 7 h.)
2. Day  Dürsteinhütte - Höhlensteintal- Dürrensee- Monte Piano (alt: Punte della Marogna- casina de Mosca - Rifugio A.Bosi al Monte Piana (6 h)
3. Day  Rifugio A.Bosi al Monte Piana - Val Popena alata- Passo di tre croci- Rifugio Vandelli al Sorapiss  ( 6 h.)
4. Day  Rifugio Vandelli al Sorapiss - (altern.) - Lago de Sorapiss - Forcella sora la Cengia del Banco - via Ferrata F.Berti - Bivaco Slaptaper -
Rifugio San Marcho ( 5,5 hrs.)  (alternative = Forcella di Cadin-Rifugio Tondi-Zuel- San Vito di Cadore (some part with bus is time saving) ) -
5. Day  Rifugio San Marcho - Rifugio Venezia  (8 hrs.)
6. Day  Rifugio Venezia - Rifugio Talamani - Rifugio Remauro ( 6h)
7. Day  Rifugio Remauro - Forcella Cibiana- Punta Copoda (altern.: Bivacco C. Campestrin) -
Forcella Toanella- Val di Zoldo/ Piavetal - Longarone (9 h)

Alto Via 4  Innichen- Pive de Cadore 150 km
1. Day Innichen - Dreischusterhütte ( 2,5 hrs.)
2. Day  Dreischusterhütte- Drei Zinnen Hütte, (Alternatively: Col Forcellina, Forcella Longeres) - Rifugia Lavarego - Auronzohütte (8,5 hrs)
3. Day  Auronzohütte - Rifugio Fratelli Fonda Savio ( 3,5 hrs.)
4. Day  Rifugio Fratelli Fonda Savio - (Alternatively: Rifugio Col de Varda) - Rifugio Città di Carpi - Federaveccia - Rifugio Vandelli ( 5,5 hrs.)
5. Day  Rifugio Vandelli - Bivacco Comici - Rifugio Galassi (8 hrs.)
6. Day  Rifugio Galassi - Forcella del Ghiacciaio - Rifugio Antelao - Pieve di Cadore

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Crossing the Dolomites by passing the "Drei Zinnen/Tre Cime/ Three Pinnacles"
(the most stunning natural monument of the Dolomites)
alternative hiking for a prolonged weekend (4 days), the trail we experienced

Drei Zinnen/Tre Cime/Three Pinnacles

Day 1    the same as the first day of the "Alta Via Uno from Prager Wildsee to the Seekofl Hut and climbing the Seekofl (2810 m) .

Day 2   wie hiked the route 28 and trail Alta Via 3 just to the rifugio/hut "Dürrsteinhütte" ( 2.040 m ) (Tel. No. 0474- 972506 ).
We stayed overnight there.
 

  on the way  click on photo to enlarge

Day 3   From the Dürrsteinhütte (2040 m) we took the route 34 up to the Strudelkopf and hiked down to the national road 51. We saw some ruins of bunkers and military fortification, before we crossed the national road No. 51.
 

History  Alto Adige (also South Tirolo) was part of the Tyrolean province of Austria before  World War I.  There was some terrible fighting in the mountains. Today German is widely spoken. There was some extremism that sought secession from Italy accompanied by terror and bombings until the eighties. In 1992 there was an agreement that the area had more democratic rights to arrange their local affaires and the terrorism has stopped.

We crossed that road and hiked from the nearby parking place on the forest gravel road No.101 along a river to the "Dreizinnenhütte/Rifugioe Tre Cime" in the altitude of  2405 m (Tel No.0474- 972002). We didn't stay there, because there was much hustle and bustle, we had to queue up for a beer and the staff was unfriendly. There was another hut/rifugio further on the Route 101 called "Büllelejochhütte" (2528 m) and some kilometer further on was the Rifugio Zsigmondy-Comici, where we stayed. That Rifugio is named after two famous alpinists (mountaineers); the Austrian Emil Zigmondy from Vienna was the first, who climbed some mountains in this area alone in the 19th century and the Italian Emilio Comici from Trieste. Comici is a famous mountaineer, because he was the first to climb the northern wall of the big pinnacle of the "Tre Cime" in the year 1933.

Panorama from the "Dürrsteinhütte"  click on photo to enlarge

Day 4   to the Rifugio Comici
it is an easy 2-3 hrs walk down to the "Talschlusshütte" in the Fischlein Valley. But we hiked the more difficult and adventurous via Ferrata "Alpini" (Alpinisteig) in 5 hrs. From the "Talschlusshütte" a bus goes back to Toblach (a short half an hour walk along the road and there is another bus stop with more connections)

Rifugio Comici    click on photo to enlarge

The via Ferrata "Alpini" (Alpinisteig) is an easier via Ferrata  for those, who aren't afraid of walking along steep narrow paths. Mostly the path is secured by thick wire cables, so you can hold to keep your balance. In September we had to cross three fields of "firn" (frozen hard snow) and one of it was secured by a wire cable. If you haven't have done it before you need some courage to walk this "via Ferrata". You must put the hiking sticks in your rucksack, there is the danger of tripping over it. Also you need your hands to keep balance and grapping the wire cables. This was my first "via Ferrata" experience and I was really afraid. We went only to the Elferscharte, further on, the "Alpinisteig" is more difficult

   the beginning of the via Ferrata "Alpini"  click on photo to enlarge

 

Links:
drei-zinnen.info,
hallo.com (tourist information)
infodolomiti.it,
 

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