The Dolomites ~ Electrifyingly Beautiful

Exactly 17 years ago, Karl and I were honeymooning in Italy. Given that I was self-employed and Karl was unemployed a grad student we found ourselves rich in discretionary time if not money. So we stretched our modest budget to last a luxurious 3+ weeks, affording us the opportunity to include many beautiful towns and regions in our dream itinerary: Cinque Terre, Lucca, Florence and Siena, the Amalfi Coast ... we did it up.

One experience that Karl lobbied for was hiking from hut to hut in the Dolomites of northern Italy. It wasn't the highest priority on my list, but we had a lot of time to play with. Why not?

It. Was. Spectacular.

Catinaccio/Rosengarten range as seen from Sciliar/Schlern
(photo cred: http://www.summitpost.org/catinaccio-rosengarten-the-north-part/277172)

We hiked in the Catinaccio/Rosengarten range, overnighting in a couple of rifugi (mountain huts), Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus and Rifugio Vajolet/Vajolethütte. Almost everything in the Tyrolian region of Italy — towns, hotels, menu items — are identified both in Italian and German. And once you're up in the mountains, you'll also encounter the local language, Ladin.

Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus
(photo: http://www.enrosadira.it/rifugi/bolzano.htm)

The rifugi provide beds and blankets and pillows (BYO sleep sack), cold running water — hot water for showers available for ~ €3 — and flush toilets, and a dining room where hikers can order dinner off of a menu. A menu! Not just a ladel-ful of the stew du jour, which would have been welcome enough for me, but a full-on menu! Plus they have a small selection of wine and beer to accompany your meal. Terribly civilized.

When we were there in 2000, we hadn't realized that all the rifugi serve not only breakfast and dinner to their guests, but also lunch for those hiking by. Our meager cans of tuna with bread, raw veggies, a hunk of cheese, and some chocolate seemed a paltry offering indeed next to the steaming bowls of minestrone and goulash and dishes full of polenta, pasta, dumplings. Nevermind the quenching, cold beer. This also meant, by the way, that we'd hauled along extra weight that hadn't been necessary. All you need when you go hiking hut to hut is a sleep sack, change of socks and underwear, and clothing appropriate to face the weather gods.

It spoiled me for backpacking indefinitely.

Anyhoo, in the midst of that honeymoon hike, we cooked up a plan to return to the Dolomites one day, with kids.

These kids, as it happens.

Ben and Garrett were decidedly not enthusiastic about this pre-destined plan. But they determined pretty quickly that there was no talking us out of it, especially once Karl decided he wanted to make this his 50th birthday celebratory experience. So, while we were still in jetlag-recovery mode, we assembled our packs, drove to Bolzano, and made our way up into the mountains.

Train to bus to bus got us to Vigo di Fassa.

The trails are well marked, but Karl — being Bob Seeley's son — made sure we had a good map to follow. This proved to be incredibly helpful in plotting out specifics such as breakpoints, lunch destinations, and more.

August 21/Day 1 ~ Launch point Vigo di Fassa (elevation 1,383 meters/4,536 ft)

Karl's head is partially obscuring the "c" in Vich, the town's name in Ladin.

A happy return to the mountains ...

... made happier with gelato.

And we're off.

Following the red and white trail blaze. The boys became proficient blaze spotters.

Up through the evergreens

Slacker transportation from Vigo di Fassa to Rifugio Ciampedie

The boys were a little bitter when they realized we could have minimized this first part of the hike on a cable car. But how would we have warmed up for day two and our highest pass without a few hours under our belts on day one?

Day 1 destination ~ Ciampedie 1,970 meters/6,463 ft

Grumble though they might, the boys were in fine moods throughout this excursion. Must have been the thin mountain air addling their brains.

We'll take it.

Had a delicious and filling meal at the rifugio, entertained ourselves and each other, and then had our best night's sleep since arriving in Europe.

Karl tries to beat the house. 

Evening view from our window

We were lucky to have the dormitory to ourselves. The room could sleep nine, but it was just us chickens. 

Morning light

Rifugio Ciampedie

Continental breakfast in the dining room

August 22/Day 2 ~ Ready to head out and climb on a glorious, crisp morning

Hard to resist snapping a kajillion pictures with scenery like this. According to my children, I didn't try hard enough.

"Really, Mom? Another picture?"

It was surprising to come upon what seemed to be a bustling mountainside complex at Gardeccia. 

Rifugio Gardeccia, 1,949 meters/6,394 feet.

As you can see, (hearty) cars can access these huts. The only vehicles permitted up there are either carrying supplies for Gardeccia and beyond or "taxi jeeps" hired by climbers who want to spare their energy for the peaks and passes.

As for us, we got all that hard-earned elevation gain on Monday and then let ourselves lose 21 meters on Tuesday morning. We'd make it up by midday. If you squint you can see our lunch-time destination.

See it?

There it is! 

During a stop to remove layers and rehydrate, I wandered over to commune with some cows. And of course, snap a shot or two.

Steadied myself. Leaned in ... a little closer ... and

                                   ttttzzzzZZAAAAPPPP!

Next thing I knew, I was tumbling arse over teakettle backward toward Garrett.

Mind the electric fence!

Sooo ... yeah. I was totally leaning into an electric fence. 

I was momentarily panicked that my camera got fried by the jolt, but not to worry — it was just busy recording the scenario in an amusing video clip. Can't figure out how to post it here and not feeling quite generous enough to share it on YouTube, thank you very much.

Carrying on.

Bessie, post-electric surge

Aside from their visual contribution to the bucolic landscape, the cows add to the Tyrolian soundtrack as the mountains and valleys resonate with clanking cowbells. (Which you can hear in that video clip!) It was impressive how much distance that charming clink and jangle could travel.

Rifugio Preuss (and lunch!) now coming into view.

Preuss on the precipice

Part of Catinaccio/Rosengarten range, including Vajolet Towers. 

The scale of these towers and peaks is almost unimaginable. 

Quite sure this is a Ladin phrase, but I could not find a translation.

Looking back toward Ciampedie and Gardeccia. 

Where's Garrett?

Rifugio Preuss ~ 2,243 meters/7,358 feet

Rifugio Vajolet

Rifugio Preuss and Rifugio Vajolet are right next to each other. Karl and I stayed in Vajolet our second night in Dolomites during the honeymoon hike. We decided to eat at Preuss, however, to enjoy its deck's vantage point. 

Hearty delectables for our bellies. So good. 

Pasta with Bolognese sauce for Ben, goulash for Karl, green salad and dumplings for Garrett, and dumpling soup for me. Karl, Ben and I also shared a Caprese salad.

We watched climbers, laden with ropes and helmets, making their way up toward the towers. There are actually a few in this shot just below the shadow of the tower on the right side of the picture. Not expecting you to be able to pick them out — the only way I was able to distinguish them was by zooming in on that area. 

Next big stop: Passo Principe!

Can still see Rifugi Vajolet and Preuss at this point ...

... but not any more.

Catinaccio d'Antermoia

Our path would take us up to Passo Principe, kind of tucked around to the left in the above picture, and then skirting the bottom of this formation toward Passo d'Antermoia, just beyond the pass seen in the right side of the picture. There are loads of people in this shot. Here's a close up of the pass on the right.

Perhaps these insect-sized people (at/near the saddle of the pass) will help show the massive size of the formation. 

Rifugio Passo Principe ~ 2,601 meters/8,533 feet

Climbers kicking back in the sun.

Signs pointed toward various rifugi and the estimated travel time to get there on foot. 

This next bit, just under Catanaccio d'Antermoia, was steeper than it looks and rather nerve-wracking. Took about 20 minutes to traverse to the pass you can see in the picture. 

False summit, but satisfying nonetheless

We made it across the steep scree field and happily reached what we thought was Passo d'Antermoia. We'd been eyeing this pass for a couple of hours in our approach. Turns out we still had a little more to go.

Catinaccio/Rosengarten, including Vajolet Towers

That didn't stop us from appreciating this view and giving ourselves major kudos — and some celebratory chocolate — for making this ascent. It took less than 10 minutes or so to reach the pass, and, with the exception of rocks being hurled at Karl and me during the most minor of avalanches, we reached it without incident.

Passo d'Antermoia ~ 2,770 meters/9,087 feet

Our high point for the trek! Elevation gain of 821 meters/2,693 feet from Gardeccia (in the morning) and more than doubling the elevation of Vigo di Fassa (our launch point on Day 1).

Celebratory rituals are universal in the human experience. From praise for the divine to secular hoots and hollers to end-zone dances and heart-swelling overtures, all expressing that on some level, "We came, we saw, we pumped our fists/gave thanks to God/danced the funky chicken/blew out some candles/(—insert your ritual here—)."

At Passo d'Antermoia, we broke out more chocolate. Our quadriceps gave grateful thanks that the serious ascent was over. And we documented the moment with some photographs.

We also observed these Italian gentlemen celebrating their summit ritual.

Saluto de sei guance! (The six-cheek salute!)

And, with that, the boys were ready to make a hasty break from their mother and her camera, down into Antermoia Valley.

In the shadow of Catinaccio d'Antermoia

The glacial Lago d'Antermoia

Day 2 destination ~ Rifugio d'Antermoia 2,496 meters/8,188 feet

This hut was completely refurbished in 2014, so everything's very spiffy and in nice shape. It can sleep 62 people.

Antermoia had the perfect family room for us, which had a double bed for Karl and me and bunk beds for the boys. 

The view wasn't bad either.

After dinner, Karl and Garrett and I made the walk out to Passo Dona to see what awaited us for the next morning's hike.

We could start to see the Alps in the distance.

Karl and Garrett heading back to the refuge, which looks puny nestled amongst the peaks. 

While the boys and I snoozed away, Karl got up early and made the trek back out to Passo Dona to watch the sunrise.

(Photo credit: Karl)

Find the refugio! (Photo credit: Karl)

We were grateful that Rifugio Antermoia served more than just a continental breakfast. We feasted on müsli, yogurt, fruit, cheese and meat, bread and jam, along with tea and hot cocoa.

August 23/Day 3 ~ Ready to hit the trail

My most patient and accommodating subject

Loss of elevation = more vegetation

Back below the treeline

I haven't even mentioned this part: despite Ben and Garrett's reticence to do this big hike, they were fantastic trekkers. They were out ahead of us the whole time, maintaining a blistering pace without complaint. Whenever they reached a junction in the trail, they'd find a comfortable place to hang out and wait on us,

which is what they're doing in the picture above. We think the barrier was built to keep the cows from trampling all over the bench's immediate surroundings.

Approaching our lunch destination, Rifugio Molignon/Mahlknechthütte 2,054 meters/6,738 feet

Once we reached Molignon we were fully ensconced amongst folks out for a day hike. Many had come up from Compaccio/Compatsch via chairlift and trail, some were on bikes, and a few people had driven to the hut. Loads of children — even babies — and dogs.

For lunch we ordered pasta with marinara and pesto (Karl), lasagne (Ben), dumplings (Garrett), and garlic soup (me). 

How could drying bread and old lunch meat compete with this fare?

The boys apparently spent this part of the trail honing their Superman vs Goku argument discussion points.

More cowbell

Mt. Sciliar/The Schlern

Rifugio Bolzano/Schlernhaus, the first hut where Karl and I stayed on our honeymoon hike, is atop the Schlern. So this massive rock formation holds a special appeal to us.

Boardwalk to the slacker transportation at Hotel Panorama

Karl's map identified not only all the trails and huts in the area, but also the chairlifts and gondolas. During the evening at Rifugio Antermoia we worked out a plan that incorporated some well-deserved rides out of the Dolomites, first on a chairlift from Hotel Panorama to Compaccio/Compatsch ...

Boarded the chairlift at ~2,000 meters/6,561 feet, disembarked at 1,850 meters/6,069 feet

Happy grins, background courtesy of Mt. Sciliar/the Schlern.

... to a gondola from Compaccio to Siusi/Seis.

Gondola brought us down a whopping 850 meters/2,788 feet to Suisi/Seis in about 15 minutes. 

Traversing some hair-raising heights, just for Mom.

"It's not so much that we go up in the air as the ground drops away," Karl noted helpfully.

Siusi/Seis ~1,000 meters/3,280 feet

I regret that we didn't get a family shot of us as we finished up this adventure, but we were all pretty spent. That said, I think I've included more than enough pictures in this post, so we'll end with this parting shot, taken from the chairlift.

Grazie, Dolomiti. 

(Click here for Part II of this adventure — Bolzano & Innsbruck.)