Dolomites – Day 7: Out on our own on the Brigata Tridentina via ferrata

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On day-7 our guide was still feeling unwell, so we decided to venture out on our own.  Just up the valley from our hotel was one of the most spectacular (and well known) via ferratas in the region.  So, we got up early and transferred our bags to the B&B that would be our home for the rest of the trip (the Garni Haus Tyrol) then headed up to the start of the route.

Our route for the day (from across the valley the next day)

When we arrived at about 8.15am there were just a few people ahead of us, including a young boy of about 8 years old.  This boosted our confidence, and we set off in near perfect conditions with a spectacular blue sky above us.  
At the bottom of the route.  This via ferrata is of intermediate difficulty.
Sheri led the way up several iron ladders and across a steep wet section that lead to a stance beside a waterfall.  From here we climbed steadily with fantastic views – both beneath our feet and across to the other side of the valley.

Sheri getting started in the early morning sun.
On the way up.
Onward and upward.


Enjoying being on the rock in perfect conditions.
The final section of the via ferrata is quite steep and involves climbing up two iron ladders that are affixed to a vertical rock face.  There is literally nothing below you feet and the exposure is quite amazing!  After climbing these ladders there is an exposed traverse to a suspension bridge that crosses a big rock-crevasse.  The bridge sways just a little and the views from this point are breathtaking.
Crossing the suspension bridge. 






















Don’t look down!!

The next few pictures (taken from the path back down to the valley) show just how exposed this route is. 


Looking back across to our ascent route…
See the bridge (in the middle of the picture)?

A close up (with people all over the route by mid-afternoon)

Once we reached the top of the via ferrata it was a short walk to the refugio Pisciadu for a rest and something to eat.  As expected the refugio had great views and great food!


At the top of the route

At the Refugio Pisciadu for soup and strudel
From the refugio we walked all the way back dow the valley to our B&B.  We enjoyed hiking in a verdant green valley and saw many beautiful flowers and waterfalls along the way.   Overall, it was a spectacular day and well worth the effort of getting up early to avoid the crowds.

On the hike back to Corvara

Don’t take a wrong turn!

Looking back up the mountain.
Yellow poppies on the trail.
Nearly back to the B&B.

Just a few steps from the B&B.

Dolomites – Day 6: A Relaxing Day with Friends

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We awoke on the morning of day-6 a little weary, but ready for another adventure on the via ferrata.  However, we soon received a call to let us know that our guide was sick and could not join us that day.  In truth this was a blessing in disguise because we were both quite tired and we had learned that our friends Damon and Jane would be passing through Corvara that day.  We hadn’t seen them for many years, so we were very happy to have the day free to spend with them.

We arranged to meet up with Damon and Jane when they arrived and agreed to go for a short hike.  They had been in Rome, Florence and Bolzano and were not yet accustomed to the altitude, so we took the Piz Boe cable car up to the area near the Refugio Al Vallon and started from there.  It was a beautiful day for a hike and we had great views in every direction.  We were back to the hotel by mid-afternoon and we enjoyed a great dinner together at the end of the day.
A cappuccino in the sun for “elevenses”
At the Refugio Al Vallon for lunch
The resident dog at the Refugio Al Vallon
Enjoying a hike in the sun
Views and blue skies all day

Back at the Hotel Table for pre-dinner drinks 

Dolomites – Day 5: Via Ferrata Tomaselli to Punta Sud

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After a comfortable night at the Refugio Lagazuoi we came down to breakfast at 7.30am to find we were the last ones up.  Because of this we nearly missed out on breakfast!  We hastily made ourselves some tea, yoghurt, fruit and juice to get the day started.

Early morning views from the refugio

A short time later we were out on the trail heading to the base of Punta Sud where we would pick up the via ferrata Tomaselli.  The trail descended from the refugio to begin with, past the remains of buildings and encampments from World War I.  Then it traversed underneath some large cliffs and above a valley with mountain goats, sheep, and a small lake.

Wartime accomodations


Our approach to the route

Looking back to the refugio from the trail

Sheep in the valley below
The via ferrata Tomaselli is a grade 5C route, and it includes some very steep rock and exposed moves.  At the start are some old wooden ladders which thankfully are no longer used as part of this route!  In the tradition of big mountain routes at one point an “a cheval” move was required to gain the holds on the ridge.  However, this was all on very solid rock and under clear skies.
Thankfully these wooden ladders are no longer part of the official route!
Just above the “a cheval” move onto the ridge

Approaching the summit (9777-ft) with big smiles

We arrived at the summit in the clear and for a while had the place to ourselves.  There was a small cairn and a few birds to keep us company.  Eventually we were joined by a very fit looking septuagenarian who had climbed up just behind us.

Views from the summit

To get down off the summit we had to descend a via ferrata for about 10000ft.  This was our first experience down-climbing on the Dolomite rock and it was quite an adventure.  In several places we had to step off into a void without being able to see the holds below us and we were very grateful to be clipped into a cable for security.  Not surprisingly we didn’t take any photos on this section of the route!

On the hike back to the road

Once we had descended to the col we were able to jettison our harnesses and helmets, and we hiked back to the bottom of the mountain.  Here we were met by a taxi to take us to our next destination – Corvara in the Alta Badia region.  This was about a 45-minute journey by car, and we arrived at the Hotel Table (3-stars!) just in time for afternoon tea and ice-cream.  We had planned to spend the rest of our trip in Corvara, so we relaxed and enjoyed a simple meal at the hotel before retiring to bed.

Dolomites – Day 4: Via Ferrata Punta Anna

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Day 4 was to be a spectacular day in the mountains.  We awoke early and enjoyed a simple breakfast of bread, cheese and prosciutto at the refugio Dibona.  Then we headed out for our next adventure climbing the via ferrata Punta Anna.

The view at breakfast time

The approach to the route
The via ferrata follows a long ridge and there were some breathtaking views along the way.  This route is graded as “5C” which is the maximum technical difficulty and the maximum degree of exposure for any via ferrata in this region.  Thankfully the holds were all very solid and the weather stayed perfect for the entire day.
The route follows the ridge in this picture (from L to R)

Once we reached the end of the via ferrata we traversed off the ridge to explore some ruins from the first world war and to visit another refugio (the Refugio Giussani) for a well deserved cappuccino and a sandwich. 

At the end of the VF

Buildings from the war







Refugio Giussani

Refugio Giussani
The walk back to our starting point was down a steep scree slope and then through beautiful alpine meadows.  We spotted a few Edelweiss growing in the wild on the way.

Our final activity for the day was to transfer to the refugio Lagazuoi for that evening’s accommodation and dining.   This was achieved with the help of a cable car, so it didn’t take too long.  Once we were there we enjoyed a hot shower, a nice sunset, and some more fresh pasta for dinner.

 The view from refugio as the sun set

Inside the regfugio Lagazuoi

Owl’s Head – A Long Hike

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Last weekend we joined several friends for a hike to the top of Owls Head in the White Mountains.  At 4025′ this peak is only just on the list of New Hampshire 4000′ mountains, and it has a very long approach to get there.  The shortest round trip hike is over 18 miles.  Oh, and there are no views from the summit either.  This is why this is a hike that you do with friends.

We set off a little later than we intended (at about 9am) and we made rapid progress on the first eight miles which are mostly flat.  The path followed an old railway for much of the way, and then it followed a brook to the bottom of the unmarked and unmaintained Owl’s Head trail.  The final mile and a half ascends steeply up a rocky scree slope, and then turns into almost vertical dirt and trees.  There are at least some good views of the famous Franconia ridge on this section!  Finally the last half mile runs along a wooded ridge to the summit where there is a simple cairn. 
By the time we had descended to the main path it was 3pm.  We put our heads down and walked out as fast as we could and we were back at the car as night fell at 7.15pm.  It was a long but enjoyable day and our feet and our legs were very sore the next day.

Dolomites – Day 3: Via Ferrata Col dei Bos

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After our first day on the trail we experienced some overnight rain, so for our second day we decided to tackle a newer and quite easily accessed via ferrata on the Col dei Bos.  We first drove to the Passo Falzarego and then hiked a short distance to the foot of the route.  On the way we passed the remains of a World War I military hospital and saw lots of evidence that this area was on the front lines of the battlefield.  

 

The via ferrata followed an obvious ridge line and ascended on very good holds,  It was rated as a 3B grade and it felt well within our capabilities.  Upon reaching the top of the via ferrata it was short hike to the summit and to some magnificent views of the higher peaks. 

From the summit we hiked down into a green valley with herds of sheep and numerous wild flowers, and then gradually back to the pass where we had parked,

That night we stayed at the nearby Rifugio Dibona.  We enjoyed fantastic views from the porch of the refugio and sampled home cooked pasta and desserts made on the premises.  Feeling pleasantly full we retired to bed early so we could be ready for a longer outing the next day.

Dolomites – Day 2: Our First Via Ferrata

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After spending a day exploring Cortina, finding our bearings and resting from our travels, we woke early the next day for our introduction to via ferrata.  We met Michele, our guide for the next five days, at 8am our hotel Beppe Selle. Soon we would learn that an early start was important to getting onto the routes ahead of the crowds.  

For our first outing MIchele took us to Via Ferrata Michielli Strobel-Puta Fiames which was only a short drive from Cortina.  There we met Monika who works for Dolomite Mountains. She helped us to arrange our trip including the 5 days of via ferrata with Michele.  Monika joined us for the day which would enable us to drop a car and add a scenic and pleasant walk down from the end of the via ferrata.  

Michele equipped us with a harness specifically designed for via ferrata.  Attached to the harness were two shock-absorbing cords with carabiners that would allow us to clip into the wire cables, steps and ladders along the routes.  We also were given very light-weight orange (Dolomite orange!) helmets to protect us from loose stones that might be dislodged by those climbing above us.

This via ferrata was a Grade 3, Seriousness B which meant is was essentially a “medium” in terms of technical difficulty and exposure.  This was a great choice for us as starting place as we have had some experience rock climbing and being “out there” in terms of exposure.  We found the climb straightforward and it required only a moderate level of attention to placing of hands and feet. This gave us the chance to understand how to clip into the fixed protection and still enjoy the climbing and beautiful surroundings.

Within minutes of being on the route we knew we had found a good match in Michele as a guide . He was clearly very experienced as a guide.  He put us at ease and encouraged us at every point.  We also discovered, as he whistled his way along the route, that he was a fan of music, particularly of rock-n-roll.  His top three: Little Richard, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis.  This gave us common ground for a continued dialogue about music during the time we spent together.  We would learn much from MIchele about history, music, food and culture in the next few days.  We were off to a great start!
At the summit of Punta Fiama we found the views in all directions stunning.  It was all that we imagined in anticipation of this trip.  We enjoyed a quick break at the summit, took in the views and spotted some mountain goats high on the ridge above us. We then wound our way back to the car through a beautiful valley.

At the completion of Day 1, Michele and Monika took us to a local rifugio for the first of many amazing dining experiences to come.  Nestled at the base of craggy cliffs we sat on the veranda of a restaurant where we enjoyed beer, pasta, bread and coffee.  Here we tried Casunziei all’ampezzana, beet ravioli with poppy seed sauce, a local speciality of the Dolomite region.   There would be more rifugios, more local treats, and very welcome glasses of beer to come!


Dolomites – Day 1: Getting Aclimatized

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After a long but uneventful journey (via Boston, Rome & Venice) we arrived in Cortina, Italy at about 4pm local time and we went directly to our hotel. We had a good night’s rest and then spent our first day exploring the town and stretching our legs. We hiked up grassy and wooded ski trails to Col Druscie which is the first stop on the cable car. In what was to become a pattern for the next fortnight we were pleased to find the summit was equipped with a small restaurant serving cold beer and snacks.  So far, so good. Tomorrow we would meet our guide and do our first scramble and via Ferrata.

Our pile of stuff for packing before we departed.

Our bags.

The Main Street in Cortina

Hiking in the woods
Trail marker on a rock
The cable car
Beer at the top

Proclaimers in Boston

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It’s been over twenty years since The Proclaimers were first in the charts, but we still listen to and enjoy their music.  A few years ago we planned an overnight trip to Northampton MA to see them, but they cancelled the concert due to sickness just half an hour before the show was due to start.  When we saw that they were coming to the Brighton Music Hall in Boston it seemed like a great chance to try again to see them.  

So, yesterday, we drove up after work and joined a large group of fans who were making the same pilgrimage.  We had purchased tickets several months ago and we reserved a place to park well in advance.  After a tasty dinner at Whole Heart Provisions and dessert at Fo-Mu cafe we were ready to rock.
The concert was loud and raucous, and the band played a long set comprising of many familiar songs from our youth.  Highlights included a very animated drummer, an electric mandolin solo, and a virtuoso on the Hammond organ.  And of course the vocals and guitars were fantastic too.  If you get a chance to see them, we would highly recommend it to everyone!

Dolomites, Italy (the summary)

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For the past two weeks we have been celebrating Bruno’s 50th birthday in northern Italy in the Dolomite mountains.  We had great weather for the entire time and we were able to enjoy many of the highlights of the local area.

During the first week we hired a local guide to get us started with the via ferrata (cable protected rock scrambles) and during the second week we explored by ourselves.  We were able to reach several summits over 9500-ft and came back home with no major injuries!  As an unexpected bonus we met up with friends Damon and Jayne (from near Saranac Lake, NY) who were also in the area and we had some fantastic food at the high level mountain huts (‘refugios‘) along the way.

We will be posting more detailed accounts of our daily activities over the next few weeks, but in the meantime here is a link to some of our favorite photos from the trip.  LINK