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Alta Via 2, Part 1

The Dolomites

By Yes Mom I'm Alive

Alta Via 2

The Alta Via 2 is a 120-mile hiking trail in the Dolomites in northeastern Italy. It begins in the small town of Bressanone and terminates 100 miles later in Croce d'Aune. It's typically completed over 10 to 14 days.

But we only had 7 days so we decided to hike just the first 50+ miles on this trip. We went in mid-September, just before most of the rifugios (mountain huts) closed for the season.

Bressanone

We landed in Munich and took a crowded EuroCity train to Bressanone, the base for the Alta Via 2. After nearly 18 hours of travel, we were delighted to find our hotel was right across the street from the train station.

To stave off jet lag, we showered and immediately went for a walk to explore the charming town – and find some pizza.

Stage 1: Plöse to Rif. Genova

Distance: 9.2 miles | Elevation: +2500'

There are two options for starting the Alta Via 2: Climb 5,000' through a viewless forest to the start of the trail, or take a free 15-minute cable car up to Plöse.

For us, the choice was obvious: Cable car.

Plöse

We arrived at the top of the Plöse massif and started our hike along the Dolomiten Panormaweg trail. After winding beneath several cable car lines, we came to the first junction and turned onto the official Alta Via 2.

For the next 4 days and 50+ miles, we would follow the red-and-white markers painted on wood signs and rocks along the trail.

Passo Rodello

After losing half the elevation we gained on the cable car, we came to our first pass, Passo Rodello. We took a break at Halslhütte for cappuccinos and a brief laze in the sun. The temperature was about 27° fahrenheit, but I felt quite warm with the sun on my skin.

So warm, in fact, I changed into shorts in the cafe bathroom before we continued onward to Puez-Odle National Park. We walked along the road until we saw the offshoot trail leading us into a forest. From there it was a steady 1,600' climb up a rocky ravine to our first saddle.

Forcella di Putia

We arrived at the saddle Forcella di Putia breathless – both from the steep climb to get there and the stunning view of the Alta Badia Valley below. In the distance we could see the crux of our hike, Piz Boé (10,341'), the highest mountain of the Sella group.

We were now in the heart of the Dolomites – and thankfully, just a 30-minute stroll away from dinner.

Rif. Genova

After an easy undulating stroll, we arrived to our accommodations for the night, Rif. Genova. The hut's friendly host showed us to our bunk beds and promptly took our order for an aperol spritz and a German beer as we sat down for dinner.

In between courses of canederli dumplings in broth and sausages with potatoes, I ducked outside to take pictures of the setting sun across the Villnösser Valley.

Stage 2: Rif. Genova to Rif. Puez

Distance: 7.5 miles | Elevation: +2,700'

When Jeff suggested we pack our microspikes to the Dolomites, I balked. Surely we wouldn't need them in September?

Boy, was I wrong! Had we not brought our microspikes, our hike probably would've ended on our second day.

The steep switchbacks nested in the shaded crook of Piz Duleda were covered in a layer of thick ice leftover from an early season snowstorm the previous week. We saw ahead of us hikers without spikes slipping upwards as they made their way to the saddle, pale-faced and clinging onto boulders strewn alongside the trail. I felt smug and sheepish as we passed them in our spikes.

Forcella della Roa

After an unnerving ascent up the switchbacks, we arrived at Forcella della Roa. On the other side, the landscape changed starkly yet again – from a green pastural valley to a white-rock lunar moon.

We had a choice here: Stay left and take a fairly vertical via ferrata up and over the ridge, or circumvent the ridge and add more distance to the day. Even though we were prepared for the via ferrate with helmets, harnesses, and carabiners, I lost some nerve having just climbed up the unexpectedly icy pass. We decided to drop into the valley and climb to Forcella di Sielles, taking the longer way to the rifugio.

Col de Puez

After a easy cable-aided section, we popped onto Forcella di Sielles. From there we continued along the plateau in the direction of Col de Puez, an askew peak that stands prominently over the valley. At one point we stopped for a lunch and watched a colony of marmots chase one another around the boulders.

Rif. Puez

We arrived to the rifugio later – and more tired – than we expected. Before we could even collapse our trekking poles I ordered an apfelstrudell to tide us over until dinner.

Rif. Puez (8120') was described in a few trail reports as a sterile and forgettable stay. However, I found it quite charming and boasting an incredible view of the Sella Group from its front door!

We sat for dinner with a similarly-aged German hiker who we had been leaped-frogging on the trail for the last two days. We talked for hours over a hearty dinner of potatoes, speck and fried egg followed by chocolate cake with forest berries. Before we knew it, it was hiker's midnight (9 p.m.) and time to turn into our bunks. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

Stage 3: Rif. Puez to Rif. Piscuadu

Distances: 9.2 miles | Elevation: +2,600'

By the second morning, we had established a morning routine: Wake up, brush teeth, and follow the crowd of hikers into the buzzing dining room for yogurt, muesli, bread, and coffee. After a second cup of coffee we scrambled upstairs to pack and get out the door before 8 a.m.

The trail started by winding along the rim of Vallunga, a deep canyon stretching nearly 3-miles long. Hence its name, which translates to "Long Valley."

Forcella dei Ciampai

After an hour or so, we crossed Lago di Crespeina, a small lake below the Cir peaks. According to Ladin folklore, an angry dragon lived on this lake and often terrorized the nearby villages. The villagers erected several wooden crosses around the lake and the dragon has not been seen since.

Beyond the lake was a wall of switchbacks up to Forcella dei Ciampai. We slogged up to the top and took a rest, while trying to keep some crows away from our snacks. I guess unlike dragons, crows are immune to crosses.

We continued on the trail traversing below a ridge of red rocks. The trail was coated in a thick and smooth layer of ice, taking the legs out from under the ill-prepared day hikers heading to the lake. We slipped on our microspikes once again and helped a few hikers to their feet as we continued up Passo Cir.

Passo Cir

The crowds continued to thickened as we neared Passo Gardena (7,008'), a popular hub for day trippers, motorcyclists, cyclists and coach buses. Until now we had most of the trail to ourselves; now we had to wait on the side of the trail for large groups of hikers to pass us on the narrow path.

As we descended, the trail led us through a large cluster of boulders that looked like they had been dropped from the sky and cracked open upon impact. On the other side we were treated to a wide view of Passo Gardena's rolling hills of grass turned golden after a long summer.

Passo Gardena

At the pass we grabbed a picnic table on the patio of Rif. Jimmy and ordered a treat of kaiserschmarrn – torn up pieces of pancakes with rum-soaked raisins, fruit, and powdered sugar. We first came across kaiserschmarrn on our honeymoon in the Dolomites and we couldn't resist ordering it anytime we saw it on a menu.

After we finished I told Jeff I wanted to lounge in the sun for a bit before we continued onwards – but in truth, I was stalling.

I sat anxiously in the lounge chair, staring anxiously across the valley at our objective: A 2,000' climb in less than a mile up a scree gully on Val Setus. This section of the trail – ominously named Path 666 – was intimidating in the best of conditions. Coated in a thick layer of ice from the recent early snowstorm, it had the potential to be downright treacherous.

I was not eager to find out.

To be continued...

Did we make it up the daunting Path 666 to Cime Pisciadu? Or, did we bail out and take a bus back to Innsbruk early? Check this space to find out! I'll post photos soon documenting the second half of our 50+ mile hike on the Alta Via 2.

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