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Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Italy

By Yes Mom I'm Alive

HONEYMOON PART 3

After a week in Switzerland and five days on the Alta Via 1, we continued our honeymoon through the Italian Dolomites. Our next destination was the spectacular and deservingly popular Tre Cime di Lavaredo Natural Park in the northeastern Sexten area.

This trip took place in July 2019, prior to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO

There are two ways to reach Tre Cime di Lavaredo: The easy way and the stupid way.

The easy way is to take a bus to the trailhead and walk a few flat miles.

The stupid way – naturally, the way we went – is to take two bus transfers to the other side of the valley and climb a steep 3,100' up a breezeless canyon.

Sometimes a hike really isn't about the journey – it's about the destination. And this destination was spectacular.

TORRE DI TOBLIN

After unloading our packs in the bunk room, we spent the afternoon scrambling around the craggy peaks and two small lakes around the rifugio. Every bend revealed new surreal and dreamlike landscapes.

LAGHI DI PIANI

TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO

Tre Cime – Drei Zinnen in German – is one of the most iconic peaks in The Dolomites. Until 1919, the peaks demarcated the border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Today Tre Cime separate the South Tyrol and Belluno provinces, and serve as a linguistics border between the German- and Italian-speaking residents of the region.

MONTE PATERNO

Behold Monte Paterno, the most magnificent and pointy peak!

THE GOLDEN HOUR

We reluctantly went inside when we were called to dinner. While normally I would be delighted by a three-course meal, I was anxious to get back outside to capture the changing light.

Not a moment after finishing the last spoonful of strudel di mele, I darted outside just in time to see the lowering sun turn the Tre Cime and Monte Paterno a hazy gold.

DOUBLE RAINBOW

As if we weren't already incredibly spoiled by the golden light, the setting sun had one last gift for us: a double-rainbow!

BUONA NOTTE

After the sun tucked itself in for the night, we did the same in our rustic 16-person bunkroom.

SUNRISE

My alarm went off at 5:20 a.m. and I quickly fumbled for my phone under the pillow to silence it. I tried to slip quietly off the top bunk, but the squeaky metal frame betrayed me, creaking obnoxiously as I dismounted. My bunkmate let out an audible groan, but a second later his snoring resumed. I quietly grabbed my camera and tip-toed out of the room.

THE HIKE OUT

We headed to the trailhead the easy way, via a long rolling path leading to a head-on view of Tre Cime.

CHAPEL OF THE ALPINI

After passing the Chapel of the Alpini, we reached the trailhead and jumped on a bus heading back to our homebase Cortina.

Our tour of the Italian Dolomites was sadly almost over, but we had one final destination to look forward to: Seceda!

Stay tuned – story coming soon!

ITINERARY

DAY ONE

Catch SAD Bus #445 from Cortina d'Ampezzo to Dobbiaco (40 mins)

At Dobbiaco, transfer to SAD Bus #446 to Pain di Val Fiscalina (45 mins)

Walk for 20–30 minutes along a flat road to Rifugio Fondovalle (Talschlusshütte)

Check into the rifugio

Enjoy a leisurely lunch that blurs into dinner on the sunny patio

DAY TWO

Wake up early and fill up at the breakfast buffet

Hike 6 miles and 3100' up Path 102 following signs for Valle Sasso Vecchio (4 hrs)

Arrive at Rifugio Locatelli (Dreizinnenhütte)

Elbow into the cafe to order lunch from the cafe

Spend the day exploring the peaks and lakes around the rifugio

Enjoy a three-course meal in the rifugio's restaurant

At sunset climb Sasso di Sesto for a panoramic view of the park

DAY THREE

After a hearty breakfast, hike a relatively flat 3 miles to Rifugio Auronzo (1.5 hr)

Catch the bus back to Cortina d'Ampezzo (45 mins)

NEXT STOP

Seceda – story coming soon!

ADVICE

HIKING ROUTES

The most popular way to visit Tre Cime di Lavaredo is to begin at Rifugio Auronzo and complete the Tre Cime Loop. Hikers can take the wide gravel Path 101 to Forcella Lavaredo and continue on to Rifugio Locatelli. From Locatelli, take Path 105 to Forcella Col di Mezzo to return to Rifugio Auronzo. The loop is considered fairly easy and totals 6.4 miles with 1300' of gain.

We did not complete the loop, opting instead to spend a night in the Val Fiscalina and complete a tougher hike up to Rifugio Locatelli. This route is 4.2 miles, 3100' of gain, and pretty freaking hard.

LODGING

Book your stay in Rifugio Locatelli (Dreizinnenhütte) well in advance – the rifugio was almost sold out when we inquired seven months in advance! Room and board (dinner and breakfast) costs 6€65. Of all the rifugios we stayed in the Dolomites, this one was the most basic and crowded, but the scenery is well worth it!