Alta Via 1
Dolomites, Italy
The Alta Via 1 is one of the most stunning hikes in the world, traditionally hiked from Lago de Braise in the North to Belluno in the South in the Dolomites. It is a fantastic mid-level hut to hut hike in the high mountains with moderate elevation changes and mainly comfortable mountain huts.
72 miles | 115 km | 21,000 ft | 6,400 m climb | 9 days
Itinerary
Day 0: Explore Lago de Braise
Day 1: Lago de Braise to Rifugio Sennes | 6 miles | 3050 ft climb | 5:30 time
Day 2: Rifugio Sennes to Rifugio Lavarella | 6.5 miles | 1700 ft climb | 5:30 time
Day 3: Rifugio Lavarella to Rifugio Lagazoui | 8.2 miles | 3590 ft climb | 7:30 time
Day 4: Rifugio Lagazoui to Rifugio Averau | 5.2 miles | 1258 ft climb | 6:10 time
Day 5: Rifugio Averau to Rifugio Passo Staulanza | 10.34 miles | 1346 ft climb | 8:30 time
Day 6: Rifugio Passo Staulanza to Rifugio Tissi | 6.75 miles | 2813 ft climb | 6:10 time
Day 7: Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Sebastian | 10.9 miles | 2022 ft climb | 9:00 time
Day 8: Rifugio Sebastian to Rifugio Pian de Fontana | 10.6 miles | 3546 ft climb | 9:00 time
Day 9: Rifugio Pian de Fontana to Belluno Bus Stop | 8.24 miles | 860 ft climb | 4:46 time
We used the Cicerone Alta Via 1 - Trekking in the Dolomites guidebook to plan, and took 9 days instead of the recommended 11. If you are a beginner or slow hiker, or anticipate weather, I recommend you follow the guidebook's recommended stages, but if you are a particularly fast hiker our itinerary or faster may be more suitable. There is also the Trekking the Dolomites AV1 guidebook and Facebook group I would highly recommend joining to answer all of your questions.
Lago de Braise
Day 0: Lago de Braise
We arrived to the hotel at Lago de Braise two day before we began our hike. They have a special hiker room rate you must email to reserve, and then you are able to stay less then the normally mandatory three days. We arrived just in time for a four course dinner the first night. Due to jet lag, we were up at sunrise (5 am) to walk around the lake and take photos. We then enjoyed their wonderful breakfast buffet, took out a row boat, and went for another small walk. There are plenty of hiking trails in the area, but we rested on the patio and took a small walk to a cafe on the other side of the lake in the late afternoon for a radler. After another wonderful dinner and local wine, we were ready for the hike the next day.
Day 1: Lago de Braise to Rifugio Sennes
6 miles | 3050 ft climb | 5:30 time
The first day began with a wonderful breakfast buffet at the Hotel Lago de Braise, followed by an easy walk around the lake. At the far end we started to climb up for quite a while, through three high points we believed were the top, but the trail continued to new high points. We were racing the clouds over Forcella Sora Forna, to where we could start to see Rifugio Biella down the slope. We arrived at Rifugio Biella (rustic, no toilet access - due to low water) right after the main lunch rush. After a filling potato dish, we hiked the remaining hour mainly downhill in the fog to the comfortable Rifugio Sennes (unlimited hot showers).
Day 2: Rifugio Sennes to Rifugio Lavarella
6.5 miles | 1700 ft climb | 5:30 time
Day 2 started with a beautiful day at Sennes, with a view of the grassy fields and sharps peaks I imagined while booking the trip to the Dolomites. The path followed a gentle track pass Rifugio Fodara Vedla, and then much steeper downhill to Rifugio Pederu. From there the trail climbed through a hot valley packed with many other hikers and mountain bikers to a cafe and Rifugio Fannes and Lavarella. We stayed in Lavarella in a private room (highly recommend!) because they brew their own beer that we enjoyed with dinner.
Day 3: Rifugio Lavarella to Rifugio Lagazoui
8.2 miles | 3590 ft climb | 7:30 time
My favorite day of the hike began with a walk through flowers and streams from Lavarella. From there, we took a short climb to Passo di Limo, and then a long stroll through picturesque valleys and pastures to the start of the climb to Forcella del Lago. There was a solid climb to the notch where we lunched and looked out over the stunning lake, the fear-inducing steep climb down to the lake and the next climb up to Rifugio Lagazoui where we were spending the night. The climb down from Forcella del Lago, though steep, felt safe with reinforced paths. We enjoyed a snack break at the lake while others were swimming, and then embarked on the steep climb, past WWI ruins to Rifugio Lagazoui where we had dinner with a fantastic group of American hikers and shared a large dorm with another friendly English men's hiking group.
Day 4: Rifugio Lagazoui to Rifugio Averau
5.2 miles | 1258 ft climb | 6:10 time
My advice: take the tunnels! and send your bag down the cable car. When else will you be able to explore WW1 tunnels dug out of the mountain during the war to push the Austrians off the high ground? It was also quite nice to take the tunnels down without our heavy bags, and read the (sometimes fading) signs of this insane engineering work. We didn't see others for a while, but continuing down, we didn't get lost, and there are enough windows and vents for those of us that don't like to be underground. Once out, we grabbed some tea to warm up from the rain both inside and outside the tunnel and hiked up to Rifugio Averau. The hike was gentle at first through wildflower fields, but became steep in the final pitch before winding around the Forcella Averau. The rifugio was comfortable with hot showers and delicious meals. Another group headed up to Nuvolau for the view, but I would only recommend that on a clear day, as they missed the view and encountered a deluge from a thunderstorm on the way back, and I was grateful to be in my cozy bunk, napping after the difficult day 3.
Day 5: Rifugio Averau to Rifugio Passo Staulanza
10.34 miles | 1346 ft climb | 8:30 time
First - do not take the cable car! We had a quick thought that taking the cable car would be nice on the way down, but it goes way down, while the trail does not. So luckily we did not take it - and I hope you don't too! We left the wonderfully comfortable Averau and headed to Passo Giau to have some tea before heading up to the forcellas we would cross that day. The first was very crowded, but adorable as we watched Italian children cheer their moms to the top of the pass, and one Italian man having a work call on top of the pass too! From there we continued to the next forcella, and on a pretty calm trail past Rifugio Citta de Fiume to Passo Staulanza (private room, unlimited hot shower, delicious squash ravioli). Definitely a long day, but a beautiful day in the glorious Dolomites.
Day 6: Rifugio Passo Staulanza to Rifugio Tissi
6.75 miles | 2813 ft climb | 6:10 time
Day 6 just about ties Day 3 for my favorite on the trail. After waking up at the luxurious Passo Staulanza, we raced the many day hikers up the hill to Rifugio Coldai and to the stunning Lago Coldai, our lunch spot for the day. Reluctantly leaving the lake, we climbed up to Forcella Col Negro, where we caught our first glimpse of Rifugio Tissi - far in the distance. Following the guidebook we took the lower path - and were soon glad we did as we heard rock falls all afternoon and evening - and enjoyed the calm trail until the steep climb to Rifugio Tissi (paid hot showers, some regular toilets, some squatty potty toilets). There we were able to grab a quick hot shower before enjoying our radlers and cake overlooking the Civetta. After our dinner, we joined the other hut residents to climb to the hill and watch the sunset show on the Civetta and valley below. Ending the night with some grappa and wonderful company was the perfect end to the day - and a year around the sun for me.
Day 7: Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Sebastian
10.9 miles | 2022 ft climb | 9:00 time
From Rifugio Tissi we proceeded down to Rifugio Vazzoler - with their delicious paninis and beautiful botanical garden. From there we followd a gravel path down until a turn off that took us across scree fields and up to the Forcella Col dell'Orso - a small and sunny, but satisfying lunch spot. From there we continued on to the Forcella del Camp, a left turn, and down to Carestiato, and finally Passo Duran and Rifugio Sebastian.
Day 8: Rifugio Sebastian to Rifugio Pian de Fontana
10.6 miles | 3546 ft climb | 9:00 time
We doubled up two days from the Cicerone guidebook, making this (along with Day 3) our hardest day on the trail - but what an incredible day it was. We took off right after breakfast from Rifugio Sebastiano at Passo Duran (Note: the breakfast was served in the basement and we never would have known - the first floor was deserted!) From there we continued down the road to a sign that detoured the trail. We followed the detour signs up to Forcella Dagarei, and then followed the open trail with stunning views through many scree fields. There were a few confusing turnoffs around the old barracks, but we followed the signs to Pamperet. Continuing along the path, we came to the T in the trail to go towards Pamperet, but decided to continue on to climb to the Portela del Piazedal considering a chance of thunderstorms and the exposed climb ahead of us. We were glad we skipped the detour to Pamperet, as this was definitely the most tiresome day of the journey, and we were climbing a steep and exposed section to then hike down a steep section to the rifugio in the afternoon. Despite the heat and exhaustion, the views were completely stunning. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment after reaching the Forcellade Zita Sud was the reason I do these hikes - to break out in song on top of the world! We continued on to have our picnic lunch around the corner with a view to the decent ahead and then made our way through marmots and wildflowers down to Pian de Fontana. We were slightly spooked by the signs warning about the steepness ahead, but didn't feel it was any worse than some of the other sections - just to be hiked with care. We enjoyed another radler and cake at Pian de Fontana after taking freezing showers. After a hearty dinner we slept in an old sheep herders hut - definitely the most rustic though memorable of the hike.
Day 9: Rifugio Pian de Fontana to Belluno Bus Stop
8.24 miles | 860 ft climb | 4:46 time
This was our fastest moving day because we wanted to catch the 1:20 bus and make our way to meeting Dad in Venice. From Rifugio Pian de Fontana, we climbed and descended until we started a steady decline into Val Vescova and had a celebratory Radler at Rifugio Bianchet. They had the bus schedule posted so we chugged our radlers and powerwalked/jogged down the gravel road - ignoring the shortcuts until the sign for the bus stop. From there it was a steep decline to a busy road and powerful river where we waited for the bus. They were selling bus tickets at the rifugio which we bought - but needed to pay more on the bus to get all the way to the Belluno bus station. From there we tried to find the tourist office, but decided we'd rather catch the 2:20 train to Venice to celebrate there - stopping for a well deserved gelato on the way back to the train station.
