Peaks of the Dolomites

Today we will take two buses that will take us up to the Platzwiese plateau- putting us in prime location for our trek start tomorrow. Here we will overnight at Durrenstein Hutte.

With day packs we will climb Durrenstein Peak, and return to our Hut the same way. Its summit will afford us excellent views of the Tre Cima peaks to the east, our destination the next day.

Informational: What is a via ferrata?
A via ferrata is a climbing route that employs steel cables, rungs, or ladders, fixed to the rock to which the climbers affix a harness with two leashes, which allows the climbers to secure themselves to the metal fixture and limit any fall. It's important to note that you will be dealing with exposure; but in a very safe, secure way using harnesses and employing helmets. It is NOT rock climbing.

After a short climb to the Strudel Pass (you read that correctly) we begin a steep descent to the valley floor. We will encounter a via ferrata along the way with big exposure but the path is easy. Pro tip: focus on what’s in front of you if heights are an issue; otherwise enjoy the view! We will have lunch after descending steep switchbacks thru the forest and seeing evidence of WWI artillery positions and trenches. After lunch we take a bus ride past Lake Misurina up to the famous Tre Cima/Drei Zinnen, an iconic group of 3 peaks. The middle peak, the Cima Grande, is one of the 6 classic north face climbs of the Alps.

We exit the bus and the next 2.5 miles takes us past the busy Auronzo Hut and the smaller Lavaredo Hut. Our final ascent up the Lavaredo Pass gives us views of our overnight hut in the distance. Along the last section of trail we will traverse under the Paternkoffel, which we will ascend tomorrow. The Locatelli Hut is a classic old hut, very popular because of its location and ambience.

An exciting day climbing one of the most amazing of the 600 via ferratas in the Dolomites. We will make a counterclockwise tour of the peaks and ridges above our hut, seeing frequent evidence of WWI positions and trenches. We begin by ascending tunnels built to facilitate troops movements, occasionally finding windows cut into the rock, which provided strategic artillery positions. Finally, we emerge from the tunnels and climb a via ferrata to a small notch. From there a steep via ferrata leads to the summit of the Paternkoffel. Depending on your comfort level you can rest here or summit and return to the notch.

From the notch you can either return to the hut along the tunnels or continue the counterclockwise tour along the via ferrata Schartenweg, which is largely a traverse along a high ridge. After the end of the Schartenweg we will hike to the Bullejoch pass, and from there return to the Locatelli hut via a nice trail.

Today we will retrace part of yesterday’s route up to the Bullejoch as we pass by a couple of small lakes. After a moderate climb we will pass the Bullejoch Hut, one of the smallest huts in the Dolomites. We will then drop packs and climb climb the Kaisersteig via ferrata. Then a steady descent brings us to our next Hut, the Zsigmondy hut. Zsigmondy, like Locatelli, is an older hut with lots of ambience and it sits below the imposing Zwolferkofel.

Today we will hike to our last via ferrata, the Alpinisteig. Though a traverse it has plenty of exciting exposure. This is an out and back hike, so we will return to Zsigmondy the way we came.

Today we descend the Dolomites to the Fiscalina valley, where we will catch a series of buses back to Cortina, where we will return to our hotel.

Leave for home.