Via Alpina (yellow trail) - 2008

B13: Imponzo - Ovaro @ Imponzo, Italy

2008-06-14T08:25:19.000Z

In 2008 I started again where we stopped last year (check trip report from 2007 on this site). I started in Imponzo and walked until the official end of this stage in Ovaro. Weather was far from good and therefore nothing to see on the pass below Monte Arvenis.

Time: 11:45h total
Distance: 21.7km distance
Pure Walking time: 7:20h

B14: Ovaro - Sauris di Sotto @ Ovaro, Italy

2008-06-15T09:45:31.000Z

Another cold and windy day. Because there wasn't much of a view I've decided to skip a higher route near the end of the stage and walked a lower alternative down into Sauris di Sotto.

Time: 9:15h total
Distance: 24.2km distance
Pure Walking time: 6:13h

B15: Sauris di Sotto - Forni di Sopra @ Sauris di Sopra, Italy

2008-06-16T09:35:09.000Z

What can I say? Weather was still terrible. Instead of going right up to the mountain ridge I cut of some of the stage by walking a lower route first before ascending to Casera Mediana where I re-joined the official trail. Descent down to Forni is clearly marked but in bad condition.

Time: 9:30h total
Distance: 20.4km distance
Pure Walking time: 6:45h

B16: Forni di Sopra - Rifugio Pordenone @ Forni di Sopra, Italy

2008-06-17T11:57:18.000Z

A late start because of bad weather and a steep ascend up to Passo del Mus. Meet a French couple and we decided walking together. The Rifugio was still closed but should have been officially open since weeks. We camped at the front entrance.

Time: 7h total
Distance: 13.4km distance
Pure Walking time: 4:40h

B17: Rifugio Prodenone - Rifugio Padova @ Rifugio Pordenone, Italy

2008-06-18T06:22:52.000Z

If you want to walk one stage this is the one to choose. The Campanile di Val Montanaia and its surrounding is absolutely marvellous. We couldn't walk the official route because of a lot of snow still remaining. I took an alternative route (Nr. 357) which is strongly not recommended for hikers! I barely made it alive to the hut which was thankfully open.

Time: 9h total
Distance: None - Unregocnized Reset of the pedometer
Pure Walking time: None - Unregocnized Reset of the pedometer

B18: Rifugio Padova - Rifugio Galassi @ Rifugio Padova, Italy

2008-06-19T08:15:57.000Z

A long but uneventful stage. At the end a climb up to Rifugio Galassi which was... you can already gues... closed. Well, at least the winter shelter was open and we had a great view down the valley during sunset.

Time: 10:15h total
Distance: 23.3km
Pure Walking time: 6:04h

B19: Rifugio Galassi - Rifugio Città di Fiume @ Forcella Piccola, Italy

2008-06-20T08:11:52.000Z

A typical day. A long walk down into the valley from Forcella Piccola and a long climb up again to Forcetta Forata below Monte Pelmo just shortly before the Rifugio.

Time: 8:30h total
Distance: 21.4km distance
Pure Walking time: 5:12h

B20: Rifugio Città di Fiume - Pieve di Livinallongo @ Rifugio Città di Fiume, Italy

2008-06-21T09:59:20.000Z

This is a very diverse stage. Walking through valleys where people lived since the stone ages to touristic mountain passes full of mountain bikers and motorcycles conquering the mountain passes in the Alps over a weekend and battlefileds of the First World War.

Time: 9h total
Distance: 23.3km distance
Pure Walking time: 6:15h

B21: Pieve di Livinallongo - Passo Pordoi @ Livinallongo del Col di Lana, Italy

2008-06-22T08:58:28.000Z

If you can, walk an alternative across Passo Padon instead of following along a ski ressort to Passo Pordoi who is really ugly and overprieced. I continued further along the stage of the following day and slept in the beautiful located Rifugio Viel dal Pan right at the Bindelweg.

Time: 9h total
No further information about lengtht/walking times as the battery on my Pedometer was empty and no re-supply available.

B22: Rifugio Viel dal Pan - Rifugio Passo San Nicolò @ Marmolada, Italy

2008-06-23T07:49:50.000Z

I walked a bit further the past day and I walked a bit further today, sleeping at the simple but once again beautiful placed hut Passo San Nicolò. A long stage down and along a valley followed by a steady uphill into the mountains. The stage seems like a detour but is worth taking.

Time: 8h total

B23: Rifugio Passo San Nicolò - Fontanazzo di Sotto @ Rifugio Passo San Nicolò, Italy

2008-06-24T07:36:20.000Z

Up and down and up and down. This is an area devoted to ski and winter activities. Val de Grepa is a nice Plateau and the descend into Val di Fassa long and demanding.

Time: 6:30h total

B24: Fontanazzo di sotto - Tierser Alpl @ Fontanazzo di Sotto, Italy

2008-06-25T10:12:01.000Z

A breathtaking stage. The walk goes straight through the "Rose Garden" (Rosengarten) a centerpiece of the Dolomites. You feel really small in the middle of those mountains. We walked further than suggested and crossed the whole area. Surely the scenic highlight of this trip.

Time: 8h total

B25 & B26: Tierser Alpl - Bolzano (Bozen) @ Tierser Alpl, Italy

2008-06-26T11:13:40.000Z

Because I walked further the day before I decided to extend this stage, too, ending in Bolzano (Bozen). Well, I did not walk the whole way and I took an alternative route after the Malga Seggiola/Schlernhaus right down following the "Bear Trap" (Bärenfalle) trail into St. Zyprian from where I took the bus into Bolzano/Bozen. This is officially recommend by the Via Alpina organization as no official trail exists from that valley into the town.
Bozen is a fantastic city with the "Messner Mountain Museum" worthwhile visiting.
In 2009 the plan is continueing from there and crossing over to the Red Trail of the Via Alpina.

Time: 6h total