Burning Peaks & Pinnacles in Autumn
Our first encounter of the Dolomites
Our first visit to the Dolomites was in 2017 where we stayed at the lovely Hotel Alpenpalace in the Ahrntal, a good base to explore this northern area. We spent a really great time together with our beloved and amazing labby, Mungo, our beautiful soulmate – one of the last holidays we had with him. It was March and there was still lots of snow, so we planned for winter hikes, one of which was the Hochalm Pätzwiese. At the Dürrensteinhütte (2040m) we had our first real sighting of the spectacular formations of the Dolomites and a beautiful view of Monte Cristallo (3221m).
The beauty of this Unesco world heritage area is truly breathtaking. The next stop was at the famous Pragser Wildsee with the Seekofel Mountain (2810m) that towers above the lake. In high season this place would be extremely crowded, but in March it was peaceful and hardly anyone else there.
The lake was still iced over and it’s a popular place for skaters and walkers. Along with the ‘traditional’ photo of the lake and this wooden lake house, we took some selfies on the ice and all 3 of us had a lot of fun! When you go in winter, just be sure to check if the ice is thick enough – just this year we heard of some accidents of tourists falling through it, who had to be rescued!
Our last Dolomite excursion on this trip was to a place where famous Reinhold Messner climbed his first mountain as a child: the Villnösstal. The view of the St. Magdalena church and the Geisler peaks (3025m) in the background is for sure one of the most impressive ones in the Dolomites.
Just a short drive further into the valley is the pretty and colourful St. Johann chapel in Ranui. It was our last highlight before driving back home to Switzerland. We knew then that we would be back to see more of this incredibly beautiful scenery.
Ortisei & Seceda
On our recent trip, 5 years after the first, we based ourselves in Ortisei at the very charming hotel, Montchalet. This town is on the other side of the Geisler Group. After Aaron‘s first cancer treatments, the doctors gave us the go ahead for this trip including doing some active recovery like hiking. It really was the best thing we could do! We started with a couple of shorter walks first to see how he felt, and how his body reacted at higher altitudes as he'd only just recently had radiation therapy on his brain. The shorter walks at Raschötz and to the Chiesa San Giacomo went well and so, felt confident to go on longer hikes.
The Seceda cable car takes you to a very impressive viewpoint where you can see the Geisler Peaks from a different angle, with the steep and rocky north face surrounded by green pastures and forests.
The view of the other mountains, Langkofel, Rosengarten, and the Sella Group is spectacular. There were quite a few tourists, but the further you walk, the less people you come across.
We hiked to the Baita-Troier Hütte and enjoyed a traditional South Tyrolian lunch. From there we continued on to Pieralongia, two huge boulders that point up to the sky.
Wolkenstein & Sella Pass
The next day we drove to Wolkenstein, only 15 minutes from Ortisei, and took the Ciampinoi cable car up. At the top is the start of the traditional men‘s downhill race: the Saslong race. Saslong is the local name for Sassolongo or Langkofel.
After a good hike to the Sella Pass we took the most extraordinary cable car ride we’d ever been on up to the Langkofelscharte! The cabins only fit 2 people in standing but dogs are allowed too… So whilst the cabin is still moving one person needs to jump in first, then the dog and then the second person… All in a matter of seconds…! It took us 2 goes until we were finally all in – quite a little adrenaline adventure LoL! There really was only just enough space for us both, each with our backpacks and our lovely Mara was great - lying in between and across our feet – we literally couldn’t move in there! A great and fun experience not to be missed!
Once we got to the top and out of the cabin, Mara sped around in the snow like a little ninja! She loved it! The view through the gap to the other side of the valley and of the Marmolada Mountain also made the ride very worthwhile.
After lunch we followed the same procedure getting in the cabin, but it was a bit easier knowing what to do! It is possible to hike both up and down this route, but the path was too steep for our knees. Back down, safe and sound we took this selfie on one of the many rocks that create the vast area of the Steinernen Stadt (in English: city of rocks).
Taking the same path back as we came, the sun was starting to set behind the Langkofel Mountain and being on the shady side it was chilly. We just made it back in time to catch the last cable car down to Wolkenstein. Another perfect day!
Völseggspitze & Wuhnleger Weiher
From Ortisei you can get to so many places on foot to start the day’s hike or outing, but there was one more hike that required us to take our car to the starting point. This was to Weisslahnbad in the Tierser valley. The hike took us up 600m in altitude, but we did it slowly and Aaron was ok with it. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the lovely Tschafonhütte from where we had a great view of the Latemar Mountain (2842m).
Our reward was a scrumptious Apfelstrudel before continuing for another 20 minutes to the top of the Völseggspitze. The view is great, and you can see all the way to Bozen and over to the Alps.
On the way back we stopped at the Wuhnleger Weiher – this is a pond and a place where Aaron wanted to take some photos of the Rosengarten Mountain (3002m). At the right time of day, the spiky pinnacles of the Vajolet Towers reflect on the pond magnificently and without any wind, the conditions were perfect for him.
Then, on the way back to our car we were able to experience our first sight of the ‘Burning Dolomites’ as the sun was setting, turning the Rosengarten into an amazing golden orange.
Seiser Alm (Alpe di Siusi)
On our last day in Ortisei, there was one more highlight we had to see: the Seiser Alm. This is the largest high-altitude alpine pasture (in German: Alm) in Europe and the view from there over to the iconic Langkofel Mountain (3181m) and Plattkofel (2995m) is just fantastic!
We’d already planned that we would have to walk the whole way down from the top, because we wanted to stay up there until sunset for this view and the cable car stops running at 5pm. So, we stocked up on water and snacks and made sure our walking sticks were packed because it’s a really steep walk down.
When we got to the cable car station to take us up from Ortisei to Seiser Alm it was a huge surprise to see that this was one of only 3 days per year, when the cable car runs until 7 pm because of the view of the ‘Burning Dolomites’ in this season for sunset (mid September/ beginning October). How lucky we were! And our knees loved us for it!
The spectacle was beautiful to watch, the best light was around 20 minutes before sunset. The changing colours with the moon rising above Langkofel was another true highlight of our trip.
Until sunset we hiked along the paths and through pastures and stopped at the little restaurant Sanon for cake (again!). Next to the ICARO hotel we also found this huge bench with the Schlern Mountain (2563m) in the background.
We were wondering if the restaurant Contrinschwaige would be open, but we didn’t get there until after 5pm so it was closed. It was no worries as we had our supplies with us, so we took out a couple of sun chairs that were stacked up and spent a lovely hour or so in the sun with the place to ourselves – Mara had a nice and relaxing dognap in great comfort too 😊.
The drive from Val Gardena to Cortina d’Ampezzo
After seven amazing days at the Mont Chalet Hotel in Ortisei (room 103 was 😍), we continued our journey to the Olympic village of Cortina d’Ampezzo. After crossing the Gardena Pass with a last view of the Langkofel we stopped at one of the hairpin bends from where you can look up into the peaks and see the bridge between two towers. This bridge is part of the most famous via ferratas in the Dolomites, the Via Ferrata Brigata Tridentina al Pisciadù.
At the bottom of the pass lies Colfosco in Alta Badia where we stopped at the church San Vigilio in a beautiful location and backed by the north face of the Sella Group (3151m). On the Alta Badia tourism website, it reads: ‘BËGNODÜS, Welcome to Alta Badia’. Same as in the Val Gardena, the Ladin language is still widely spoken here. This language derived from unrefined Latin that was spoken by soldiers and from the influence of the neighbouring languages in the north and south. Today, only four Ladin language regions remain: a handful of valleys in the Dolomites, in Comelico, Friuli, and Grisons (Graubünden) in Switzerland.
From Alta Badia we crossed another pass called Falzarego an area known for its openair WW1 Museum featuring caves and tunnels in the rock that were built for protection and attack advantages. You can take the cable car up to Langazoi where these tunnels can be explored. Near Pocol, is where we booked an apartment for our trips in this area.
Drei Zinnen & Cadini di Misurina
The following day was perfect to visit the iconic Drei Zinnen: there were no clouds and it wasn’t a weekend day when many tourists swarm in. From Cortina it was a 40 minutes’ drive to the Auronzo Hut via the Tre Croci pass. It costs 30€ to use the last bit of the mountain road (a campervan costs 40€) to get to the Auronzo Hut. We both agreed that one day we want to overnight here with our campervan as the location is truly unique.
Before taking the path that takes you around to the other side of the Drei Zinnen we did the 1-hour return hike towards the Cadini di Misurina. At first, there’s a lovely view of the Santa Caterina Lake. Further on we came closer and closer to a Dolomite masterpiece with its sharp peaks and pinnacles. This is one of the most awesome views in the Dolomites and surprisingly there were only very few people!
Back at the Aronzo Hut (2320m) we began the 1.5 hours hike to the Drei Zinnen in the early afternoon. We weren’t in a hurry since we wanted to see the rocks at sunset and brought a torch with us for the way back. It was an easy walk past a tiny chapel to the Rifugio Lavaredo (2345m) where we saw some rock climbers on the south face of the Drei Zinnen.
From here the old World War 1 path climbs up to the Paternsattel (2454m) giving a first view of the famous North Face and the Dreizinnenhütte (2405m) in the distance. There are also some visible man-made caves in the rocks behind the hut which were used during the war. This place is called the Toblinger Knoten and there are some good photo opportunities from up there, too.
We stayed in that beautiful area for a while, just enjoying the views and the sun. Aaron also wanted to take a photo of the Drei Zinnen that he thought would be reflected in a lake just behind and below the Dreizinnenhütte. But the angle was all wrong and he realized that the other lakes near the Langalmhütte would be better.
The timing was wrong this time because the sun wouldn’t make it around the Drei Zinnen to illuminate its north face in the evening – it was already too late in the season. So, we will try and do this next time when we plan to do the hike right around the three pinnacles.
After crossing the saddle, the view to the Cadini di Misurina with Monte Antelao (3264m) in the back was just breathtaking – all in perfect light. Monte Antelao is also named the King of the Dolomites and is the second highest peak after the Marmolada. Lucky again, we had all this natural beauty to ourselves, as everyone else had left.
As the light disappeared and the moon began to rise, we had some fun doing some yoga poses - and because Mara loves exercising with us too, she joined in 😊.
A tip: There are much less visitors during low season when the road is still open, but almost all the huts and facilities are closed in early June and early October. So don’t forget to bring your own supplies (food/water etc.) If you want to know which huts and restaurants are open, here’s a good link: https://www.drei-zinnen.info/de/hochpustertal/shopping-genuss/almen-huetten.html
Cinque Torri & Monte Averau
The Cinque Torri and Monte Averau were visible from our apartment. To get another “burning mountain” photo we only had to get up in time for sunrise and stand outside. This rock formation is so pretty and on our last day we visited this area. After a few minutes’ drive we found the entrance to a narrow mountain road that goes to the Rifugio Cinque Torri. This saved us a 300m in altitude uphill hike.
We parked at the Refugio right next to the five towers which is a popular rock climbing area. There are over 200 climbing routes on the big tower (Torre Grande) and the 4 smaller towers with levels from 3 to 8b. The type of rock there has many ledges and good sharp holds - perfect conditions for rock climbing. A climbing club was founded in 1939, a while before rock climbing became a sport in its own right in the 1950’s.
There was a lovely hike around and through the Cinque Torri to the other side and we were able to watch some climbers along the way. From this side the sun was shining in front of us so Aaron could get some of his traditional sun-star photos.
At the second mountain hut, the Rifugio Scoiattoli, there’s another beautiful view and it was a great place for a first rest stop. Unfortunately, all restaurants in this area close between mid to end September so we had to bring our own food and drink.
Looking further up we saw another Rifugio at the top of Monte Nuvolau. Checking our MAPS.ME app we thought that hiking up another 300m would be an easy task, but it took a bit more effort than we expected. We headed off after a break and lunch at the Forcella Nuvolau. The path got quite rocky and we had to be careful especially in some places where the rock was wet. Mara found it easy peasy – she loved it all!
It was worth the effort and the panoramic view was great. The top is in a superb strategic location. To the south there’s the Passo di Giau - a place we want to visit another time – and the Ra Gusela Mountain just behind Aaron.
To the south-west lies the highest mountain and also named the Queen of the Dolomites: the Marmolada (3343m) and the glacier is clearly visible. In July 2022, after a heat wave and temperatures around 10°C a huge chunk of this glacier collapsed and killed 11 mountaineers. This unfortunately won’t be the last tragedy of this kind as our glaciers are melting so fast. They may even be gone in the Dolomites within the next 15 years. Already 80% of the Marmolada glacier has melted over the last 70 years!
To the west lies the Averau Mountain. Looking at the Averau from the Nuvolau, it looks more rugged and spectacular. The first ascent was made on August 10, 1874. Around this time humans started conquering the summits of the Dolomites and of course many other mountains. In the back, the flat Sella Mountain is clearly visible too.
The next photo shows the dimensions of these mountains well. The Cinque Torri look so small against Monte Tofana di Mezzo, the third highest mountain in the Dolomites, in the background. The World Skiing Championship was held on this mountain in 2021 with the famous Tofana Schuss where ski-racers gained speeds over 130 km/h.
After our descent we drove to the Passo Falzerego and stopped at the restaurant Strobel. A lovely place to enjoy the suns last rays with a fantabulous view across to Cinque Torri and Monte Averau. It was amazing to see how quickly the larch trees had started to change colours. Only a week earlier everything was still green and in the second week of October the first signs of winter had arrived.
Next plans
We’ve already started making plans for our next trip to the beautiful Dolomites. The next one will be to see the wild mountain flowers in late spring/early summer. It’s a unique place here in Europe and according to UNESCO, it features some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes with vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of narrow, deep and long valleys. We love it 😍!
Mara loved it too and after our longer hikes she enjoyed the comfort of relaxing on our sofa - on her blanket of course :-) and renewing her energy for the next adventure. Aaron did so well, gained a lot of energy and was well prepared for his back operation that followed a few days after our return home. He was back on his feet just one day after the op! It gives us happiness and joy to see that step by step he is getting stronger again.
This blog is being published on Aaron’s birthday (28th October). This day is also World Lemur Day. We will honour these beautiful animals by publishing our next blog covering the unique island of Madagascar. Sign into our blogs so you won’t miss it 😊.
"One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name"
(The Call - Thomas Osbert Morsdaunt, 1730-1809)
Travel blog and travel guide by Aaron Matzinger & Clare Walker
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