Photo: Joe Braun Day Hikes in the Dolomites, Italy Highlights:
Includes:
Trip Number: 09705A Price: Deposit: $200 Capacity: 14 Leader: Gene Goldberg
The Trip  Photo: Susan Cahill The Dolomites are the sunny side of the Alps, warm in both their scenery and people and famous for their contrasts. Their geologic composition includes both dolomitic limestone and volcanic formations, and their cultural heritage is equally mixed: Italian, Tyrolean, and Ladin influences all hold sway here. (In fact, there are still pockets in this area where the household language is pre-Roman Ladin.) And although the region is unspoiled, it is easily reached via the Italian highway system or by bus or train.
We will spend our days here hiking through stark, white mountains, their jutting peaks separated by lush valleys and meadows. When the day is done, we'll stay in charming, small hotels. We will spend our time exploring three different areas: the Val Gardena, heavily Austrian in influence; the Val Badia, a Ladin-influenced area; and beautiful Cortina and its surroundings, the site of the 1956 Olympic winter games.
 Photo: Susan Cahill Day 1: We gather at the hotel in Bolzano by 5:00 p.m. There will be an introductory meeting then we walk to dinner, the first meal provided on the trip. Day 2: In the morning we visit the archaeological museum, including a whole floor dedicated to Ötzi, the 5,000-year-old mummy found nearby. Then we transfer by bus or taxi to Selva, in the Val Gardena. In the afternoon we are free to explore this community or take a short warm-up hike. Day 3: Full day hike in the Val Gardena. Using lifts at the start and end, we hike around one of the most famous dolomite formations in this area -- Sassolungo (Long Rock) -- returning to the village for the evening. (Hike five miles, + 300 feet, -2,300’).  Photo: Gene Goldberg Day 4: Another full day of hiking in which we explore the Val de Chedul, including walking along part of the long distance trail, the Alta Via 2. (Hike 10 miles +3,000’, -3,000’). Day 5: Today we transfer to Corvara. The afternoon is free for touring the town, shopping, or resting. There is no dinner service at this hotel, so for the next three days we’ll eat in nearby restaurants. Day 6: We take a lift up one of the famous mountains and follow a higher-elevation track to the highest point of our hiking, the top of Piz Boe at 10,250 feet. Another lift down helps us in returning to Corvara in time for dinner. (Hike 8 miles, elevation +2,600’, -1,700’). Day 7: Today we can hike up the Val di Mesdi until we find a nice lunch spot. Then we return the same way. (Hike 6-8 miles, elevation +/-3,000’). Day 8: A variety of hikes in the Piz de Surega area will allow us to choose one that matches our energy level after the previous two days of hiking. Distance and elevation to be determined.  Photo: Susan Cahill Day 9: Taking a bus, we head for the famous “village” of Cortina, a charming if somewhat glitzy resort town. Our hotel is near the heart of town and an easy walk for shopping, museum visiting, or people watching. Day 10: Taking the bus to Passo Falzarego, and then a lift up, we can briefly explore some WWI ruins at Laguzoi, and then take the long hike back to Cortina. 8 miles, +650’, -3300’. Day 11: We take a bus to the famous Tre Cimi de Lavaredo (Three Chimneys) hiking area, close to the Austrian border. We follow a loop trail around these famous rock spires, probably the most popular trail in all the Dolomites. After lunch we catch the bus back to our hotel. 6 miles, +/-900’. Day 12: We check out of our hotel in the morning, saying our goodbyes
and catching a bus from Cortina to our return trains and airports. Getting There Our meeting point is in Bozen/Bolzano. (Note that you may see either the German or Italian names for many places in South Tyrol.) Bozen is on the main train route north to Germany. If you arrive at either Milan or Venice airports, you can take the train to Verona and change for Bolzano. There is also train service from Munich. Allow about 4 to 4.5 hours for the journey from either airport. We end our outing in Cortina d’Ampezzo, which does not have direct train service. You could either take a bus to Calvalo to get a train, or a bus into Venice. If enough people in the group have a similar schedule, a taxi to Milan or Venice might also work. Don’t count on getting any flights out on the 12th, as most of the day will be used up getting to an airport unless you do the taxi option.
We will have a variety of hotels from large, somewhat fancy hotels in the bigger towns (Bozen and Cortina) to small, family-run establishments often frequented by hikers. We will stay in double rooms; there is no single supplement. The leader will assign roommates of the same gender for single travelers. A word about Italian beds: Typically, a double room features two twin mattresses on a single bed frame. Each mattress is made up individually, but they are side by side. We will ask for separate beds for those who desire them, but cannot say whether they will be available. All rooms have toilets and a shower or bath. We’ll eat breakfasts and dinners at our lodgings most days. On some nights, the hotels do not serve dinner, so we’ll eat at a nearby restaurant. The group eats together as a whole. Breakfasts vary from simple continental buffets of breads and coffee, to hearty German selections featuring cheese, cold meats, yogurt, and fruit. While vegetarian meals are not the norm in this area, I have found that nearly all of our hosts are willing to make a special effort to accommodate guests. Usually, omelets, cheese dishes, or pasta with tomato sauce is available. Still, that’s no guarantee. On some days we will stop at huts along
the way for lunch. The huts serve soups, pastas, and often also heartier
entrees. On other days, we will carry
our lunches
and have a group picnic, ideally on the top of a mountain ridge or some
other scenic spot. The leader will ask for volunteers to help buy and put together
the picnics.
This is a hiking adventure, where we will be well into the mountains. It is intended for the experienced hiker who is able to walk about seven hours each day over an average distance of eight or so miles and about 3,000 feet of elevation gain and/or loss. Our maximum daily hiking distance will be 10 miles, with never more than 3,300 feet of elevation gain. Expected daily distances and elevation gains are listed in the itinerary above, but may have to be changed depending on group abilities, weather, lift closures, etc. The distances in the itinerary include the occasional use of cable cars to avoid the steeper and less interesting sections of trail.
It is best to prepare
for this trip by keeping to a regular exercise schedule and taking frequent
day hikes in hilly terrain – preferably at altitudes
similar to the ones we will encounter. If you don’t live near hilly terrain,
ask the leader for suggestions on a conditioning program. You need to be doing
aerobic exercises at least three times a week, and, if hill- or stair-climbing
with a pack is not included in that, you should also be doing resistance training
for your legs and back.
Kompass Maps nos. 616 and 617; available in Bozen upon arrival or online from:
www.omnimap.com/catalog/hiking/kompass.htm. Websites Conservation This mountainous region has been a center of human activity for thousands
of years, since the days when hunters established seasonal camps in the valleys. Ötzi
the Iceman, a 5,000-year-old man frozen in a glacier, was found near here along
the Austrian border. Beginning in the middle ages, early land managers instituted
programs to protect grazing and woodcutting rights. Today, more and more tourists
are attracted to this beautiful area, both in summer and during the ski season,
and the Italian government is working to preserve the area and develop tourism.
Two systems of land management in the Dolomites ensure that land cannot be
subdivided or reassigned to a new owner without permission. We hope to have
a ranger from
one of the nature preserves we hike in accompany us for a day. However, they
are short on staff, especially those who speak English, so we cannot guarantee
this.
This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader. See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner. The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty.
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