There are some mountain landscapes that never fail to impress, no matter how many times you visit. For me, the Italian Dolomites are certainly among them.
In early September, I had the pleasure of swapping my usual place behind the desk at Mont Blanc Treks for my trail shoes, guiding a wonderful group of trekkers along the Alta Via 1 in the Italian Dolomites. After a busy summer season, it was a real pleasure to be back doing what I love most, spending time in the mountains, sharing beautiful places with others and enjoying the simple pleasures of life on the trail.
And what a spectacular place to do it!
After a long, hot and exceptionally dry summer in the Alps, it was perhaps inevitable that the weather would change just as we were setting off on our September Alta Via 1 trek in the Italian Dolomites!
Our group gathered in Cortina d'Ampezzo on 9 September, ready for eight days of trekking through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Alps. The forecast for the first couple of days wasn't particularly encouraging, with rain and a significant drop in temperatures expected.
A final kit check revealed that a few members of the group were missing essential waterproof clothing, so some last-minute shopping was required in Cortina. Not the cheapest place to buy a waterproof jacket and trousers, but certainly preferable to heading into the mountains without them!
We also had a familiar face joining us. Lisa, a long-standing MBT client and now a dear friend, was back for another adventure. An experienced mountain walker, Lisa was a real asset throughout the trek, often bringing up the rear and offering encouragement to those who needed a little extra support.
Shadva and Padma, originally from India and now living in the USA, brought plenty of good humour and interesting conversation to the group. We were also joined by Toni from the MBT office, who was keen to experience the Alta Via 1 first-hand to help with organising our future guided and self-guided treks. There's no better way to understand a route than to walk it yourself!
Sadly, one person was missing. Roisin, our 2026 MBT competition winner from Ireland, had won a complimentary place on this departure but had to withdraw at the last minute due to serious family circumstances. We were very sorry she couldn't join us and hope to welcome her on another adventure in the future.
Into the Fanes Mountains – Lago di Braies to Cap Alpina
An early minibus transfer from Cortina took us to Lago di Braies, the starting point of our trek. From the lake, we climbed steadily through woodland and onto the limestone plateau towards Forcella Sora Forno at 2,388m.
After a welcome stop at Rifugio Biella, we continued across the undulating rocky terrain of the Fanes-Senes-Braies Natural Park, eventually descending to Rifugio Fodara Vedla for our first night.
Despite the rather gloomy forecast, we escaped the worst of the rain. Fellow MBT guides Robert and Odei, who had set off with two groups the previous week, hadn't been quite so fortunate and had experienced some very wet days.
It was certainly cold, though. After months of unusually warm weather, the sudden drop in temperature was quite a shock.
Our second walking day was a substantial one, covering around 17km with 1,150m of ascent. We headed south through the beautiful Fanes landscape, passing old mountain chalets, alpine pastures and the Rifugio Fanes before climbing towards Passo di Limo.
The final climb to Forcella del Lago at 2,486m is one of the highlights of this section, with the trail passing through a dramatic gap in the limestone cliffs.
As we made our way towards Cap Alpina, the weather finally began to improve. The clouds lifted, the sun appeared and we finished the day in much more pleasant conditions.
A short transfer took us to San Cassiano and the comfort of our hotel for the evening.
Lagazuoi, the Tofane and a Little Detour!
The following morning we took the cable car up to Lagazuoi, giving everyone an opportunity to explore some of the fascinating First World War tunnels and remains.
It's difficult to imagine the conditions endured by soldiers fighting in this extraordinary mountain environment. The Dolomites are full of reminders of this period of history, and Lagazuoi is one of the most interesting places to appreciate it.
By now the weather had transformed completely. Glorious sunshine and clear skies gave us exceptional views across the Tofane mountains. In fact, the scenery was so spectacular that keeping the group together became something of a challenge. Every time I looked around, someone had stopped to take another photograph. Herding cats springs to mind! I couldn't really complain, though, as I was clearly enjoying myself a little too much as well.
Below Rifugio Dibona, I was busy chatting and managed to miss the turning off the road. The result was an additional 2km of road walking before we rejoined the correct trail. Silly guide! That'll teach me to pay more attention rather than talking quite so much.
Our destination was Rifugio Scoiattoli, situated in a fabulous position beside the famous Cinque Torri. What an incredible place to spend the night. The views were outstanding, but the sunrise the following morning was something else entirely, with the first light illuminating the enormous limestone towers.
Definitely one of my favourite moments of the trek.
Passo Giau, Monte Pelmo and a Change of Plan
Another beautiful morning greeted us as we left Scoiattoli and made our way towards Passo Giau. The trail took us beneath Nuvolau, across the open landscapes of Mondeval di Sora and over Forcella Giau at 2,360m. This is a particularly lovely section of the Alta Via 1, with extensive views across the surrounding mountains and the enormous bulk of Monte Pelmo dominating the skyline.
Often referred to as the 'Throne of the Gods', Pelmo is one of the most distinctive mountains in the Dolomites. Our route continued towards Rifugio Città di Fiume, but a landslide had resulted in a path closure on the section towards Passo Staulanza. We therefore arranged an alternative taxi collection before the pass and transferred to Rifugio Palafavera for the night.
These things happen in the mountains, and being able to adapt the itinerary is an important part of guiding. We were certainly well looked after at Palafavera, where the evening meal was excellent and the portions extremely generous. Just what everyone needed after another full day on the trail!
The Magnificent Civetta – Lago Coldai to Rifugio Vazzoler
The next day took us into one of my favourite areas of the Dolomites, beneath the enormous rock walls of the Civetta massif. After our morning transfer, we climbed through forest and alpine pastures towards Rifugio Coldai at 2,132m, before continuing past the beautiful Lago Coldai.
The scenery here is quite extraordinary, with the sheer limestone walls of Civetta rising high above the trail. We made the additional climb to Rifugio Tissi, perched at 2,250m, and were rewarded with a fabulous lunch and magnificent views.
It's well worth making the effort to visit Tissi. Sitting outside the refuge, enjoying good Italian food beneath those enormous rock faces, is a pretty special experience.
From here, we descended towards Rifugio Vazzoler, our accommodation for the night. Having stayed at Vazzoler previously, I was particularly pleased to discover that the bathrooms had been renovated since my last visit. Anyone who regularly stays in mountain refuges will appreciate that this was a welcome improvement!
Another Glorious Day – Rifugio Vazzoler to Passo Duran
We were incredibly fortunate with the weather, and our next stage towards Passo Duran was another beautiful day. Leaving Vazzoler, we descended through lovely woodland before climbing steadily towards Forcella Col dell'Orso and Forcella del Camp.
The route offers wonderful views back towards Civetta, with a mixture of rocky mountain trails, larch woodland and open pasture. One of the highlights was our lunch stop at Rifugio Carestiato.
With the sunshine, beautiful surroundings and relaxed atmosphere, it was an idyllic place to stop. These are the moments when you really appreciate being able to spend your working day in the mountains!
From Carestiato, we followed the easier tracks down towards Passo Duran, where our minibus was waiting to transfer us to Agordo for the night.
A Big Day Ahead – Passo Duran to Pian de Fontana
Our penultimate walking day was always going to be one of the toughest, with approximately 18km of walking, 1,100m of ascent and the same amount of descent.
To complicate matters, the forecast was predicting deteriorating weather later in the day. We decided on an early start, taking a taxi from Agordo and getting onto the trail before 8am.
The priority was to maintain a good pace and get across the higher, more exposed terrain around Forcella de Zita Sud at 2,395m before the bad weather arrived. The group did brilliantly, keeping up a steady pace throughout the day.
We climbed through the forests and limestone terrain of the southern Dolomites, passing Forcella del Moschesin before continuing towards the more demanding high-level section of the route.
The landscape becomes increasingly wild and remote here, with far fewer signs of civilisation than on the northern sections of the Alta Via 1. Fortunately, the forecast bad weather held off, allowing us to cross the high ground and begin our descent towards Rifugio Pian de Fontana in good conditions.
Lisa was particularly helpful throughout the day, keeping an eye on the rear of the group while I concentrated on our progress and the changing weather. We arrived at Pian de Fontana feeling very pleased with ourselves.
It's a lovely mountain refuge, made all the more welcoming by Elena, who looked after us beautifully.
The bad weather eventually arrived that evening, by which time we were safely tucked up inside enjoying our final night in the mountains.
Perfect timing!
One Last Day – Rifugio Bianchet to Belluno
Our final morning dawned wet, but after the glorious weather we'd enjoyed over the previous days, we really couldn't complain.
Leaving Pian de Fontana, we descended through beautiful beech woodland before climbing towards Forcella La Varetta and continuing beneath the impressive Schiara massif.
The rain accompanied us for much of the morning, but spirits were lifted considerably by a stop at Rifugio Bianchet.
The cake was excellent and very much appreciated!
From here, we followed the final descending forest track towards La Pissa, where our minibus was waiting to take us to Belluno.
And, rather conveniently, the sun came out again just as we arrived in town.
There was time for everyone to have a wander around Belluno before we met for an early celebratory pizza, reflecting on the past eight days and sharing a few final laughs before saying our goodbyes.
Another Wonderful Alta Via 1 Adventure
I've guided and walked in the Dolomites many times, but the Alta Via 1 never loses its appeal.
From the limestone plateaux of the Fanes to the dramatic Tofane, the magnificent Civetta and the remote southern Dolomites, the variety of scenery is extraordinary.
This September trek certainly had a bit of everything: a chilly and unsettled start, some truly spectacular weather, a few unexpected changes to the itinerary, fabulous mountain refuges and a lovely group of people.
A big thank you to everyone who joined me, and particularly to Lisa for her invaluable support throughout the trek.
It was also great to have Toni along, experiencing the route from a trekker's perspective. That first-hand knowledge will be invaluable when helping future MBT clients plan their Dolomites adventures.
And a special thought for Roisin, who sadly couldn't join us this time.
After a busy summer behind the scenes at Mont Blanc Treks, spending eight days guiding in these magnificent mountains was a wonderful reminder of why I started the business in the first place.
Until the next adventure!
