This is a much much MUCH delayed post. Life got crazy after I took this Dolomites backpacking trip (I started NP school whilst also working full-time). While I have heard this trip is doable on your own, I decided to use a tour company that provided me with a self-guided walking tour: Alpine Exploratory. They booked all my “huts,” accommodations, and arranged my hotel booking the day before/after. The company also arranged to have the rest of my luggage delivered to my final destination hotel site. Their maps, how to prepare, and daily route cards were extremely useful and informative.

The company was highly communicative and flexible. I changed group members, switched dates– and even postponed the trip (due to Covid), with ease. The company cancelled, changed, and rebooked all our different stages with the hotels and rural Rifugios seamlessly as my plans changed in the months leading up to the trek. Highly recommend (Note: I ended up completing this backpacking trip in Mid-Sept 2021, during COVID).

I trekked with a group of 4 and completed the 4-stage trail route, starting in Lago di Braies and ending in Cortina. If I had had more time, I would have gone further but I was on a financial and time crunch.

Some things I wish I had known:
– Although there are no via ferrata sections, the terrain can be incredibly steep; ensure you have broken-in hiking shoes and carry way less than you think you need. Try to go as light as possible, which should not be an issue considering you are staying in huts/rifugios along the way
– The so-called “huts” or rifugios are well-maintained hotels/hostels. Do not be deceived by the wording. Decent food to be had. I don’t recall having any complaints about the beds. All of the rifugios are very clean and well-maintained. Also plenty of beer at every stop. (Fun fact: on day 2 of the trek, we reached Rifugio Lavarella, the highest brewery in Europe!)
– I pretty much cycled through the same clothes, with the exception of extra underwear and socks. It can get cold and rainy (in Sept). I only carried one jacket; dress in layers. Mostly wore leggings throughout the trip.

Day 1: Lago di Braies to Rifugio Sennes
• difficulty: hard
• distance: 5.6 miles
• elevation gain: 3,034 ft

It was allllllll uphill. Not just uphill, it was STEEP AF. On one of the trickier sections, we traversed across the cliff ledge with nothing but a steel cable to hold, all while balancing with our backpack weight. Some of the steps on the trail have been half my height. I hoped to have a rockin’ ass by end of trip 😂. Fun day? Not quite but it did give us a sneak preview of the varied terrain that lies ahead. Beautiful views but we could not have been more happy to descend from the mountain & see our hut for the night

Day 2 trek: Italian Dolomite Alps, Alta Via 1 North route
• point to point: Rifugio Sennes to Rifugio Lavarella
• difficulty (in terms of the AV1): “easy”
• distance: 5.9 miles

This was our fairly easy trek day since the incline wasn’t as dramatic. We hiked up with some steep hairpins down before making our way to our next stop, Rifugio Lavarella, the highest brewery in Europe 🍺. While not the most difficult, it was the least favorite day, lacking excitement, and we were just drained from the steep hike up from the day prior. The squad could barely muster up the energy to have beers at the Rifugio before crashing into a hard nap 😂.

Day 3 trek: Italian Dolomite Alps-Alta Via 1 North route
• point to point: Rifugio Lavarella to Rifugio Lagazuoi
• difficulty: hard
• distance: 7 miles
• elevation gain: 3,986 ft

“To trudge: the slow, weary, depressing yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on.” -A Knight’s Tale

There was a lot of “trudging” going on in the latter half of this leg of the route. 😅 BUT THE VIEWS THOUGH 🏔

Although littered with sweeping views, this ascent into the mountains was brutal along zigzagging cliffsides. Switchback after switchback led to a series of more switchbacks lol. Our trek started off lovely, meeting the Dolomite locals (horses, donkey, alpacas, marmots) but took a turn for the worse as we began to climb to the peak.

The mountain mist moved in, the drizzle began and the cold seeped in despite how hard I had to work to put one foot in front of the other to traverse steps half my size while carrying my oversized pack. And yet, the switchbacks continued on.

At one point, the mist set in so thick, we could hardly see past the cliff ledges. We made it JUST in time to our accommodations, Rifugio Lagazuoi, the highest & the largest mountain hut in Cortina d’Ampezzo and boasting the most panoramic terrace in the Dolomites, before the rainstorm set in.

Day 4 trek: Rifugio Lagazuoi to Cortina, Italy
• difficulty: hard
• distance: 3.5 miles
• descent: 2,600 feet

This last leg of our trek was BRUTAL on the knees. However, we could not have been blessed with better views. The crew was STOKED to get off the mountain and onto solid ground. It was a rocky traverse coming down from the peak but our spirits were high.

Cortina was a beautiful town to arrive in and the mountains surrounding it was drool-worthy, as were the pizzas and beers we had at the pizza shop in town.

On a side note: I did lose 6 lbs on this trek, even drinking my way through beers at every rifugio 😆.