After a few days of acclimation and relaxation in Padova and Feltre we started walking the Alta Via 1 near Belluno. The first day we walked up through a forest to our first Rifugio, Bianchet, with only glimpses of the mountain peaks surrounding us.
The First Day
On our second day we walked about four miles in eight hours to Rifugio Pramperet, ascending almost 5000 feet and descending about 3000 feet.
The next two days we continued ascending and descending, sometimes through forests, but mostly over scree and rocks. The views of the rocky peaks slowly changing, but always astonishingly beautiful.
On the fourth day we arrived at Rifugio Vizzoler in T-shirts and shorts, wet with sweat. In the morning we left in long wool underwear and jackets.
We walked about a mile until we lost the trail in the snow. We turned around and walked seven miles down to the nearest town and caught a bus to our next stop, Rifugio Passo Staulanza, which thankfully was near the road.
The next day we had a wonderful walk through the snowy mountains to Croda da Lago and down to Cortina D’Ampezzo.
