Wanderings on and off the Alta Via 2 trek in the Italian Dolomites
First of all let me say that this report doesn't cover the whole Alta Via 2 trek. If you are looking for a complete trek report and tips I can recommend you visit Brooke Beyond
This report details my experiences on the Alta Via 2 trek (AV2) in July 2024. My wife, Kiersten and I completed the first half on the AV2, but the possibility of stormy weather had us heading for lower ground. We spent the second week of our holiday mirroring the AV2 but at a lower level. We enjoyed this alternative experience but it was only the possibility of further unsettled weather and a touch of accumulated fatigue that kept us from rejoining the AV2 trail.
It is quite a long and comprehensive read but the hope is it may help give information to others who are thinking of visiting the area.
Firstly, a 15 minute video of the trek to set the scene
Contents
Day by Day
- Day 1 - Bressanone - Prose Hutte - Rifugio Genova
- Day 2 - Rifugio Genova - Rifugio Puez
- Day 3 - Rifugio Puez - Rifugio Pisciadu
- Day 4 - Rifugio Pisciadu - Rifugio Castiglioni Marmolada
- Day 5 - Rifugio Castiglioni Marmolada - Passo San Pellegrino (Hotel Costabella)
- Day 6 - Passo San Pellegrino to Rifugio Passo Valles
- Day 7 - Rifugio Passo Valles - Passo Rolle - San Martino di Castrozza (Hotel Miramonte)
- Day 8 - San Martino di Castrozza - Val Canali (Albergo Cant del Gal)
- Day 9 - Val Canali - Passo Cereda - Sagron (Hotel Chalet Giaseni)
- Day 10 - Sagron (Hotel Chalet Giaseni)
- Day 11 - Sagron - Fiera di Primiero (Hotel Castel Pietra)
Getting there
We flew into Treviso (unfortunately with Ryanair). Treviso is a lovely city and the airport and train station are but a short walk or bus ride from each other. Our friends, Jill and Pete, were flying in the following morning so we stayed just outside the city at the Hotel Al Giardino (good). A 45 minute walk in the next day to the train station to meet our friends.
The train leg of our journey to the start at Bressanone (Brixen) involved a change of trains at both Vicenza and Verona. Unfortunately we got confused, got off at the wrong stop in Verona and missed our connection to Bressanone. What dummies. We alighted onto the platform to a deserted station reminiscent of the movie "Once Upon A Time in the West" (see video below) or Butch and Sundance arriving in Bolivia!
Feeling foolish we eventually connected with a later DeutscheBahn train to Bressanone. We had paid extra for reserved seating but in fact had to spend the entire two hours of the journey standing up with our bags in the aisle. Complaint incoming! Nice scenery though.
Early evening and, just a couple of hours later than scheduled, we arrived at the start point of the Alta Via 2 in Bressanone and went to our comfortable shared room accommodation (Hotel Alter Schlachthof). A nice night was spent enjoying Beer/Aperol Spritz refreshments sat in the street bars of this lively town.
Logistics
Train travel is reasonable value if you can organise the connections and you don't get off at the wrong stop!
However, we found local bus transport the most cost effective and easiest to use. Trentino Transporti has a good app that we found useful. Important to check in though prior to departure (as per airlines).
Prices we paid:
- Passo Rollo to San Martino di Castrozza €2 per person
- Fiera di Primiero to Feltre €6 per person
- Feltre to Treviso €6 per person
Refuges
In general they all are of a very high standard but need to be reserved in advance especially for July and August. This undoubtedly means a lack of flexibility when it comes to route choice or weather dependent objectives. It's a bit rigid.
All refuges offer some small dormitory options, some even with personal rooms. Food is wholesome and good in most cases although we did find the prices high. I guess being the only alternative around in most cases means that they can charge what they want? In the north the food is Germanic/Italian and the further south you get it slowly turns to pure Italian.
All refuges had free WiFi except the Rifugio Rosetta which has us worried for a while at the lack of communication from our friends.
Expect to pay between €80 and €90 per person per night half board. Being a member of an alpine club will get you discounts (maybe €17/night) in CAI affiliated refuges.
Hotels
Using Booking we stayed at hotels in the towns of San Martino di Castrozza (Miramonti) and in Fiera di Primiero (Hotel Castel Pietra). Both super lively towns with lots of bars and restaurants around. We ate out and enjoyed staying there. Much better value than eating at the hotels themselves.
We also used Booking to reserve our accommodation at Cant del Gal (Val Canali) and at Hotel Chalet Giaseni (Sagron). These were the only options around, lovely places to stay but expensive.
We spent the final two nights in the town of Feltre (Via Paradise 32 and Hotel Doriguzzi)
Breakfasts throughout were amazing.
Expect to pay between €100 and €160 for a double room in the towns for bed and breakfast. Cheaper options will exist if you search around.
Meeting fellow thru hikers
One of the nice things about long distance trails like the one were on, is the people from all walks of life that you meet along the way. The common denominator for all is the trail itself and it unites.
We have met people from the US, Korea, Germany, UK, Spain and Romania amongst others. Each night we meet up at the next refuge and talk about the day adventures and discuss plans for the day to come. Much chat and ideas about lightweight gear normally ensues. An eye is also kept out for them at the next refuge. They become trail mates and a certain camaraderie develops.
Packing List
We had to carry all our belongings for two weeks on our backs. You have to be ruthless. Our base weight (excluding water) was 6.5 kilograms.
Looking back on our itinerary and the condition we encountered, we didn't really need Via Ferrata gear nor Micro Spikes. In Mid July there was no difficult late season snow to cross that wasnt soft. The protected cable sections were easy (Grade 1 Via ferrata) so no need for gear. Those items would have saved us 700 grams. I also didnt use a puffer jacket (150g) nor trousers (229g).
Aftermath
First week was on the Alta Via 2 and the second week making our own way on deserted trails, over narrow passes and alpine pastures. My watch tells me we have covered 130 kilometres with over 7000 metres of ascent/descent. No wonder the old legs are showing signs of accumulated fatigue.
And what a blast it has been. We loved it. Even carrying all our gear over the mountains for two weeks! Apart from the dramatic scenery we have met some interesting people, stayed in incredible places and eaten great food. We are already thinking of coming back and using some refuges as a base for via ferrata (see below).
Thanks to Jill and Pete for their organisation and companionship on the AV2 and of course to Kiersten for being the ultimate hiking buddy.
Future Plans
Our bodies when we returned to Spain told us we had done the right thing by having an easier second week. We were both tired and worn out, not only by the hiking, but by the travelling too.
However it did leave us with a feeling that we had missed out on some of the more technical sections of the AV2. To this end we intend to return, maybe in September 2025 to do a series of pure via ferrata routes in the Pale de San Martino range. We can use a couple of refuges as a base and from there do hikes or more technical via ferrata, without the constant pressure to get from A to B each day. To this end, the AV2 trek has been a very useful source of information.
Day 1 - Bressanone - Prose Hutte - Rifugio Genova
16 km and 1067 m ascent
This was supposed to be a gentle introduction, but I still found this a tough first day on the trail, even though we utilised the gondola from San Andrea to get to 2000 metres rather easily and rapidly. A steady uphill saunter stretched the legs and got us up to the Plose Hütte within the hour. To the south we could see many spectacular, jagged mountain ranges disappearing into the distance. Our route to come over the following days.
Then it was a descent initially through open alpine pastures and then steep forested hillsides to the Passo Rodella where we probably made the mistake of stopping at the Rodelalm (1880m) for apfel strudel and cold beer. Enjoyable but a mistake nevertheless, because the following two hours were very hard work in the afternoon heat and humidity as we ascended steeply to the pass at Forcella de Putia (2360m).
The walk round the head of the green upper valleys to the Rifugio Genova (2306m) was delightful, amid swathes of wild flowers and the adorable, chirping marmots.