Gillian Price - Shorter Walks in the Dolomites: 50 varied day walks in the mountains

About the Author

Gillian Price was born in England but moved to Australia when young. After taking a degree in anthropology and working in adult education, she set off to travel through Asia and trek the Himalayas. The culmination of her journey was Venice where, her enthusiasm fired for mountains, the next logical step was towards the Dolomites, only hours away. Starting there, Gillian is steadily exploring the mountain ranges and flatter parts of Italy, bringing them to life for visitors in a series of outstanding guides for Cicerone.

When not out walking with Nicola, her Venetian cartographer husband, Gillian works as a freelance travel writer (www.gillianprice.eu). An adamant promoter of public transport to minimise impact in alpine areas, Gillian is also an active member of the Italian Alpine Club and Mountain Wilderness.

Across the Eastern Alps: E5

Alpine Flowers

Gran Paradiso

Italys Sibillini National Park

The Tour of Bernina

Through the Italian Alps

Trekking in the Alps

Trekking in the Apennines

Trekking in the Dolomites

Walking and Trekking on Corfu

Walking in Corsica

Walking in Sicily

Walking in the Dolomites

Walking in Tuscany

Walking in Umbria

Walking on the Amalfi Coast

Walking the Italian Lakes

Walks and Treks in the Maritime Alps

Walking and Trekking in the Gran Paradiso

SHORTER WALKS
IN THE DOLOMITES

by Gillian Price

JUNIPER HOUSE, MURLEY MOSS,
OXENHOLME ROAD, KENDAL, CUMBRIA LA9 7RL
www.cicerone.co.uk

Gillian Price 2002, 2012, 2015

Third edition 2015 Reprinted 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 (with updates)

ISBN 9781783621798

Second edition 2012

First edition 2002

Printed in Czechia on responsibly sourced paper on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.

To my inspiring parents, Bet and Dave, on their 60th wedding anniversary.

Acknowledgements

The Fondazione Antonio Berti in Venice generously made available a copy of J Gilbert and GC Churchills fundamental 1864 work The Dolomite Mountains: Excursions through Tyrol, Carinthia, Carniola, and Friuli .

As usual, Nicola Regine excelled himself in mapmaking.

Updates to this Guide

While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/787/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to updayes@cicerone.co.uk or by post to Cicerone, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal LA9 7RL.

Register your book: To sign up to receive free updates, special offers and GPX files where available, register your book at www.cicerone.co.uk.

Warning

Mountain walking can be a dangerous activity carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. While every care and effort has been taken in the preparation of this guide, the user should be aware that conditions can be highly variable and can change quickly, materially affecting the seriousness of a mountain walk. Therefore, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accept liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this book.

To call out the Italian Mountain Rescue, call the emergency number 118: this will connect you via any available network.

Front cover: Rifugio Bolzano is backed by the splendid Catinaccio (Walk 34)

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo seen from Lago dAntorno (Walks 10 and 11)

The steep gully after Forcella Salares (Walk 24)

The magnificent Puez plateau seen from Passo di Valparola

ROUTE SUMMARY TABLE

INTRODUCTION

The Dolomites

A traveller who has visited all the other mountain-regions of Europe, and remains ignorant of the scenery of the Dolomite Alps, has yet to make acquaintance with Nature in one of her loveliest and most fascinating aspects.

John Ball, Guide to the Eastern Alps (1868)

The fantastic approach to the Nuvolau (Walk 21)

Like the Alps to which they belong, the astounding Dolomite mountains in northeast Italy were long regarded with awe and a good dose of fear by the populations of herders and woodcutters who clustered round their bases. It was not until the 1800s, and the advent of travelling, that the first leisure-seeking visitors, Britons for the most part, ventured through treacherous passes to marvel at the spectacular scenery and gape at the brilliant sunsets. Published accounts and guidebooks began to appear, and soon tourists and mountaineers from all over Europe flocked to explore the magnificent heights, which were untrodden until then except by the odd chamois hunter.

Nowadays, the fantastic Dolomites are an exciting and prime holiday destination in both summer and winter. Superbly located resorts are connected by excellent public transport and well-maintained roads, while an ultra-modern system of cable-cars and lifts whisks visitors to dizzy heights in a matter of minutes. It is a memorable alpine playground. Nature lovers will be delighted by the fascinating wildlife to be found in the vast expanses of magnificent forest and high-altitude rockscapes, not to mention the sweet alpine meadows that are transformed in summer into oceans of wild flowers straight out of The Sound of Music . High above are breathtakingly sheer bastions and spires of delicately pale rock in an enthralling succession of bizarre sculpted shapes. This is all easily appreciated thanks to a great network of signed paths and welcoming refuges, where lunch and refreshments can be enjoyed with a beautiful alpine backdrop thrown in for free. By exploring the vast extent of the spectacular Dolomites, this guidebook offers a selection of exciting walks suitable for walkers of all ages, abilities and energy. Routes range from straightforward leisurely strolls to strenuous outings, and each can be completed in a single day.