Route: Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Area: Dolomites, Italy
Date of walk: 18th June 2018
Walkers: Andrew, Gilly and James
Distance: 6.4 miles
Ascent: 1,600 feet
Weather: Sunny intervals, light rain towards the end
The Tre Cime di Lavaredo is probably the best known mountain group in the Dolomites, and a circuit of the group makes for a magnificent outing, with the added bonus that the paths are perfectly safe and straightforward. This is a route that every keen walker should follow once, but perhaps not twice, for reasons which will become apparent
The three peaks, from east to west, are:
- Cima Piccola (“little peak”)
- Cima Grande (“big peak”) – the highest of the group at 9,839 feet
- Cima Ovest (“western peak”)
We parked at the Rifugio Auronzo, at an altitude of 7,600 feet, which can only be reached via a toll road managed by the local council – the current cost for a car being €30. We were aware from our research that the walk is a popular one, and anticipated that setting off on a Monday early in the hiking season would minimise the numbers of fellow walkers. This proved to be wishful thinking as the paths were very busy at times, including several very large and loud guided groups
This minor grumble aside, it was a highly spectacular walk with huge views in all directions. The Tre Cime are not well seen at first as the path runs directly beneath them, but nearer the Rifugio Locatelli there are wonderful views of the spectacular sheer faces of the group. Our arrival at the Rifugio marked the furthest point of the walk, and from here there followed a descent to the lovely undulating Pian da Ria basin with superb views of the Tre Cime ahead of us
We then ascended a path from the basin to Forcella Col di Mezzo, at which point it started raining and so we wasted no time in completing the final stretch back to the start. We were glad to have visited this amazing place and had no regrets at all. For anyone else following this route, and seeking peace and solitude amidst awesome scenery, I’d recommend coming out of season, or arriving very early in order to avoid the crowds
Click on the icon below for the route map
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Not many car parks can boast views like this - the start of today's walk from Rifugo Auronzo
we leave the car park to follow a path running along the foot of the Tre Cime - not well seen from here as we are too close to them
The jagged spires of Cadini di Misurina
Looking up to Tre Cime
A small commemorative chapel for the alpine forces - the area was involved in WW1 and the the caves seen later on are a reminder of the fighting which went on here
The incredible Cadini peaks again
Looking down to two WW1 memorial stones. In this wild landscape Austro-Hungarian and Italian soldiers fought each other from 1915-1917
Croda Passaporto
Tre Cime
The Cadini spires again...
Tre Cime
Looking back along the path from Forcella Lavaredo
We pass by a bank of snow at the foot of Tre Cime
Rifugio Locatelli in the distance, marking the halfway point of the walk
Scree slopes at the foot of Croda Passaporto
We follow a wonderful path below Monte Paterno
Rifugio Locatelli, with Sasso di Sesto above it
Ever improving views of the Tre Cime...
...and wondrous views to our left
We continue along the foot of Monte Paterno...
Tre Cime
We follow the zigzag path towards the refuge
A series of caves just above and to the left of the refuge may be visited, but we passed by without stopping as there were too many folk about
Looking down to the Pian da Rin basin, which we'll cross on the homeward leg
James and I made a short detour to one of the wartime caves
A view back along our path
Monte Paterno and Tre Cime as we passed by Rifugio Locatelli
Start of the return leg...
We have to make a descent and then a re-ascent up the path running diagonally left to right
Looking across to our earlier path as we descend into Pian Da Rin...
Spectacular views of Tre Cime along this section of the walk
Looking down to the ascent back to the start, where we had to overtake several very large and noisy groups of walkers, making this section of the walk unsatisfactory
A view back to Pian da Rin
We start to loop around the other end of the Tre Cime...
We pass by a small lake at the foot of Tre Cime
Dwarf pine at the foot of the scree slopes
Last photo of Tre Cime as we round the western side of the group
At this point black clouds rolled in, it started raining, and the camera has to be stowed away - the remainder of the walk, another 15 minutes or so, took us along the other side of Tre Cime to complete a wonderful circuit
On the way back to Corvara we stopped the car to take a couple of photos in good light
Alpine flowers in the Pian Da Rin
