Alta via 1 – Day 1
Hiking the Italian Dolomites
- Lago de Braies to Rifugio Sennes
- 10.2km
- 6.5 hours
- 13,588 steps
- 3,344 calories (Garmin) 2,959 calories (Myzone)
- Ascent 1324m
- Descent 685m
- Max elevation 2388m
After a comfortable stay at Hotel Aquila in Cortina d’Ampezzo, we set out to find our way to the trail head in Lago de Braies (LDB). We were confused about whether we were supposed to get a bus to Lago di Braies or Pragser Wildesee until we learned that many places in this region have both an Italian name and German name. So for those who prefer German, we headed out to Pragser Wildesee.
I am going to give a fair bit of detail about getting from Cortina to LDB, because frankly I found it difficult to find specific information about this journey. So, if you aren’t interested in the boring details of the bus rides, skip the next few paragraphs!
Getting to LDB involves two buses, the 445 from Cortina to Dobbiaco (or, Toblach for those who prefer German), and then the 442 from Dobbiaco to LDB.
A helpful lady in the tourist information office let us know that the 442 tickets (the second bus) needed to be purchased in advance, while the 445 tickets are purchased when you board the bus. This leaves you with the dilemma of relying on the 445 to get you to Dobbiaco in time for you to get the designated 442 for which you have a pre-purchased, non-transferable ticket. We bought our 442 tickets online for a bus scheduled to leave about half an hour after the 445 arrived (to allow time in case the 445 was running late).
The 445 bus stop (picture 2) is near the Olympic Stadium in Cortina, which was a ten minute walk from our hotel. “Olympic Stadium” did not come up in a google or apple maps search, so I asked the receptionist at the hotel where it was, and she pointed us in the right direction. The 445 bus ride took about 45 mins.
The 442 in Dobbiaco left from the same place the 445 arrives at (i.e. the Dobbiaco bus station). It turned out we had plenty of time between buses. A short explore around Dobbiaco revealed a public toilet, which we availed ourselves of, then we went back to the bus stop to wait for the 442. The bus numbers are signposted at the bus stop, so it’s not hard to figure out where it will pull in. The 442 bus ride took about half an hour.
We had been advised to get to LDB by 8.30am to have a coffee and enjoy this beautiful spot before starting our hike. BUT the first 445 bus out of Cortina was at 8.10am and it’s nearly a two hour journey so we got to LDB about 10.15am. (I had seen online info that there were buses from 7am in Cortina, but certainly when we were there, the earliest one was 8.10am). Knowing that a serious ascent was in front of us, we found another loo, I donned World’s Greatest Hat, then we set out on our big hike.
Our hike for the day was from LDB to Rifugio Sennes, where we had a private room booked. Day 1 is unforgiving and only a taste of what was to come. 10km doesn’t seem like much, but add a total ascent of 1324m combined with a fairly technical track, a late start and an imperative to get to your rifugio before 5.00pm, and you have a recipe for exhaustion.
LDB is lovely, and a popular tourist spot for hikers and non-hikers. The hike started by skirting around the right side of the lake. We navigated the day-walkers, families with prams, and cows, admiring this gorgeous clear aqua blue lake as we scooted on by. After about 1.7km we found where the trail heads uphill and started the ascent (picture 6). My method for getting up long steep inclines is to find a pace I can maintain without having to stop to catch my breath… and not stop to catch my breath. I activated *slow mode* whilst Steve walked ahead at his own pace.
In hindsight, this ascent might have been easier if we had actually stopped for a break. But we were concerned about making it to the Rifugio on time, so we shlepped on uphill for the next 4km, which took (me) about 3.5 hours. As we climbed, the views of LDB were unfolding behind us, so we remembered to turn around every so often to take them in.
The track was typical of the Dolomites, rocky and gravelly, with some technical parts. At one point there is an iron rope attached to a cliff face, for security as you traverse a particularly hairy drop-away, and further up there are some large rocks that need two hands for hoisting oneself up. Steve was amused by the sight of me clambering up.
At around 3.00pm and 6km mark we topped our first forcella (mountain pass), Sora Forno (2388m) then shortly after reached Rifugio Biella. We stopped for a very late lunch and a bit of a rest for about 45 mins. I had the beetroot pasta, which was salty but otherwise OK.
We then pressed on to Rifugio Sennes, reaching there about 4.50pm. The walk between Biella and Sennes was blessedly easy in comparison to the climb to Biella . We said hi to some more cows and heard a marmot squeaking but didn’t see it. I was so thankful to see the Rifugio over the final rise (picture 14). It looked like it was five mins away, but it took another 20 min to pick my way carefully down the slope to get there.
We had a comfortable private room with our own bathroom and we were allocated our own table for two at dinner (it is the usual protocol for the rifugios to allocate seats to their guests). Later that evening we bonded with our first fellow hikers over the need to find the best spot for good wifi, Tanji and Kent from Maine USA. It turned out that Tanji and Kent were booked into the same rifugios as us for the first five nights, and we were delighted to have their company for wifi hunting and dinner for the next few days. The rifugios always have a great outdoor area with awesome views.
If I was to do the AV1 again, on Day 1 I would consider splurging on a taxi to get to LDB early, to enjoy the lake but also to have a more leisurely uphill haul with time to take a break. Or, research an alternative first day: whilst LDB is the official starting point, it is possible to get transport to other starting points for a slightly less brutal walk for one’s first day. Subsequent days are no less brutal, but it was a bit of a shock to my system on day 1.
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