This adventure starts from Pecol, in the Zoldana Valley under the Civetta massif.
Relying on the Tissi refuge and Carestiato for 2 nights, the goal is to complete the Civetta ring.

Day 1

I leave the car at the Pecol cable car parking lot, I take the path that leads to the Coldai refuge. A short break and I immediately reach the Coldai lake where I have a quick lunch. From here I set off again to reach a fork that overlooks the vertical wall of the Civetta. The Tissi refuge seems not far away, in reality it takes more than an hour to reach it. I reach the Tissi and from here I enjoy an incredible view of both the Civetta and Alleghe, look at the photos and the video to believe it.

Day II

Wake up at 7.00, have a big breakfast and set off again. The first part of the trail is downhill and very quiet; you reach the Vazzoler refuge for a short break. From here you set off again and shortly after a very challenging part of the trail begins, No. 554. You first cross a very thick and steep forest, immediately after a scree begins with continuous ups and downs and the crossing of exposed points. You pass two forks and the trail turns left for a more wooded section. Last fork and you can already glimpse the Carestiato refuge. After another 45 minutes of walking I reach the refuge quite tired.

Day III

Today too, breakfast is just after dawn. I begin the last day that will take me back to the starting point. The first part of the trail is very quiet. I pass the Duran pass keeping more internal to the road, shortly after I reach the road that I decide to follow until the village of Chiesa. From here a climb begins first on an asphalt road until reaching Casera della Grava then on a dirt road until Forcella della Grava. From here a descent begins on a path that shortly after crosses the ski slopes that go down to Pecol. Here a nice cold beer awaits me.

The path traveled in the first two days is a section of the Alta Via 1 of the Dolomites. There are many foreigners who travel it. I met Americans, Spanish, Germans, Asians... very few Italians who stayed overnight in the two refuges.
I also met a couple of Germans who were doing the Monaco Venezia, a 28-day, 600km trek, admirable.

Today I’m going to tell you about the adventure I had while doing the Alta via di Merano.
I left on a Sunday after having climbed the Muta cable car to 1400 meters above sea level, near Tirolo, near Merano.
From here began my 5 days of walking which led me to travel over 90KM, overcome 5100 meters in altitude, through enchanting valleys, passes at almost 3000 meters above sea level, immersed in a wonderful landscape, made up of streams, waterfalls, lakes and guarded by the locals through farmsteads and shelters.
I rode it clockwise, with stages ranging from 14 km to a maximum of 23 km.

I Day

Departure from the arrival point of the Muta cable car, arrival at the Pirchhof farm, 18.3 KM. Very nice stretch made of suspension bridges to cross, from a continuous ups and downs. Along this stretch there are several places to eat or stay overnight. I think it was the most challenging stretch, especially the final part, when I started the gorge of the 1000 steps.

II day

Start at Pirchof farm, finish at Rableidalm farm, 18.7 km. This section is much more regular than the previous one, it crosses several farmsteads up to Monte Santa Caterina, after which there are none up to the 3 farmsteads present on the northern side of the Val di Fossa, at an altitude of 2000 masl.

III day

Start at the Rableidalm farm, finish at the Zeppichl farm, 17.5 km. This is the most suggestive part of the whole trek. You reach the almost 3000 masl of the Gelato pass. The path that goes up is very regular, highly visible and free of dangers. Immediately after the pass you can see the Petrarca refuge. The descent is a little more nervous, especially after the middle, when it becomes steeper and less paved. Added to this was bad weather with pouring rain that complicated everything. At the end of the descent it is mandatory to stop at the Malga Lazinser to eat, and in my case to put on something dry. Immediately afterwards we set off again to reach the village of Zeppichl where I stayed overnight.

IV day

Start at Zeppichl farm, finish at Magdfeld farm, 23 km. This is the smoothest and longest section, for 20 km there is a constant descent to the minimum altitude of 800 masl, the last 3 km goes up to 1150 masl where I find my overnight stop

V day

Departure from the farm Magdfeld, arrival at the Muta cable car, 14 km. Last day, shorter stretch, but not to be underestimated, like the whole stretch that leads to the south side of the trek, it has challenging sections, with sudden descents and just as much uphill. I reach the starting point and go down to the car park with the La Muta cable car.

There are many tips for a trek of this type, I will show you the ones that in my opinion I considered important.

1. Decide where to start from, and based on this divide the route into equal parts as a distance.
2. Contact the farms where you will spend the nights.
3. Light backpack, with a maximum of 2 equal pairs for each type of garment (shirts, trousers, underwear, socks) then a fleece for the cold and definitely a rain jacket and hat. Slippers for when you stay on the farm. Canteen. Optional a sleeping bag and towel (the farms supply a sleeping bag and towels).
4. Good training... the route in the southern part is very nervous, continuous ups and downs very challenging.
5. Beware of the Val di Fosse, north side, complete absence of telephone coverage and therefore also internet. Furthermore, from Monte Santa Caterina to the first farm in Val di Fosse, 11 km, there are no places to eat.
6. I found cool days, but if you are in July/August the heat could be a problem, sunscreen required.

Since the snow does not arrive this year, why not take a hike above 2000 meters?
The initial idea was this, in particular to reach the Bell Tower of Val Montanaia starting from the Pordenone refuge . However, once I reached the entrance to the Val Cimoliana, I found the road closed, and from that point to the Pordenone refuge there are almost 10 km.
At first I did not understand the reason for this choice (to close the road) but as I continued I began to understand why. In November, on the occasion of the disturbances that upset the north-east, this valley was also not spared. At the beginning the road was damaged or interrupted by small landslides, but having reached the hut 3-4 km from the refuge the devastation is absolute, all the way swept away by an enormous mass of material dropped from the scree. In this way the refuge becomes unreachable by car, only a feet you can reach it.
Once I reached the refuge, a little for the hour but above all for the uncertainty of what I could find going up the path that leads to the bell tower (also from the gorge that goes up to the bell tower a lot of material has come down), I preferred to give up, enjoy the view and immediately start the return.

The valley is certainly very beautiful, it deserves to be visited ... we will see this summer if all the damage caused by bad weather has been repaired. Surely the hut will be accessible by car, beyond this point I see it a little badly.

Today I leave with my family from the Monte Croce sul Comelico pass, on the border between the provinces of Belluno and that of Bolzano.
We park on the right as soon as we pass the indication for the pass. From here we take the path 131 which runs along a well-trodden dirt road for the first few kilometers.
This is the most demanding stretch from an elevation point of view.
After this part of the path begins a shorter one made of wooden walkways to cross swampy stretches or peat bogs. This is certainly the most suggestive part of the path.
Last stretch and we reach the Malga Di Nemes Refuge .

As this was the border during World War I, there are many remains, from the Bunkers located near the path to the high-altitude tunnels visible on the opposite side from ours.

First hike of the year and now it gets interesting ....
The company has three of these elements ... maybe I’m the most scarce, and actually the last ramp, when the slope exceeds 40%, the fatigue begins to be felt ...
We start from the S.Liberale Valley to reach Cimagrappa. Are 14.00, then probably reach the top when it is dark.
But this time do not go up the path for the 151 but 153 (unusual for me). The first is that we reach the top of the Monte Meatte at 1500, the theater of bloody battles during the First World War. The last stretch of the climb is gorgeous. The path which runs along the mule track dug by the military 100 years ago, it climbs along narrow hairpin bends and often slips into short tunnels. Reaching the top the trail turns left to descend to 100 meters in altitude and reach the Pian della Bala .
This is probably the most spectacular stretch, the trail has been carved from the mountainside , there are many galleries and passages exposed though never dangerous, there is also a wooden bridge supported by ropes .... reminds me of the path of the 52 galleries on Pasubio.
Last effort and the Pian della Bala we reach a fork called Cross of Lebi . From here the refuge I now see you at our height although still distant. Predictably we reach the refuge which is now dark. We eat something warm and after an hour in the heat go out under an incredible starry sky and let us go up to the monument of the Fallen.
To keep us company there is a nice little dog, which for some kilometers takes us along the path and at the end it escorts you to the car. After a brief visit to the monument we reach the road and from there we take the path 151 that will take us to the starting point.
At the end it is about 18 km walk with 1500 m in altitude .... not bad.

The trail has little danger, is one of the great war mule track, then built for the transportation of goods with a much larger venue. Under heavy snowfall this security could wane and make the very dangerous path.