🏔️ Trail: Tre Vie ferrate, Tre Cime di Lavaredo - Via ferrata Alberto Bonacossa (B) - Via ferrata Innerkofler De Luca (B) - Via ferrata Toree di Toblin (C)
🥾 Type: Loop
🚩 Trailhead: Google Maps

⚠️ Difficulty: 6/5
🚶 Distance: 31.85 km
⛰️ Ascent: 2380 m
🕒 Duration: 8h 35m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX file: Download

🏡 Accommodation: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Location: Google Maps

I visited Tre Cime di Lavaredo back in 2024 - it was the last spot I hit before leaving Italy and the Dolomites.

A year later, I found myself in the exact same place and, just like before, I decided to make it the grand finale of my Italian road trip. But this time, unlike last time, I wanted to do something truly spectacular.

The Tre Cime di Lavaredo are easily one of the most iconic symbols of the Dolomites, thanks to those incredible limestone towers that draw tourists from all over the world.

A particularly interesting phenomenon here is the enrosadira, where the limestone rocks change color at sunset, turning from pale white to a fiery pink.

Since 2009, this massif has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

They consist of three towers of different heights that are a true paradise for alpinists:

• Cima Grande (2,999 m): the middle and highest peak.

• Cima Ovest (2,973 m): the western peak and second highest.

• Cima Piccola (2,857 m): the eastern and lowest peak.

Since I’m not an alpinist, I came up with the idea to do a long circular tour around the massif via three different via ferratas—one for each of the three towers that make up this massif.

I symbolically named it Tre Vie Ferrate - Tre Cime di Lavaredo, or in translation: three ferratas for three peaks. Good job, me. 🙂

The route includes the following ferratas:

• Via Ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa

• Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca

• Via Ferrata Torre di Toblin

I had a very long and exhausting day ahead of me, so I hit the trail earlier than usual.

By 9:00 AM, I was already on the shores of Lake Misurina (Lago di Misurina, 1,754 m), which was the starting point for the route I had planned.

This time, I started on the other side of the lake, taking a path that runs right along the shore at the edge of the forest. I have to say, the lake definitely earns its title as the “Pearl of the Dolomites”.

If the morning was anything to go by - this was going to be a beautiful day.

The entire landscape around the lake looked unreal, like someone had spilled paint across a canvas.

It was easily the most beautiful start to a trail I’ve experienced on this trip.

Usually, I have to work pretty hard to earn a view like this, but here, I got it right at the very start.

The trail led me to the bottom station of the Col de Varda cable car, which goes up to the mountain hut of the same name - Rifugio Col de Varda (2,106 m).

Since I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, I didn’t want to take the gondola, so I hiked up to the mountain hut on foot.

From the lake to the hut, there’s a gravel road that winds through a dense forest, right under the cable car, with zero views. On any other day, I definitely would have taken the gondola to the top - though even that’s debatable, considering a return ticket is 15 euros.

In about forty minutes, I reached the hut and had the first of many Coca-Colas that day. 🙂

The hut is located at the base of the Cadini di Misurina massif, and its terrace offers a direct view of the Cristallo massif and Lake Misurina, as well as the Monte Piana massif, where I was just yesterday. From this perspective, it really looks like a flat plate, as if someone just sliced off the top.

But I didn’t come to the mountain hut just to enjoy the views.

Right from the hut, trail number 117 begins, better known as Sentiero Bonacossa - a famous but demanding path that leads through the heart of the Cadini di Misurina massif. In many guidebooks, this trail is classified as an easy Category B via ferrata (moderately difficult) because of the specific sections found along the way.

It’s a mix of hiking over rocky terrain and secured sections with steel cables and ladders. In certain spots, it’s very exposed and requires a total lack of fear of heights.

I didn’t hang around for long; I immediately hit trail 117, which leads literally from the hut itself across scree and small rocks. You’re moving parallel to Lake Misurina and the Cristallo massif the entire time, enjoying the views - though you’ll probably spend more time watching your step so you don’t end up rolling down the slope.

As I got closer to the Forcella Misurina mountain pass (2,380 m), the trail started getting steeper, and it became pretty clear why this is considered an easy via ferrata rather than a classic hiking trail.

I was met with a pretty demanding climb, where in certain parts I had to squeeze between rocks and climb up steps carved directly into the stone. It was a fairly exposed section, and there was no safety cable in sight.

Once I reached the pass, I caught my first glimpse of the ultimate goal - Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

So close, yet so far.

Behind me, the Sorapis massif (Sorapiss) was visible in the distance. I tried to catch a glimpse of the lake with the same name, but no luck.

The descent from the pass was even sketchier. I was faced with a very steep trail that was secured with cables in many places, and on certain sections, you literally have to climb down the rock faces themselves.

The path led me deep into the stone basin of Cadin della Neve, which felt like descending into hell because of the jagged rock formations surrounding me.

It’s more than clear why they call this massif the “Mordor of the Dolomites” - between those two peaks, the only thing missing was the Eye of Sauron to complete the vibe.

From the bottom of the basin, an even steeper zig-zag climb started toward the next mountain pass, Forcella del Diavolo (2,500 m) - or literally, the Devil’s Pass.

The name says it all.

That’s where I hit what was easily the most brutal climb of the day. Just before the top of the pass, I was met with a series of metal ladders that I had to haul myself up. When you reach them already exhausted, it’s no small feat - I was absolutely gassed.

But once I reached the top of the pass, I was hit with an even better view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

It looked as if the jagged peaks of the Cadini di Misurina massif were guarding the Tre Cime, acting like the final line of defense I had to cross.

But it only looked that way, because the trail completely bypassed them and headed toward the Rifugio Fonda Savio (2,367 m) mountain hut.

From the top of the pass, I had an easier descent over the scree and quickly reached the hut, where I took my second Coca-Cola break. The terrace offered an even better view of the Monte Piana massif.

After a short break, I set off toward the Forcella de Rin Bianco mountain pass (2,167 m). The trail led across a fair amount of loose scree. If nothing else, at least I had a constant view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

I started coming across a bunch of caves that soldiers used as shelters back in the day, but now, they mostly serve as public restrooms.

I reached the pass soon after, and it was pretty packed since at least four or five different trails converge there.

Since it’s on higher ground, a lot of hikers were using it as a spot to take a breather and soak in the impressive views.

I took a breather too, then kept following trail 117 toward the Rifugio Auronzo (2,333 m) mountain hut.

As I got closer to the slopes of Cima Cadin di Rinbianco (2,402 m), the path became increasingly narrow and exposed, with steel cables for safety in several spots.

As I walked, even better views of the wooded Val Campedele valley began to open up, getting more and more impressive the further I went.

At one point, the trail took a sharp left, where I was met with some long ladders that didn’t exactly inspire confidence - they were pretty rusted out.

I went for it anyway and made it up without much trouble. After that, I continued along a pretty exposed path that was mostly secured by cables, though in some spots where they were definitely needed, they were nowhere to be found.

In a couple of spots, I ran into small rockslides covering the path. The rock in this section was extremely crumbly, so you really have to watch your step.

I soon reached what is probably the most famous viewpoint in the Dolomites - Punto Panoramico Cadini di Misurina.

It owes its fame entirely to Instagram, so the crowd was expected since it’s just a quick walk from the nearby parking lot. People were actually standing in line to take a photo. We all know how much I “love” Instagram tourists, so I just walked right past them.

Since I had just come from the trail that passes directly between those peaks, that viewpoint didn’t really interest me anyway.

I kept moving toward Monte Campedelle (2,362 m), which is more of a steep hill than a peak, but it offers fantastic views of both the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the Cadini di Misurina.

In the distance, I could see the small town of Auronzo di Cadore sitting on the shores of Lake Santa Caterina (Lago di Santa Caterina).

I snapped a few photos and soon reached the Rifugio Auronzo mountain hut, which is where trail 117 finally ends. The hut is tucked right under the western peak of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo massif.

I took a short breather there, had yet another Coke, and then set off on the famous tourist loop that circles the massif. I also passed the small Cappella degli Alpini (Chapel of Mary Help of Christians), which was built in 1916 during World War I by Italian soldiers. It used to be a place for soldiers to pray, but today it’s seen as a symbol of peace.

I passed another hut - Rifugio Lavaredo (2,344 m), located at the foot of Cima Piccola - but I didn’t stop there.

Shortly after the hut, I reached the Forcella Lavaredo mountain pass (2,454 m), which was absolutely packed. Several trails merge there, and more importantly, it’s the starting point for the short approach trail to the second ferrata I had planned for the day - Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca.

The Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca is one of the most exciting and historically interesting trails in the Dolomites.

It leads to the summit of Monte Paterno (2,744 m), which sits directly opposite the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, offering arguably the best view you can get of them. It’s classified as a B (moderately difficult), so it’s not a technical nightmare, but it gets very exposed in some spots.

What makes it unique is the system of long underground military tunnels (Galleria del Monte Paterno) you have to pass through - a headlamp is a must. These tunnels were used by soldiers during World War I, and the ferrata is named after two of them: Sepp Innerkofler (an Austrian) and Piero De Luca (an Italian), who actually fought on the very summit of Monte Paterno.

Most people start the ferrata from the Rifugio Locatelli (2,405 m) mountain hut, but in my case, the logical direction was the opposite (counter-clockwise). So, I was heading toward the hut rather than away from it.

After a short climb, I reached the start of the ferrata, which literally begins by entering a tunnel.

There was a crowd right at the entrance to the tunnel, as it’s one of the closest high points where tourists can hike up to snap photos of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

I put on my headlamp and stepped into the dark. You definitely need one for this section because the tunnel isn’t short at all.

Toward the very end, the ceiling kept getting lower and lower, until I literally had to crawl to make it out to the other side.

Since this is a pretty popular ferrata that people do in both directions, the crowd was to be expected.

The first part of the trail leads through a series of short tunnels and narrow galleries carved directly into the rock, with a constant, direct view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

I kept going until I reached the Forcella Passaporto mountain pass (2,527 m), where the trail crosses over to the other side and continues to circle around the peak of Monte Paterno.

Instead of the dominant towers of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, the view opened up on the other side - looking toward the Val Fiscalina valley and the countless peaks of the Dolomiti di Sesto massif.

As I circled the mountain, I started coming across openings in the rock that looked directly out at the Tre Cime di Lavaredo massif.

Naturally, these were popular photo spots, and there was a crowd at almost every one of them.

I didn’t want to waste too much time waiting in line, so I just kept moving.

I soon reached the spot where the final ascent to the summit of Monte Paterno begins.

I was met with two cables side-by-side - one for the descent and one for the climb. It’s a busy spot, so they set it up that way to keep traffic moving and avoid bottlenecks.

It didn’t take me long to reach the top. The summit was fairly crowded with people taking a breather and soaking in the views of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

I took a short break too, since I wasn’t even halfway through yet. There was no Coca-Cola to be found up here, so I had to settle for a bottle of water.

One of the most beautifully decorated crosses I’ve seen on this entire trip caught my eye.

I snapped a few photos and then started the descent toward the Rifugio Locatelli mountain hut, which was already visible in the distance.

It was situated above two small turquoise lakes, Laghi dei Piani (2,335 m), which was the direction the ferrata was heading.

I continued the descent and soon reached the military tunnels I mentioned earlier.

All I can say is that they are seriously long, and a headlamp is more than necessary. I think I wandered through them for about fifteen minutes because they don’t just go in one direction; they branch off in several ways.

Some of the tunnels led to small rooms that served as observation posts or machine-gun nests.

When a dog with LED lighting on its collar suddenly appeared in front of me, I felt like I was in a scene from the game Return to Castle Wolfenstein. 🙂

Every good thing must come to an end, and that included my walk through the tunnels.

I was met with a set of stairs that felt like they’d never end and, finally, the light at the end of the tunnel. I can only imagine how brutal those stairs must be when you’re heading in the opposite direction.

Exiting the tunnel technically marks the end of the ferrata, so all that was left was the final descent to the Rifugio Locatelli mountain hut.

The hut was where the crowds were at their absolute peak, mostly because the majority of tourists come specifically for this view of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It’s probably the most popular photo spot in the area since it sits directly across from the massif.

I took a short break and had another Coca-Cola - I’ve lost track of how many that makes - and then set off for the third and final ferrata. It was located right behind the hut on the nearby stone tower, Torre di Toblin (2,617 m), which is where the trail gets its name.

The Via Ferrata Torre di Toblin is a short but very steep and vertical climb that offers one of the most spectacular views of the north faces of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

The tower served as an observation post for the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I. It’s also known as the “Ladders Route” (Leiternsteig) because the ascent consists of a series of 17 metal ladders set into a narrow, vertical chimney on the north side of the rock.

It’s classified as a Category C (difficult) and requires upper body strength and a total lack of fear of heights, as the climb is completely vertical. An easy approach trail leads from the hut, so I reached the tower in no time.

I circled the tower for a bit until I found the starting point - I literally had to cross a small, barely noticeable wooden plank to reach the first of the seventeen ladders.

There are practically no variations to the top. You’re climbing ladders the whole time, squeezing through narrow gaps in the rocks. Since there weren’t any crowds on the trail, I was able to move pretty fast.

I lost the most time maneuvering my backpack, as it kept getting snagged in the narrow gaps between the rocks.

But I quickly made it to the summit, where I found a few people trying to catch the perfect shot of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

There’s not much room at the top, so I stayed for just a very short time before starting the descent. It goes down the other side of the tower where there are no ladders; instead, you climb directly down the rocks.

Just as I started, a girl (more like a woman, but I don’t want her to get offended 🙂) followed me - she didn’t want to go down alone, so we headed off together.

We chatted a bit in English, and right after we started, I asked if she wanted me to take a photo of her. She handed me her phone, posed, and while I was taking the picture, I noticed the phone settings were in a language I understood.

I asked where she was from, and she said Bosnia and Herzegovina - to which I replied in Serbian: “Why didn’t you say so instead of us speaking English this whole time?!” 🙂

We had a good laugh and continued the descent together. It turned out she’s a mountain guide who came with a group from BiH. She was still recovering from a recent surgery, so it meant a lot to her to have someone nearby while climbing down.

And just like that, through no fault of my own, I had to look out for her. 🙂 I kept teasing her about being her rescuer - something she categorically denies to this day. 🙂

We finished the ferrata and headed to the Rifugio Locatelli hut, where in theory, her group was supposed to be waiting. In practice - they had left without her.

We exchanged numbers, she invited me to BiH for some hiking to return the favor, and we went our separate ways.

A big shout-out to Dženi - we’ll definitely see each other this year, if for nothing else, then for her to take me out for some banjalučki ćevap (national food) to make up for having to listen to her complaining the whole way down. 🙂

She headed back the way I had come, while I continued on that famous tourist loop around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo massif toward the Forcella del Col de Medo (2,315 m) mountain pass.

I had taken this same path back in 2024, so I knew exactly what was coming: first a descent into a small valley, followed by a climb that really took it out of me.

I was already exhausted, but I knew it was one of the final climbs, so I gathered my strength and pushed through it on sheer grit.

Before long, I reached the pass and then made it back to the main parking lot at the Rifugio Auronzo hut.

I didn’t hang around because I wanted to get back to my accommodation as soon as possible - I was starving.

What followed was a somewhat long descent toward the Val del Ciadin de Longeres valley. I had taken this path back in 2024 as well.

The hike down was a bit monotonous, leading mostly through the forest, but this time there were no cows blocking the trail like there had been the year before.

I passed by Lake Antorno (Lago d’Antorno) and caught sight of the hotel shortly after.

It’s finally over.

I’ve just finished one of the craziest trails of the entire trip: 32 km, 2,400 m of elevation gain, and three via ferratas - all in eight and a half hours on the trail.

It was definitely one of the tougher days of the journey, but I wanted to say goodbye to Italy the right way.

I sat down in the hotel lobby and ordered a Coca-Cola and a Red Bull, which hit the spot perfectly.

I drank them with total enjoyment and then headed off for a well-deserved lunch.

The hotel manager recommended the venison stew and pork knuckle, so I went with his suggestion - with a mandatory Coca-Cola on the side, of course. 🙂

I lost count, but I must have knocked back seven or eight of them today.

Then came some well-earned rest and packing, because tomorrow I was heading to my next destination - Slovenia and the Julian Alps.

A different kind of trail was waiting for me there, including a full tour of the Triglav National Park. It’s definitely a more relaxed and easier part of the trip, which will be a nice change of pace after the adventures in Italy and Switzerland - technically the most demanding parts of my journey.

Next stop: Bovec, the canyon of the stunning Soča River, and the famous Alpe Adria Trail.

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🏔️ Staza: Tre Vie ferrate, Tre Cime di Lavaredo - Via ferrata Alberto Bonacossa (B) - Via ferrata Innerkofler De Luca (B) - Via ferrata Toree di Toblin (C)
🥾 Tip: Loop
🚩 Početak: Google Maps

⚠️ Težina: 6/5
🚶 Distanca: 31.85 km
⛰️ Uspon: 2380 m
🕒 Trajanje: 8h 35m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX fajl: Download

🏡 Smeštaj: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Lokacija: Google Maps

Tre Cime di Lavaredo sam posetio još 2024. godine - to je bila poslednja lokacija pre nego što sam napustio Italiju i Dolomite.

Godinu dana kasnije, sam se ponovo našao na istom mestu i, baš kao i tada, odlučio da to bude finale mog proputovanja Italijom. Ali ovaj put, za razliku od prošlog, želeo sam da uradim nešto zaista spektakularno.

Tre Cime di Lavaredo su sigurno jedan od najpoznatijih simbola Dolomita zbog svojih neverovatnih krečnjačkih tornjeva koji privlače pažnju turista širom sveta.

Posebno je interesantan fenomen poznat kao enrosadira, gde krečnjačke stene pri zalasku sunca menjaju boju od bledo bele do vatrene ružičaste.

Od 2009. godine, ovaj masiv je pod zaštitom UNESCO svetske baštine.

Sastoje se od tri tornja različitih visina koji predstavljaju pravi raj za alpiniste:

• Cima Grande (2.999 m): srednji i najviši vrh

• Cima Ovest (2.973 m): zapadni vrh i drugi po visini

• Cima Piccola (2.857 m): istočni i najniži vrh

Kako ja nisam alpinista, došao sam na ideju da uradim jednu dužu kružnu turu oko masiva preko tri različite ferate - po jednu za svaki od tri tornja koji čine ovaj masiv.

To sam simbolično nazvao Tre Vie Ferrate - Tre Cime di Lavaredo, ili u prevodu: tri ferate za tri vrha. Bravo ja. 🙂

Ruta obuhvata sledeće ferate:

• Via Ferrata Sentiero Bonacossa

• Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca

• Via Ferrata Torre di Toblin

Čekao me je veoma dug i naporan dan, tako da sam na stazu krenuo ranije nego inače.

Već oko devet sati ujutru sam se našao na obali jezera Misurina (Lago di Misurina, 1.754 m), odakle je i kretala ruta koju sam planirao.

Ovog puta sam krenuo drugom stranom jezera, stazom koja vodi uz samu obalu, ivicom šume, i mogu reći da jezero sa pravom nosi naziv “Biser Dolomita”.

Ako se po jutru dan poznaje - biće ovo prelep dan.

Ceo pejzaž oko jezera izgledao je nestvarno, kao da je neko razlio boje po platnu.

Sigurno najlepši početak neke staze koji sam doživeo na putovanju.

Uglavnom sam morao dobro da se pomučim da bih zaslužio ovakav pogled, a ovde me je dočekao već na samom startu.

Staza me je dovela do donje stanice žičare Col de Varda, koja vodi ka istoimenom planinarskom domu Rifugio Col de Varda (2.106 m).

Pošto sam hteo da uradim nešto nesvakidašnje, nisam želeo da idem gondolom, tako da sam se do planinarskog doma popeo peške.

Od jezera do planinarskog doma vodi makadamski put koji vijuga kroz gustu šumu, tik ispod žičare, bez ikakvih pogleda.

Da je ovo bio neki drugi dan, sigurno bih otišao do vrha gondolom - mada je i to diskutabilno, s’ obzirom na to da povratna karta košta 15 evra.

Za nekih četrdesetak minuta stigao sam do doma i popio prvu od mnogobrojnih Coca-Cola tog dana. 🙂

Dom se nalazi u podnožju masiva Cadini di Misurina i sa njegove terase se pruža direktan pogled na masiv Cristallo i jezero Misurina, kao i na masiv Monte Piana, na kom sam juče i bio.

Iz ove perspektive zaista izgleda kao ravna ploča, kao da mu je neko odsekao vrh.

Ali, ja nisam došao do planinarskog doma da bih uživao u pogledima.

Od samog doma kreće staza broj 117, poznatija kao Sentiero Bonacossa - slavna, ali zahtevna staza koja vodi kroz srce masiva Cadini di Misurina.

U mnogim vodičima ova staza je klasifikovana kao lakša ferata kategorije B (umereno teška) zbog specifičnih deonica koje se na njoj nalaze.

To je miks planinarenja po kamenjaru i osiguranih delova sa čeličnim sajlama i merdevinama.

Na pojedinim mestima je veoma izložena i zahteva potpuno odsustvo straha od visine.

Nisam se dugo zadržavao, već sam odmah krenuo stazom broj 117, koja vodi bukvalno od samog doma preko sipara i sitnog kamenja.

Sve vreme se krećete paralelno sa jezerom Misurina i masivom Cristallo, uživajući u pogledima na njih - mada ćete više voditi računa o tome gde stajete, da se ne biste skotrljali niz padinu.

Kako sam se približavao planinskom prevoju Forcella Misurina (2.380 m), staza je postajala strmija i postalo je jasno zašto se ovo smatra lakšom feratom, a ne klasičnom stazom.

Sačekao me je prilično zahtevan uspon, gde sam se na određenim delovima provlačio između stena i penjao uz stepenice uklesane u stenu, na prilično izloženoj deonici bez sigurnosne sajle.

Kada sam izašao na prevoj, po prvi put sam na današnjoj stazi ugledao i svoj krajnji cilj - Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Tako blizu, a tako daleko.

Iza mene se u daljini mogao videti masiv Sorapis. Pokušavao sam da ugledam i istoimeno jezero, ali bezuspešno.

Spust sa prevoja je bio još zeznutiji. Sačekala me je veoma strma staza koja je na mnogo mesta osigurana sajlama, a na određenim deonicama bukvalno morate silaziti niz same stene.

Staza me je vodila duboko u kameni basen Cadin della Neve, koji me je podsećao na silazak u pakao zbog formacija stena koje su me okruživale.

Više je nego jasno zašto ovaj masiv zovu “Mordor Dolomita” - između ova dva vrha je falilo samo Sauronovo oko da ugođaj bude kompletan.

Iz dna basena kretao je još strmiji zig-zag uspon ka drugom planinskom prevoju, Forcella del Diavolo (2.500 m), ili u prevodu - Đavolji prevoj.

Reči su ovde suvišne.

Tu me je sačekao sigurno najbrutalniji uspon tog dana. Pred sam vrh prevoja dočekao me je niz od nekoliko metalnih merdevina uz koje se trebalo popeti.

Kada do njih stignete već umorni, to nije nimalo lak poduhvat - duša mi je bila u nosu.

Ali, na vrhu prevoja me je sačekao još lepši pogled na Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Izgledalo je kao da nazubljeni vrhovi masiva Cadini di Misurina štite Tre Cime di Lavaredo i predstavljaju poslednju liniju odbrane koju je trebalo preći.

Ali, samo je izgledalo tako, jer ih je staza u potpunosti zaobilazila i vodila ka planinarskom domu Rifugio Fonda Savio (2.367 m).

Sa vrha prevoja me je sačekao lakši spust preko sipara i ubrzo sam stigao do samog doma, gde sam napravio i drugu pauzu za Coca-Colu. Sa terase doma pružao se još lepši pogled na masiv Monte Piana.

Nakon kraće pauze sam krenuo ka planinskom prevoju Forcella de Rin Bianco (2.167 m). Staza je vodila preko veće količine sitnog kamenja. Ako ništa, bar sam imao pogled na Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Počeo sam da nailazim na veći broj pećina koje su vojnici koristili kao skloništa, a danas, manje-više, služe kao mesta za vršenje nužde.

Ubrzo sam stigao i do samog prevoja, gde je bila poprilična gužva jer do njega vodi barem četiri-pet različitih staza.

Kako se nalazi na uzvišenju, mnogi planinari su to iskoristili kao mesto za odmor i uživanje u impresivnim pogledima.

Odmorio sam i ja malo, a zatim nastavio da pratim stazu broj 117, koja vodi do planinarskog doma Rifugio Auronzo (2.333 m).

Kako sam se približavao padinama planinskog vrha Cima Cadin di Rinbianco (2.402 m), tako je i staza postajala sve uža i izloženija, a na pojedinim mestima je bila osigurana i sajlom.

Hodajući, otvarali su se sve lepši pogledi na šumovitu dolinu Val Campedele, koji su postajali sve izraženiji kako sam napredovao.

U jednom trenutku staza je naglo skrenula nalevo, gde su me dočekale dugačke merdevine koje nisu baš ulivale poverenje jer su bile prilično zarđale.

Ipak, popeo sam se bez većih problema i nastavio prilično izloženom stazom koja je većim delom bila obezbeđena sajlom, dok je na nekim mestima, gde je bila itekako potrebna, ona nedostajala.

Na par mesta sam nailazio i na manje odrone preko staze. Stena je u ovom delu bila veoma trošna i treba dodatno obratiti pažnju.

Ubrzo sam stigao do verovatno najpoznatijeg vidikovca u Dolomitima - Punto Panoramico Cadini di Misurina.

Svoju popularnost duguje Instagramu i gužva je bila očekivana, jer se do njega brzo stiže sa obližnjeg parkinga.

Ljudi su čekali u redu za slikanje. Znamo koliko “volim” Instagram turiste, tako da sam samo prošao pored njih.

Pošto sam došao stazom koja je prolazila između tih vrhova, taj vidikovac me nije preterano zanimao.

Nastavio sam dalje ka planinskom vrhu Monte Campedelle, (2.362 m), za koji se pre može reći da je strmo uzvišenje, sa kog se pružaju fantastični pogledi i na Tre Cime di Lavaredo i na Cadini di Misurina.

U daljini se mogao videti i gradić Auronzo di Cadore kako leži na obali jezera Santa Caterina (Lago di Santa Caterina).

Uhvatio sam par fotografija i ubrzo stigao do planinarskog doma Rifugio Auronzo, gde se staza broj 117 konačno i završava.

Dom se nalazi ispod zapadnog vrha masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Tu sam nakratko odmorio, popio još jednu Coca-Colu, a zatim krenuo poznatom turističkom kružnom stazom koja obilazi masiv.

Prošao sam i pored male kapele Marije Pomoćnice (Cappella degli Alpini), koju su 1916. godine, tokom Prvog svetskog rata, podigli italijanski vojnici. Služila je kao mesto molitve za vojnike, a danas je vide kao simbol mira.

Prošao sam pored još jednog doma - Rifugio Lavaredo (2.344 m), smeštenog u podnožju vrha Cima Piccola, ali se tu nisam zadržavao.

Malo posle doma sam stigao do planinskog prevoja Forcella Lavaredo (2.454 m), gde je bila ogromna gužva. Tu se spaja više staza i, što je još bitnije, odatle kreće kraća pristupna staza ka drugoj ferati koju sam planirao za taj dan - Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca.

Via Ferrata Innerkofler - De Luca je jedna od najuzbudljivijih i istorijski najzanimljivijih staza na Dolomitima.

Ona vodi na planinski vrh Monte Paterno (2.744 m), koji se nalazi direktno naspram masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo, pružajući verovatno najbolji pogled na njih.

Klasifikovana je kao B (umereno teška) i nije tehnički zahtevna, ali je na pojedinim mestima veoma izložena.

Ono što je za nju specifično jeste sistem dugačkih podzemnih vojnih tunela (Galleria del Monte Paterno) kroz koje treba proći - čeona lampa se podrazumeva.

Tunele su koristili vojnici za vreme Prvog svetskog rata, a ferata je ime dobila po dvojici od njih: Sepp Innerkofler (Austrijanac) i Piero De Luca (Italijan), koji su se borili na samom vrhu Monte Paterno.

Na feratu se obično kreće od planinarskog doma Rifugio Locatelli (2.405 m), ali je u mom slučaju logičan smer kretanja bio iz suprotnog pravca (suprotno kazaljci na satu), tako da sam ja išao ka domu, umesto od njega.

Nakon kraćeg uspona stigao sam na početak ferate, koji bukvalno počinje prolaskom kroz tunel.

Na samom ulasku u tunel je bila gužva, jer je to jedno od najbližih uzvišenja do kojih turisti mogu da se popnu i fotografišu Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Stavio sam čeonu lampu i zakoračio u mrak. Potrebna je i za ovu sekciju jer tunel uopšte nije kratak.

Pred sam kraj, svod je postajao sve niži, da bih na kraju bukvalno morao da puzim kako bih izašao na drugu stranu.

S’ obzirom na to da je ovo poprilično popularna ferata koja se radi u oba smera, gužva je bila očekivana.

Prvi deo staze vodi kroz niz kraćih tunela i uskih galerija uklesanih u stenu, odakle se sve vreme pruža direktan pogled na Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Nastavio sam tako sve do planinskog prevoja Forcella Passaporto (2.527 m), gde staza prelazi na drugu stranu i nastavlja da kruži oko vrha Monte Paterno.

Umesto dominantnih tornjeva Tre Cime di Lavaredo, ispred su se otvorili pogledi na drugu stranu - ka dolini Val Fiscalina i mnogobrojne vrhove masiva Dolomiti di Sesto.

Kružeći oko planine, počeo sam da nailazim na otvore u steni koji su gledali direktno ka masivu Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

To su bila popularna mesta za slikanje i ispred njih je uglavnom bila gužva.

Nisam želeo da gubim previše vremena čekajući na red, pa sam nastavio dalje.

Ubrzo sam stigao i do mesta odakle kreće uspon na sam vrh masiva Monte Paterno.

Sačekale su me dve sajle jedna pored druge - jedna za silazak, druga za uspon, jer je tu uglavnom gužva, pa da se ne bi pravio zastoj.

Nije mi dugo trebalo da se popnem. Na vrhu je bio popriličan broj ljudi koji su odmarali i uživali u pogledima na Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

I ja sam napravio kraću pauzu, jer još nisam bio ni na pola puta. Ovde nije bilo Coca-Cole, pa sam morao da se zadovoljim flašicom vode.

Za oko zapao možda jedan od najlepše ukrašenih krstova koje sam video na putovanju.

Napravio sam nekoliko fotografija, a zatim krenuo u spust koji vodi ka planinarskom domu Rifugio Locatelli, koji se već video u daljini.

Nalazio se iznad dva manja tirkizna jezera Laghi dei Piani (2.335 m), u čijem je pravcu vodila i ferata.

Nastavio sam silazak i ubrzo stigao do pomenutih vojnih tunela.

Ono što mogu reći jeste da su zaista dugački i da je čeona lampa i više nego potrebna.

Mislim da sam njima lutao oko petnaestak minuta, jer ne idu samo u jednom smeru, već se granaju na više strana. Neki od tunela su vodili do manjih prostorija koje su služile kao osmatračnice ili mitraljeska gnezda.

Kada je u jednom trenutku ispred mene naišao pas sa LED osvetljenjem na sebi, osećao sam se kao u igri Return to Castle Wolfenstein. 🙂

Sve što je lepo ima kraj, pa je tako došao i kraj moje šetnje kroz tunele.

Sačekale su me nikad duže stepenice i svetlo na kraju tunela - mogu samo da zamislim kako je kada se ide iz suprotnog smera.

Izlaskom iz tunela se tehnički i završava ferata, pa je ostalo samo da se spustim do planinarskog doma Rifugio Locatelli.

Kod samog doma bila je najveća gužva na stazi, jer većina turista dolazi ovde upravo zbog pogleda na Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Ovo je možda i najpopularnije mesto za fotografisanje, jer se nalazi tačno nasuprot masiva.

Napravio sam kratku pauzu, popio još jednu Coca-Colu - ni sam ne znam koju po redu - a zatim krenuo na treću i poslednju feratu, koja se nalazila iza samog doma, na obližnjem kamenom tornju Torre di Toblin (2.617 m), po kom je i dobila ime.

Via Ferrata Torre di Toblin je kratka, ali veoma strma i vertikalna ferata sa koje se pruža jedan od najspektakularnijih pogleda na severne stene masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Toranj je služio kao osmatračnica austrougarske vojske u Prvom svetskom ratu.

Nazivaju je i “Putem lestvica” (Leiternsteig), jer se uspon sastoji od serije od 17 metalnih merdevina postavljenih u uskom, vertikalnom dimnjaku na severnoj strani stene.

Klasifikovana je kao C (teška) i zahteva snagu u rukama i apsolutno odsustvo straha od visine, jer je uspon u potpunosti vertikalan.

Do početka ferate vodi laganija pristupna staza koja kreće od samog doma, tako da sam brzo stigao do tornja.

Malo sam kružio oko njega dok nisam pronašao odakle se kreće - bukvalno sam morao da pređem preko neke male, jedva primetne daščice dok nisam stigao do prve od sedamnaest merdevina.

Do vrha praktično nema nikakvih varijacija. Sve vreme se penjete uz merdevine, provlačeći se kroz uske razmake u stenama. Na stazi nije bilo gužve, pa sam se brzo kretao.

Najviše vremena sam izgubio manevrišući rancem, jer se često zaglavljivao između veoma uskih stena.

Ali, ubrzo sam stigao i do samog vrha, gde sam zatekao nekoliko ljudi koji su pokušavali da uhvate što bolju fotografiju masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Na vrhu nema puno mesta, pa sam se zadržao veoma kratko i krenuo u spust, koji ide drugom stranom tornja gde nema merdevina, već se silazi direktno niz stene.

Samo što sam krenuo, za mnom se zaputila i jedna devojka (pre bih rekao žena, ali neću da se uvredi 🙂) koja nije želela sama da se spušta, pa smo krenuli zajedno.

Prozborili smo par reči na engleskom i, tek što smo pošli, pitao sam je da li želi da je fotografišem.

Dala mi je telefon, ispozirala, a dok sam je slikao, primetio sam da su joj opcije u telefonu podešene na jezik koji razumem.

Pitao sam je odakle je, a ona je odgovorila da je iz Bosne i Hercegovine - na šta sam joj ja na srpskom rekao: “Pa što ne kažeš, nego pričamo na engleskom sve vreme?!” 🙂

Tu smo se malo smejali i nastavili spust zajedno.

Ispostavilo se da je ona planinarski vodič koja je došla sa grupom iz BiH.

Krenula je rovita na taj put zbog operacije koju je imala, pa joj je značilo da neko bude uz nju dok silazi.

I tako, ni kriv ni dužan, morao sam da je čuvam. 🙂

Sve vreme sam je zezao da sam njen spasilac, što ona kategorički odbija - čak i danas. 🙂

Zajedno smo se spustili sa ferate i uputili ka domu Rifugio Locatelli, gde je u teoriji trebalo da je sačeka njena grupa, a u praksi - otišli su bez nje.

Razmenili smo brojeve telefona, pozvala me je da dođem u BiH na planinarenje kako bi mi se odužila za pomoć koju sam joj pružio, i svako je krenuo svojim putem.

Veliki pozdrav za Dženi i sigurno ćemo se videti ove godine - ako ništa, bar da me vodi na banjalučke ćevape i da mi se oduži što sam morao da slušam njene žalopojke. 🙂

Ona je otišla u pravcu iz kog sam ja došao, a ja sam nastavio pomenutom turističkom stazom koja kruži oko masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo i uputio se ka planinskom prevoju Forcella del Col de Medo (2.315 m).

Ovom stazom sam išao i 2024. godine, tako da sam znao šta me čeka: prvo spust u jednu manju dolinu, a zatim uspon koji mi je prilično teško pao.

Bio sam već veoma umoran, ali znao sam da je to jedan od poslednjih uspona, pa sam skupio snagu i izgurao ga “na mišiće”.

Ubrzo sam stigao do prevoja, a zatim i do glavnog parkinga planinarskog doma Rifugio Auronzo.

Nisam se zadržavao jer sam želeo da se što pre vratim u smeštaj - bio sam gladan kao pas.

Usledio je malo duži spust ka dolini Val del Ciadin de Longeres. I ovim putem sam išao 2024. godine.

Sačekao me je nešto monotoniji silazak koji je većim delom vodio kroz šumu, ali ovaj put bez krava koje su prethodne godine bile na samoj stazi.

Prošao sam i pored jezera Antorno (Lago d’Antorno) i nedugo zatim ugledao i hotel.

Gotovo je.

Završio sam jednu od najluđih staza na putovanju: prešao sam 32 km, savladao 2.400 m uspona i uradio tri ferate za osam i po sati provedenih na stazi.

Jedan od težih dana na proputovanju, ali želeo sam da se oprostim od Italije kako dolikuje.

Seo sam u lobi hotela i poručio Coca-Colu i Red Bull, koji su mi prijali “kao budali šamar”.

Sa uživanjem sam ih popio, a zatim otišao na zasluženi ručak.

Menadžer hotela mi je preporučio srneći gulaš i kolenicu, pa sam prihvatio njegovu preporuku - uz obaveznu Coca-Cola sa strane. 🙂

Nisam brojao, ali popio sam ih sigurno sedam-osam danas.

Usledio je zasluženi odmor i pakovanje, jer sam sutra kretao ka svojoj sledećoj destinaciji - Sloveniji i Julijskim Alpima.

Tamo su me čekale drugačije staze nego na Dolomitima i obilazak Nacionalnog parka Triglav uzduž i popreko.

Svakako malo opušteniji i lakši deo putovanja, koji će mi sigurno prijati nakon svih avantura po Italiji i Švajcarskoj, koje su tehnički bile najteži deo mog puta.

Sledeća stanica: Bovec, kanjon prelepe reke Soče i čuveni Alpe Adria Trail.

Sve priče na mom Substack-u su besplatne i tako će i ostati, jer verujem da ovakve avanture treba da budu dostupne svima bez zaključavanja iza pretplate.

Časti me Coca-Colom! 🥤

Ovaj kutak je za one koji žele da me podrže i časte mojim omiljenim pićem, jer sam obično zauzet pisanjem (ili planinarenjem) da bih skoknuo do prodavnice. 😁

P.S.
💬 Ako vam se dopadaju moje avanture, možete se prijaviti klikom na Subscribe, pa će vam svaka nova priča koju objavim stizati direktno na email. Potpuno besplatno.

🌍 Sve objavljene epizode možete pogledati na sajtu: www.igoravanture.com

Hvala na podršci! 🙏

🏔️ Trail: Lake Federa via Ambrizzola Fork Hike
🥾 Type: Loop
🚩 Trailhead: Google Maps

⚠️ Difficulty: 3/5
🚶 Distance: 14.65 km
⛰️ Ascent: 950 m
🕒 Duration: 3h 30m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX file: Download

🏡 Accommodation: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Location: Google Maps

After yesterday’s exceptionally grueling day and the ascent of the third highest peak in the Dolomites - Tofana di Mezzo (3,244 m) - I decided to take a short breather today and choose a somewhat easier trail.

Of course, that didn’t happen - I ended up covering two “easier” trails and finished the day with 35 kilometers hiked and about 2,000 meters of total elevation gain.

The main culprit for that was the manager of the hotel where I was staying that day. 🙂

But, first things first.

Today was my final day in the embrace of the Queen of the Dolomites, better known as Cortina d’Ampezzo, and I wanted to make the most of it.

The plan was to visit Lake Federa (Lago di Federa, 2,038 m), which lies at the foot of the Croda da Lago massif (2,715 m), and if I had time left, to also visit Cinque Torri (2,361 m) - the legendary five towers located nearby.

Surely two of the most photogenic locations in the region.

From my accommodation, I drove toward the mountain pass of Passo Giau (2,236 m). Near the pass sits the small stone bridge Ponte de Ru Curto (1,708 m), which has a parking area right next to it. This stone bridge also serves as the starting point for hikers heading up to Lake Federa.

What’s interesting is that it’s located literally halfway between the lake and the Cinque Torri towers, which is exactly how I got the idea to visit both locations.

The trail starts practically right off the asphalt road and immediately leads you into a dense forest.

As I walked through the forest, vistas occasionally opened up, looking toward the Tofana massif, which I had climbed the previous day.

Soon, I came upon a small wooden bridge crossing the Ru Formin mountain stream, where I caught my first glimpse of the Croda da Lago massif in the distance.

Up until that point, the only views had been behind me, so this was a welcome change of scenery.

I crossed the bridge and soon reached Cason de Formin (1,885 m), a traditional stone shepherd’s hut nestled at the very foot of the massif, where the trail also forks.

The left path led toward Lake Federa, while the right one headed through the stony Val Formin valley, all the way to the mountain pass Forcella del Formin (2,462 m).

I had already decided earlier to do a full loop around the entire massif and approach the lake from the other side, so I turned right and headed toward the pass.

The trail led me briefly through the forest, which slowly thinned out and gave way to rocks scattered all along the path.

As the forest vanished, the jagged peaks of Croda da Lago became increasingly prominent - they reminded me of the peaks of the Geisler Group.

Soon the forest disappeared entirely, and I found myself surrounded by boulders scattered everywhere.

In some sections of the trail, I literally had to scramble over them.

As I gained altitude, the Tofane massifs behind me became increasingly visible.

I turned back toward them often, thinking how completely surreal it was that I had been at their summit just yesterday - and now I was looking at them from this perspective.

The trail became increasingly steep and rocky as I approached the mountain pass.

The landscape changed completely, and I found myself standing on a massive stone plateau.

On the left side were the peaks of the Croda da Lago massif, and on the right, the vast stony plateau of Lastoi de Formin, which looks like the surface of the moon and reminded me of the plateau Altopiano del Puez, which I had visited a few days earlier at Passo Gardena (2,121 m).

I soon reached the Forcella del Formin, which could easily be described as a lookout point, as it opens up fantastic views of numerous mountain massifs in the distance.

By far the most impressive was the view toward the Pelmo massif (3,168 m) - or as the locals call it, God’s Throne (Carega de ‘l Padre Eterno).

I took a short break there, soaking in the views, and then began a gentle descent toward the second mountain pass, Forcella Ambrizzola (2,277 m).

As I approached it, the view of the Civetta massif (3,220 m) opened up to my right - better known as the “Reign of Verticals”, famous for its extremely difficult mountaineering routes.

I really enjoyed this section because there was no incline, and the views were fantastic.

I kept heading toward God’s Throne and soon reached the mountain pass itself, where I caught my first glimpse of what lay on the other side of the Croda da Lago massif I had been circling.

Cortina d’Ampezzo was visible in the distance, and at the foot of the massif lay Lake Federa, resting peacefully, tucked away in the forest.

I didn’t linger at this pass; instead, I immediately set off toward the lake.

A well-maintained trail leads to it, and since there were no more inclines, I arrived quickly.

Right on the shore sits Rifugio Croda da Lago (Rifugio Palmieri, 2,046 m), where I took a short break and had my favorite drink - a cold Coca-Cola with ice and lemon.

Lake Federa is one of the most stable lakes in the Dolomites and never dries up, as it has a constant inflow of fresh water from deep natural springs.

It is famous for its calm surface and reflections, in which the nearby mountain peaks - and as I could notice, everything else - are perfectly mirrored.

They say it’s best to visit in mid-October, when the entire valley turns orange and gold, and the scenery becomes even more magnificent.

I’ve already added that to my list for this year. 🙂

I walked around the lake, which is truly very photogenic, and then set off along the trail leading to the fork and the Cason de Formin stone hut - the same spot where, three hours earlier, I had turned off toward the Val Formin valley.

Along the way, I came across several lookout points facing the Tofane massifs, which I hadn’t noticed during the ascent since they had been behind me.

One of them also looked directly toward the stone towers of Cinque Torri.

I reached the fork and then returned to the parking area via the same trail.

I decided not to visit Cinque Torri after all, as I had already covered 15 kilometers with about 1,000 meters of elevation gain. The reason was that tomorrow was my last day in Italy; I had planned a truly “crazy” trail and didn’t want to overextend myself today.

I got into the car and headed toward Lake Misurina (Lago di Misurina, 1,754 m), where I had booked my accommodation.

After a short drive, I arrived at the hotel, but instead of resting, there was a change of plans. I still had at least four hours of daylight left and didn’t want it to go to waste doing nothing.

I chatted with the hotel manager, who is a really cool guy, and he recommended I take one of his favorite trails.

He told me it wasn’t overly demanding and that it led to the nearby Monte Piana (2,324 m). Since I wasn’t familiar with it, he showed me a map and explained which path to take.

I thanked him and set off on my second trail of the day.

📍 Location: Italy (Lake Misurina)
🏞️ Region: Veneto (Tre Cime National Park, Dolomites)

🏔️ Trail: Lake Misurina - Monte Piana Peak (2.324 m) Hike
🥾 Type: Loop
🚩 Trailhead: Google Maps

⚠️ Difficulty: 3/5
🚶 Distance: 15.3 km
⛰️ Ascent: 850 m
🕒 Duration: 3h 20m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX file: Download

🏡 Accommodation: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Location: Google Maps

I stayed at Lake Misurina in 2024 when I visited the legendary Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2,999 m), so the area was already familiar to me.

Unlike last time, I took accommodation right on the lakeshore, near the main parking area that serves as the starting point for the Tre Cime - but, as it turned out, also for the ascent to Monte Piana (2,324 m) recommended by the hotel manager.

It is located directly across from Tre Cime di Lavaredo and is considered one of the most fascinating open-air museums in the Dolomites.

It has a very specific shape - a large flat plateau consisting of two smaller peaks, or rather, heights.

The southern and highest part (Monte Piana, 2,324 m) was held by the Italians, while the northern part (Monte Piano, 2,305 m) was held by the Austro-Hungarians.

Between them lay the so-called “no man’s land,” the site of one of the most brutal battles in warfare history - the “War in the Rocks,” where an incredible 14,000 people lost their lives.

Today, you can see an extensive network of trenches and tunnels where soldiers lived and fought even at -30°C.

More of them perished due to the weather conditions than from actual weapons.

I headed from the hotel to the parking lot where two asphalt roads begin: the main one on the right leading toward Tre Cime, and the one on the left, blocked by a barrier, which leads to the summit of Monte Piana.

That road is closed for a reason - it’s an old military road, prohibited for traffic because landslides have occurred in certain spots, sweeping away most of the asphalt. I noticed this later during the ascent.

Initially, the path led through a dense forest and was very pleasant for a walk, as there wasn’t a soul in sight. I climbed steadily until I reached a junction where the old military road continued to the left and a newly built one to the right.

Since the hotel manager had told me to stick to the left, that’s the way I went. It was practically from that point that the aforementioned landslides began to appear - but so did the first vistas of the Cadini di Misurina and Cristallo massifs, as well as Lake Misurina itself.

When a cow appeared in that frame, my happiness knew no bounds - all it was missing was being purple! 🙂

As I climbed, I was literally left breathless - partly due to the steeper incline and partly due to the incredible views.

This was especially true for the jagged peaks of the Cadini di Misurina massif - better known as the “Mordor of the Dolomites” - which looked truly magnificent.

I was literally stunned by what I was seeing, and I’ve seen a lot in my time.

Views began to open up of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the Sorapiss massif as well - it all felt like a dream. I was quite literally surrounded by legendary mountain massifs.

It was one of the most wonderful surprises I experienced on the entire trip.

I continued following the asphalt road and soon emerged at Rifugio Monte Piana “Angelo Bosi” (2,205 m), located right at the entrance to “no man’s land.”

It was named after Captain Angelo Bosi, who died on this mountain in 1915. The hut is unique because it houses a collection of bayonets, helmets, and personal belongings of World War I soldiers found right here on the plateau.

I took a short break, had a cold can of Coca-Cola, and then continued following the trail that led me along the left side of the plateau, parallel to the Cristallo massif.

In some places, the trail was very exposed, so steel cables were installed for additional safety.

The first tunnels soon began to appear - of course, I had to pass through some of them, and some were even an integral part of the trail itself.

I soon reached the end of the trail I was following and climbed onto the plateau itself - the so-called “no man’s land.”

It was filled with trenches and small monuments, but the most impressive was certainly the large wooden summit cross, the Gipfelkreuz.

Carved into it is the Latin word PAX, which translates to - PEACE. I hope the fallen soldiers have finally found it.

I visited a few more monuments and trenches, and it was time to head back as the sun had begun to set.

I didn’t want to return the same way, so I found a trail on the map that led me into the forested Val Rimbianco valley.

The trail headed toward the Tre Cime di Lavaredo massif the entire way, which served as my landmark.

I descended quite rapidly along the steep trail, winding down the slopes of the Monte Piana massif until I reached the valley floor and the mountain stream flowing through its center.

As I crossed the stream and set off along the path beside it, I remembered that I had been here in 2024 - though on a bicycle - and that a fairly long walk back to the hotel still lay ahead of me.

I continued at a brisk pace, following the river as darkness began to close in, until I reached a wide, open meadow.

There, I finally slowed down, knowing that the toll station for the national park entrance was just above me and that I had technically made it back to civilization.

I came out onto the asphalt road, passed the toll station, and headed toward the hotel. I walked past the smaller Lake Antorno (Lago d’Antorno, 1.866 m) and, shortly after, reached the main parking lot where I had started.

A few minutes later, I was already back at the hotel.

The manager met me at the reception and offered to make me a sandwich, seeing how tired I was.

I never turn down food, so I took it to my room and ate it in peace. Accompanied by the mandatory Coca-Cola, of course. 🙂

Still, I knew I had to go out for a proper dinner.

I chatted with my friend, who suggested a restaurant right above the lake where, as he put it, two very beautiful young ladies work. Naturally, I had to investigate.

The only downside was that the restaurant was about two kilometers away from the hotel, and I had already covered thirty that day. But I was willing to make that sacrifice. 🙂

I also took the opportunity to stroll along the shore of Lake Misurina, also known as the “Pearl of the Dolomites.”

It ranks as one of the most photogenic lakes in Italy, which is no surprise considering that some of the most famous peaks of the Dolomites are mirrored in its waters: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Sorapiss, Cadini di Misurina, and the Cristallo group.

Because of the reflection it casts, it is often called the “Mirror of the Giants.”

According to legend, that’s all thanks to Princess Misurina’s broken mirror, which lies scattered across the lakebed.

Once upon a time, there lived King Sorapiss, who loved his daughter so much that he agreed to let a fairy transform him into a mountain just so she could have a magic mirror.

A spoiled brat, if you ask me. 🙂

When he saw his daughter falling from a cliff during his transformation, the King began to shed bitter tears. From those tears, the lake was formed, while the shards of the broken mirror at the bottom still give the water those surreal, multicolored reflections today.

Finally, a lake that was actually formed from male tears. 🙂

I eventually made it to the restaurant, and I have to say both the girls and the food were excellent. They might have had a few more piercings than I’d usually go for, but hey - I won’t split hairs, especially since the manager did recommend today’s beautiful trail after all.

After the meal, I returned to the hotel, passing by Lake Misurina once more.

Darkness had fallen, and the reflections were even more beautiful.

It had been an incredibly long day - with that trip to the restaurant, I covered a total of about 35 kilometers.

Just 20 more than planned. 🙂

Tomorrow was my final day in Italy, and I wanted to do something special to bid farewell to the Dolomites in a fitting manner.

I decided to take on three via ferratas for the three peaks of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, or as I called it: “Tre Vie Ferrate, Tre Cime di Lavaredo.”

A very demanding day awaited me, with plenty of vertical gain and many kilometers in my legs - followed by the journey to my next destination: Slovenia.

P.S.
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🏔️ Staza: Lake Federa via Ambrizzola Fork Hike
🥾 Tip: Loop
🚩 Početak: Google Maps

⚠️ Težina: 3/5
🚶 Distanca: 14.65 km
⛰️ Uspon: 950 m
🕒 Trajanje: 3h 30m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX fajl: Download

🏡 Smeštaj: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Lokacija: Google Maps

Posle jučerašnjeg izuzetno napornog dana i uspona na treći najviši vrh Dolomita - Tofana di Mezzo (3.244 m), odlučio sam da danas napravim mali predah i odaberem nešto lakšu stazu.

Naravno, to se nije desilo - na kraju sam prešao dve “lakše” staze i dan završio sa 35 kilometara prepešačenog puta i oko 2.000 metara ukupnog uspona.

Glavni krivac za to je menadžer hotela u kom sam odseo tog dana. 🙂

Ali, krenimo redom.

Danas je bio moj poslednji dan koji ću provesti u naručju kraljice Dolomita, poznatije kao Cortina d’Ampezzo, i želeo sam da ga iskoristim na najbolji mogući način.

Plan je bio da obiđem jezero Federa (Lago di Federa, 2.038 m), koje leži u podnožju masiva Croda da Lago (2.715 m), i ako mi preostane vremena, posetim i Cinque Torri (2.361 m) - legendarnih pet kula koje se nalaze u neposrednoj blizini.

Sigurno dve najfotogeničnije lokacije u regiji.

Iz smeštaja sam se kolima uputio u pravcu planinskog prevoja Passo Giau (2.236 m), u čijoj blizini se nalazi mali kameni most Ponte de Ru Curto (1.708 m), pored koga se nalazi i parking. Taj kameni most je ujedno i polazna tačka za planinare koji kreću na uspon do jezera Federa.

Ono što je interesantno jeste da se on nalazi bukvalno na sredini puta između jezera i kula Cinque Torri, pa sam zato i dobio ideju da posetim obe lokacije.

Staza kreće praktično sa asfaltnog puta i odmah vas vodi u gustu šumu.

Hodajući kroz šumu, mestimično su se otvarali vidici koji su gledali u pravcu masiva Tofane, na koji sam se popeo prethodnog dana.

Ubrzo sam naišao i na drveni mostić koji je vodio preko planinskog potoka Ru Formin, gde sam po prvi put u daljini i ugledao masiv Croda da Lago.

Do tada su jedini vidici bili iza mene, tako da je ovo bila dobrodošla promena pejzaža.

Prešao sam most i ubrzo stigao do tradicionalne kamene pastirske kolibe Cason de Formin (1.885 m), smeštene u podnožju samog masiva, gde se nalazi i račvanje.

Levi put je vodio ka jezeru Federa, a desni kroz kamenu dolinu Val Formin, sve do planinskog prevoja Forcella del Formin (2.462 m).

Još ranije sam odlučio da napravim krug oko celog masiva i da priđem jezeru sa druge strane, tako da sam skrenuo desno i krenuo ka planinskom prevoju.

Staza me je nakratko vodila kroz šumu, koja je polako nestajala i ustupala mesto stenama rasutim svuda po putu.

Kako se šuma gubila, tako su i nazubljeni vrhovi masiva Croda da Lago dolazili sve više do izražaja - podsetili su me na vrhove masiva Odle (Geisler).

Ubrzo je šuma u potpunosti nestala i našao sam se okružen stenama koje su bile razbacane svuda unaokolo.

Na nekim delovima staze sam bukvalno morao i da se penjem preko njih.

Kako sam dobijao na visini, masivi Tofane su iza mene bivali sve vidljiviji.

Često sam se okretao ka njima, razmišljajući kako je potpuno nerealno da sam juče bio na njihovom vrhu, a da ih sada gledam iz ove perspektive.

Staza je postajala sve strmija i kamenitija kako sam se približavao planinskom prevoju.

Pejzaž se potpunosti promenio i našao sam se na ogromnom kamenom platou.

Sa leve strane su bili vrhovi masiva Croda da Lago, a sa desne ogromni kameni plato Lastoi de Formin, koja izgleda kao površina Meseca i koja me je podsetila na plato Puez (Altopiano del Puez), koju sam posetio nekoliko dana ranije na planinskom prevoju Passo Gardena (2.121 m).

Ubrzo sam stigao i do planinskog prevoja Forcella del Formin (2.462 m), za koji se slobodno može reći da je i vidikovac, jer se sa njega otvaraju fantastični pogledi na mnogobrojne planinske masive u daljini.

Svakako je najimpresivniji bio onaj koji gleda na masiv Pelmo (3.168 m), ili kako ga lokalci zovu Božji presto (Carega de ‘l Padre Eterno).

Napravio sam kratku pauzu uživajući u pogledima, a zatim krenuo u lagan spust ka drugom planinskom prevoju, Forcella Ambrizzola (2.277 m).

Kako sam mu se približavao, sa moje desne strane se otvarao pogled na masiv Civetta (3.220 m), poznatiji i kao “carstvo vertikale”, čuven po ekstremno teškim alpinističkim rutama.

Ovaj deo mi je baš prijao jer nije bilo uspona, a pogledi su bili fantastični.

Sve vreme sam išao u pravcu “Božjeg prestola” i ubrzo stigao do samog planinskog prevoja, sa koga sam prvi put ugledao šta se nalazi sa druge strane masiva Croda da Lago oko koga sam kružio.

U daljini se videla Cortina d’Ampezzo, a u podnožju masiva i samo jezero Federa, koje je mirno ležalo ušuškano u šumi.

Na ovom prevoju se nisam zadržavao, već sam odmah krenuo ka jezeru.

Do njega vodi lepo uređena staza i pošto nije više bilo uspona, brzo sam i stigao.

Na samoj obali se nalazi planinarski dom Rifugio Croda da Lago (2.046 m), gde sam napravio kratku pauzu i popio svoje omiljeno piće - hladnu Coca-Colu sa ledom i limunom.

Jezero Federa je jedno od najstabilnijih jezera na Dolomitima i nikada ne presuši, jer ima konstantan priliv sveže vode iz dubokih prirodnih izvora.

Poznato je po mirnoj površini i refleksiji, u kojoj se savršeno ogledaju obližnji planinski vrhovi - a kako sam mogao da primetim, i sve ostalo.

Kažu da ga je najbolje posetiti sredinom oktobra, kada cela dolina postane narandžasto-zlatna i kada su prizori još veličanstveniji.

Već sam to dodao spisak za ovu godinu. 🙂

Obišao sam jezero, koje je zaista veoma fotogenično, a zatim se uputio stazom koja vodi do račvanja i kamene kolibe Cason de Formin, gde sam se tri sata ranije i odvojio ka dolini Val Formin.

Usput sam naišao na nekoliko vidikovaca koji su gledali u pravcu masiva Tofane, a koje nisam primetio kada sam se penjao jer su mi bili iza leđa.

Jedan je gledao i direktno u pravcu kamenih kula Cinque Torri.

Stigao sam do račvanja, a zatim se istom stazom vratio nazad do parkinga.

Odlučio sam da ipak ne posetim Cinque Torri, jer sam već prešao 15 kilometara i imao oko 1.000 metara uspona. Razlog je bio taj što mi je sutra bio poslednji dan u Italiji; imao sam plan da uradim jednu zaista “ludu” stazu i nisam želeo da se isforsiram danas.

Seo sam u kola i uputio se ka jezeru Misurina (Lago di Misurina, 1.754 m), gde sam imao rezervisan smeštaj.

Nakon kratke vožnje stigao sam u hotel, ali umesto da odmaram, došlo je do promene. Imao sam još sigurno preko četiri sata dnevne svetlosti i nisam želeo da mi to propadne ne radeći ništa.

Popričao sam sa menadžerom hotela, koji je zaista gotivan lik, i on mi je preporučio da uradim jednu od njegovih omiljenih staza.

Rekao mi je da nije preterano zahtevna i da vodi na obližnji masiv Monte Piana (2.324 m). Pošto nisam bio upoznat sa njom, pokazao mi je mapu i objasnio kojim putem da idem.

Zahvalio sam mu se i krenuo na drugu stazu današnjeg dana.

📍 Lokacija: Italy (Lake Misurina)
🏞️ Regija: Veneto (Tre Cime National Park, Dolomites)

🏔️ Staza: Lake Misurina - Monte Piana Peak (2.324 m) Hike
🥾 Tip: Loop
🚩 Početak: Google Maps

⚠️ Težina: 3/5
🚶 Distanca: 15.3 km
⛰️ Uspon: 850 m
🕒 Trajanje: 3h 20m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX fajl: Download

🏡 Smeštaj: Dolomiti des Alpes (2-star)
📍 Lokacija: Google Maps

Na jezeru Misurina sam boravio 2024. godine, kada sam išao da obiđem legendarni planinski masiv Tre Cime di Lavaredo (2.999 m), tako da mi je taj kraj bio poznat.

Za razliku od prošlog puta, smeštaj sam uzeo na samoj obali jezera, u blizini glavnog parkinga koji služi kao polazna tačka ka masivu Tre Cime di Lavaredo - ali, ispostavilo se, i kao polazna tačka za uspon na planinski masiv Monte Piana (2.324 m), koji mi je preporučio menadžer hotela.

Nalazi se tačno prekoputa masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo i smatra se jednim od najfascinantnijih muzeja na otvorenom na Dolomitima.

Ima veoma specifičan oblik velikog ravnog platoa koji se sastoji od dva manja vrha, ili bolje rečeno - uzvišenja.

Južni i najviši deo (Monte Piana, 2.324 m) su držali Italijani, dok su Severni (Monte Piano, 2.305 m) držali Austrougari. Između njih se nalazila takozvana “ničija zemlja”, koja je bila poprište jedne od najsurovijih bitaka u istoriji ratovanja - “Rat u kamenu”, gde je poginulo neverovatnih 14.000 ljudi.

Danas se tu može videti razgranata mreža rovova i tunela u kojima su vojnici živeli i borili se i na -30 stepeni. Više njih je stradalo zbog vremenskih uslova, nego od samog oružja.

Iz hotela sam se uputio do parkinga odakle kreću dva asfaltna puta: desni i glavni, koji ide ka Tre Cime, i levi, pregrađen rampom, koji vodi na vrh Monte Piana.

Taj put je zatvoren sa razlogom - u pitanju je stari vojni put, zabranjen za saobraćaj jer su se na pojedinim mestima pojavila klizišta koja su odnela veći deo asfalta. To sam primetio kasnije, tokom uspona.

U početku je put vodio kroz gustu šumu i bio je veoma prijatan za šetnju jer nije bilo žive duše. Sve vreme sam se lagano penjao dok nisam došao do raskrsnice, gde je stari vojni put nastavljao levo, a novoizgrađeni desno.

Pošto mi je menadžer hotela rekao da se držim leve strane, tuda sam se i uputio. Praktično su od tog mesta počeli da se pojavljuju pomenuti odroni, ali i prvi vidici na planinske masive Cadini di Misurina i Cristallo, kao i na samo jezero Misurina.

Kada se u tom kadru pojavila i krava, mojoj sreći nije bilo kraja - samo je falilo da bude ljubičasta! 🙂

Kako sam se penjao, bukvalno sam ostajao bez daha - što zbog nešto većeg uspona, što zbog neverovatnih pogleda.

To se posebno odnosilo na nazubljene vrhove masiva Cadini di Misurina, poznatije i kao “Mordor Dolomita”, koji su izgledali zaista veličanstveno.

Bukvalno sam bio zatečen onim što vidim, a do tada sam video svašta.

Počeli su da se otvaraju pogledi i na Tre Cime di Lavaredo i masiv Sorapiss - sve je delovalo kao san. Bukvalno sam bio okružen legendarnim planinskim masivima.

Jedno od lepših iznenađenja koja sam doživeo na putovanju.

Nastavio sam da pratim asfaltni put i ubrzo izbio kod planinarskog doma Rifugio Monte Piana “Angelo Bosi” (2.205 m), koji se nalazi na samom ulazu u “ničiju zemlju”.

Ime je dobio po kapetanu Anđelu Boziju (Angelo Bosi), koji je poginuo na ovoj planini 1915. godine. Dom je specifičan po tome što se u njemu čuva kolekcija bajoneta, šlemova i ličnih stvari vojnika iz Prvog svetskog rata, pronađenih na samom platou.

Napravio sam kratku pauzu, popio limenku hladne Coca-Cole, a zatim nastavio da pratim stazu koja me je vodila levom stranom platoa, paralelno sa masivom Cristallo.

Na pojedinim mestima je staza bila veoma izložena, pa su postavljene sajle za dodatnu bezbednost.

Ubrzo su počeli da se pojavljuju i prvi tuneli - naravno da sam kroz neke morao da prođem, a neki su bili i sastavni deo same staze.

Ubrzo sam stigao do kraja staze koju sam pratio i po prvi put se popeo na sam plato i takozvanu “ničiju zemlju”.

Bila je prepuna rovova i manjih spomenika, a svakako je najimpresivniji bio veliki drveni krst Gipfelkreuz.

Na njemu je urezana latinska reč PAX, što u prevodu znači - MIR. Nadam se da su ga poginuli vojnici konačno i pronašli.

Obišao sam još neke spomenike i rovove, i bilo je vreme da krenem nazad jer je sunce počelo da zalazi.

Nisam želeo da se vraćam istim putem, pa sam na mapi pronašao stazu koja me je vodila u šumovitu dolinu Val Rimbianco.

Staza je sve vreme išla u pravcu masiva Tre Cime di Lavaredo, koji mi je služio kao orijentir.

Spuštao sam se poprilično brzo strmom stazom, vijugajući niz padinu masiva Monte Piana, sve dok nisam stigao do same doline i planinskog potoka koji teče njenom sredinom.

Kada sam prešao potok i krenuo stazom koja vodi pored njega, setio sam se da sam ovde bio 2024. godine - ali biciklom - i da me čeka poprilično dugačak put do hotela.

Nastavio sam ubrzanim korakom prateći reku, jer je mrak počeo sve više da se spušta, sve dok nisam stigao do jedne prostrane poljane.

Tu sam konačno usporio korak, jer sam znao da se iznad nalazi naplatna stanica za ulazak u nacionalni park i da sam tehnički stigao u civilizaciju.

Izašao sam na asfaltni put, prošao naplatnu stanicu i uputio se ka hotelu. Prošao sam pored manjeg jezera Antorno (Lago d’Antorno, 1.866 m), a nedugo zatim stigao i do glavnog parkinga odakle sam krenuo.

Par minuta kasnije, i već sam bio u hotelu.

Na recepciji me je dočekao menadžer i ponudio se da mi napravi sendvič jer je video da sam umoran.

Hranu ne odbijam, pa sam ga poneo u sobu i na miru pojeo. Uz obaveznu Coca-Colu, naravno. 🙂

Ipak, znao sam da moram izaći na pravu večeru. Popričao sam sa svojim prijateljem, koji mi je predložio restoran iznad samog jezera gde rade, kako je rekao, dve veoma lepe mlade dame. Naravno, to sam morao da istražim.

Jedina mana je bila to što je restoran udaljen oko dva kilometra od hotela, a ja sam tog dana već prešao trideset. Ali, bio sam spreman na tu žrtvu. 🙂

Iskoristio sam priliku i da prošetam pored samog jezera Misurina, poznatog i kao “biser Dolomita”.

Spada u jedno od najfotogeničnijih jezera u Italiji, a to i ne čudi ako uzmemo u obzir da se u njegovoj vodi oslikavaju neki od najpoznatijih vrhova Dolomita: Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Sorapiss, Cadini di Misurina i grupa Cristallo.

Zbog odsjaja koji se pruža sa njega, često ga zovu “ogledalom divova”.

Za to je, prema legendi, zaslužno razbijeno ogledalo princeze Misurine koje se nalazi rasuto po dnu jezera. Nekada davno je živeo kralj Sorapis, koji je toliko voleo svoju ćerku da je pristao da ga vila pretvori u planinu kako bi ona dobila čarobno ogledalo.

Razmaženo derište, ako mene pitate. 🙂

Kada je video ćerku kako pada sa litice tokom njegove transformacije, kralj je počeo da roni gorke suze. Od tih suza je nastalo jezero, dok su krhotine razbijenog ogledala na dnu i danas daju vodi one nestvarne, višebojne odsjaje.

Dočekao sam da neko jezero konačno nastane od muških suza. 🙂

Stigao sam i do restorana i mogu reći da su i devojke i hrana bile odlične. Možda su imale malo više pirsinga za moj ukus, ali dobro - neću da cepidlačim, jer mi je menadžer ipak predložio današnju prelepu stazu.

Posle klope sam se vratio u hotel, još jednom prošavši pored jezera Misurina.

Pao je mrak i odsjaji su bili još lepši.

Bio je ovo veoma dugačak dan - sa ovom posetom restoranu sam prešao ukupno oko 35 kilometara. Samo 20 više od planiranog. 🙂

Sutra je bio moj poslednji dan u Italiji i želeo sam da uradim nešto posebno i da se oprostim od Dolomita kako i dolikuje.

Odlučio sam da uradim tri ferate za tri vrha Tre Cime, ili kako sam ja to nazvao: Tre Vie Ferrate, Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

Čekao me je veoma naporan dan, sa mnogo uspona i kilometara u nogama - a nakon toga i put ka mojoj sledećoj destinaciji: Sloveniji.

Sve priče na mom Substack-u su besplatne i tako će i ostati, jer verujem da ovakve avanture treba da budu dostupne svima bez zaključavanja iza pretplate.

Časti me Coca-Colom! 🥤

Ovaj kutak je za one koji žele da me podrže i časte mojim omiljenim pićem, jer sam obično zauzet pisanjem (ili planinarenjem) da bih skoknuo do prodavnice. 😁

P.S.
💬 Ako vam se dopadaju moje avanture, možete se prijaviti klikom na Subscribe, pa će vam svaka nova priča koju objavim stizati direktno na email. Potpuno besplatno.

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Hvala na podršci! 🙏

🏔️ Trail: Via ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri via Punta Anna (C/D) - Via ferrata Gianni Aglio (D) - Tofana di Mezzo Peak (3244 m) Hike
🥾 Type: Loop
🚩 Trailhead: Google Maps

⚠️ Difficulty: 4/5
🚶 Distance: 11.6 km
⛰️ Ascent: 1480 m
🕒 Duration: 5h 50m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX file: Download

🏡 Accommodation: Franceschi Park Hotel (4-star)
📍 Location: Google Maps

Cortina d’Ampezzo, or the “Queen of the Dolomites,” is a town nestled in the sunny valley of the Ampezzo Nature Park and is surrounded by some of the most famous mountain massifs in the world: Tofane, Cristallo, and Sorapis. This was also one of the reasons I chose it as my base for the next few days.

During my first stay here in 2024, I crossed the famous Via Ferrata Ivano Dibona - the same one where the movie Cliffhanger, starring Sylvester Stallone, was filmed - located on the Cristallo massif.

I also visited the renowned turquoise Lake Sorapis, likely the most photographed lake in the Dolomites, which sits at the foot of the massif of the same name.

This meant the Tofane massif remained unexplored, so I had to put an end to that injustice.

I decided to summit Tofana di Mezzo (3,244 m), the third-highest peak in the Dolomites and the highest in the Tofane massif. But not just by any path - via two far-from-easy via ferratas.

The first was Via Ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri, classified as C/D (difficult to very difficult), which would lead me across the famous natural rock arch of Punta Anna.

Immediately after that, I would connect to the second ferrata - Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio, classified as D (very difficult). There, the even more famous natural rock window - Bus di Tofana awaited me, offering spectacular views toward the other side of the massif.

A 1,500-meter climb and a fairly grueling day lay ahead, so I didn’t waste any time and headed toward the parking lot next to Rifugio Angelo Dibona (2,083 m), at the base of the southern part of the massif.

Unlike most mountain huts, this one is accessible by car. The drive there wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing.

From Cortina d’Ampezzo to the turn-off from the main road, the asphalt is good; the only thing you have to fear are the other drivers, who for some reason in Italy drive as if they’re under the influence of alcohol or some kind of psychoactive substances. Or perhaps they’re just mesmerized by the beautiful scenery all around.

From the turn-off itself, the road narrows significantly, and as I approached the hut, it grew steadily worse, until I was eventually driving on a road that would make Swiss cheese envious.

I arrived around 9 AM and the parking lot was already full, so I had to make do as best I could. In the end, I parked right by the roadside near the hut. I had no choice - I trust there are no tow trucks up here! 🙂

The day was beautiful, without a cloud in the sky, and everything suggested it would be perfect for hiking - but that also meant potentially large crowds. On top of that, it was Saturday. An ideal combination.

From the parking lot, the trail starts leading toward Rifugio Pomedes (2,303 m).

The path to the hut led me mostly across a scree slope covered in low-growing vegetation, so from the very start, I could enjoy the vistas opening up in every direction - becoming increasingly impressive as I gained altitude.

I reached the hut but didn’t linger; instead, I turned left toward the Tofane massif.

A much steeper path awaited me there, winding across a vast amount of scree. Fortunately, that section didn’t last long, and I soon reached the very start of the Via Ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri.

I wasn’t the only one heading up; there were already several people there, but I didn’t see any large groups, so I hoped it would stay that way. How wrong I was. 🙂

I put on my ferrata set and started the climb. Right at the start, I hit a highly exposed section where you move along the very edge of the massif, across a narrow “so-called path” - a mere hint of what was yet to come.

The vistas were fantastic, but the standout was the one toward the Queen of the Dolomites, where you could perfectly see how Cortina d’Ampezzo is nestled between the mountain massifs.

In the distance, through a gap in the rocks, I spotted the legendary five towers, better known as the Cinque Torri. What a start - exactly what I had hoped for!

The ferrata led me toward the third-highest peak of the massif - Tofana di Rozes (3,225 m), which, with its distinct color, reminded me of the President of the United States. And no, I don’t mean Barack Obama. 🙂

In mountaineering circles, it is often called the second-highest peak due to its popularity and massive scale, but that simply isn’t true. The second-highest peak is Tofana di Dentro (3,238 m) - the middle sister.

But all good things must come to an end. I soon reached the point where the ascents lead directly over the rocks toward the summit of the Punta Anna ridge (2,731 m), and that’s where I ran into a massive crowd.

People were waiting in lines because there were guided groups of varying experience levels on the rocks; it often happened that someone couldn’t clear a specific section, so we had to wait for the guides to help them out.

A total drag.

The only upside was that I met a couple of guys from Poland while we were queuing together, so we had a nice chat.

At one point, my friend from Scotland appeared behind us - the same guy I had met the day before on the Via Ferrata Delle Trincee. We greeted each other warmly, and I found out that he was also originally from Poland, so we all continued the ascent together.

We kept moving until we emerged onto the summit of the Punta Anna ridge, where the Via Ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri ends. This is the spot where hikers usually take a break after the strenuous climb - and the group we’d been following the whole time did exactly that, so I seized the opportunity to overtake them.

I literally sprinted across the ridge, climbed up the metal ladders, and soon reached the start of the second ferrata - Via Ferrata Gianni Aglio. I continued the ascent on my own, as the guys from Poland decided to take a rest on the ridge.

What awaited me was more or less the same as on the first ferrata - perhaps a shade more exposed and difficult, but without too much variation. For the most part, you’re climbing along the cable directly over the rock and U-bolts, or walking along extremely narrow “so-called” paths.

The vistas were even more impressive as I was at a much higher altitude - quite simply, everywhere I turned, there was something spectacular to see.

As I climbed, I also encountered sections that weren’t technically via ferrata, but rather a very steep and exposed trail winding across the slope.

There weren’t many of those sections, but it didn’t hurt to be careful, as there was no cable to catch you in the event of a slip.

I pushed on until I reached the most famous part of the route - the rock window known as Bus di Tofana (2,920 m).

The ferrata leads directly through it, and that was where I got my first glimpse of what lay on the other side of the massif.

And those views are even more magnificent from such a high vantage point, as the “window” sits at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level.

Passing through the window, you encounter a set of several metal ladders stacked one above the other, which technically mark the end of the via ferrata.

From that point on, there were no more cables - just the final ascent to the summit itself, which mostly consisted of scrambling over rocks and the occasional ladder.

The summit was incredibly crowded; it was swarming with tourists, the reason being the cable car station located about fifty meters below.

I stayed just long enough to snap a few photos, and then I headed toward the highest mountain hut in the Dolomites - Rifugio Cima Tofana (3,191 m).

The hut is located right next to the cable car station and is famous for its wooden terrace, which hangs literally right over the abyss. It’s the ideal spot for a cold Coca-Cola, which is exactly what I had.

I took a short break and then headed back to the main trail.

When I was planning my return route, I chose a trail that circles around the summit of Tofana di Mezzo. As it turned out, that path was trickier than both of the via ferratas I had completed that day.

I headed toward the mountain pass of Forcella Tofana (3,084 m), which was reached via a shorter ferrata - Via Ferrata Lamon, classified as B (intermediate). For the most part, it was nothing difficult. A relatively easy descent followed, accompanied by a safety cable.

I descended along the ferrata for a while, and just before the pass itself, the path split. The ferrata continues toward the “second sister” - the summit of Tofana di Dentro - while the trail I was following branched off toward the small lake Lago Vallon de Tofana (2,855 m), which was visible about a hundred meters below.

From that moment on, the most difficult part of today’s entire route began for me. The path to the lake was extremely problematic, as it was a very steep trail made up of scree and loose stones. On top of that, there was snow, making everything damp and incredibly slippery. It was one of the toughest descents I’ve ever done - at times, I even had to use my hands to brake.

I somehow managed to waddle down to the lake, and that’s when I noticed the remains of a glacier beneath the scree, which explained why the terrain was so unstable. The melting of the glacier is what creates the lake I was passing by. To be honest, I couldn’t wait to get away from there; I didn’t feel particularly safe because of the constant sliding. Ice and loose stones are not a good mix.

Fortunately, that section didn’t last long, but my troubles weren’t over yet. A rather tricky section followed, leading across the tiered slopes of the massif.

It looked as if someone had stacked layers of a cake one on top of the other. The trail was exposed, poorly marked, and covered in scree.

At times, I could hear small pebbles falling around me, so I spent most of the time listening intently for any movement, just in case a rock started heading my way.

In the distance, I spotted two people moving along the trail, so I sped up to catch them - which I managed to do at the mountain pass of Forcella Vallon de Tofana (2,936 m). As it turned out, it was two girls, which really surprised me - I hadn’t encountered anyone else on this entire descent except for them. Hats off to them!

I wouldn’t even have caught up with them if they hadn’t stopped to rest and check the map. We chatted briefly and decided to continue the descent together. Ahead of us lay a path across a “sea” of scree all the way to Rifugio Camillo Giussani (2,561 m), which sits right on the Forcella Fontananegra pass.

I thought it would take a while, but since the girls were cute and a rare sight at altitudes above 3,000 meters, I didn’t mind. 🙂

I think we made it down to the hut in less than 15 minutes. It turned out the girls knew exactly what they were doing, and we “ran” down that scree like it was nothing.

The mountain pass was home not only to the hut but also to the remains of World War I ruins, as these mountains were the site of major battles. A place truly steeped in history.

We took a short break there, said our goodbyes, and I headed toward Rifugio Angelo Dibona, where I had parked my car. I just hoped it was still there.

A wide path leads to it, looking more like a gravel road than a standard mountain trail; as far as I could tell, its width is tailored for trail runners, who were there in large numbers.

The trail wound down the slope the entire way, and after a somewhat long descent, I reached my car. Nothing was missing - I had at least expected to find my windshield wipers popped up. 🙂

I took a short break, had another cold Coca-Cola, and then hopped in the car to head back to town. When I got to the hotel, I went to my favorite restaurant, but they somehow talked me into trying their goulash. It was excellent, though I have to admit I missed the lasagna quite a bit.

After lunch, I returned to the hotel and spent the evening in the “devilish” jacuzzi.

The next day, as it would turn out, two trails awaited me. In addition to my planned visit to Lake Federa (2,038 m), I also completed an unplanned route on the recommendation of my hotel manager.

I climbed the lesser-known Monte Piana (2,324 m), which honestly blew me away; it was one of the most pleasant surprises of this trip because of the fantastic vistas it offered.

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🏔️ Staza: Via ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri via Punta Anna (C/D) - Via ferrata Gianni Aglio (D) - Tofana di Mezzo Peak (3244 m) Hike
🥾 Tip: Loop
🚩 Početak: Google Maps

⚠️ Težina: 4/5
🚶 Distanca: 11.6 km
⛰️ Uspon: 1480 m
🕒 Trajanje: 5h 50m

📎 Garmin Connect: Link
📎 Strava: Link
📎 GPX fajl: Download

🏡 Smeštaj: Franceschi Park Hotel (4-star)
📍 Lokacija: Google Maps

Cortina d’Ampezzo, iliti Kraljica Dolomita, je gradić smešten u sunčanoj dolini nacionalnog parka Ampezzo (Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti d’Ampezzo) i okružen je nekim od najpoznatijih planinskih masiva na svetu: Tofane, Cristallo i Sorapis. To je ujedno bio jedan od razloga zašto sam ga izabrao za svoju bazu narednih dana.

Kada sam 2024. godine prvi put boravio ovde, prešao sam poznatu feratu Ivano Dibona - istu onu na kojoj je sniman film Alpinista sa Silvesterom Staloneom - koja se nalazi na masivu Cristallo.

Posetio sam i čuveno tirkizno jezero Sorapis, verovatno najfotografisanije jezero na Dolomitima, koje se nalazi u podnožju istoimenog masiva.

To je značilo da je masiv Tofane ostao neistražen, pa sam morao da stanem na kraj toj nepravdi.

Odlučio sam da se popnem na planinski vrh Tofana di Mezzo (3.244 m), treći najviši vrh Dolomita i najviši vrh masiva Tofane. Ali ne bilo kakvom stazom, nego preko dve nimalo lake ferate.

Prva je bila Via ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri, klasifikovana kao C/D (teška do veoma teška), koja bi me vodila preko čuvenog prirodnog kamenog luka Punta Anna.

Odmah nakon toga bih se nadovezao na drugu feratu - Via ferrata Gianni Aglio, klasifikovanu kao D (veoma teška), gde bi me čekao i prolaz kroz još čuveniji prirodni kameni prozor u steni - Bus di Tofana, kroz koji se pružaju spektakularni pogledi na drugu stranu masiva.

Čekalo me je oko 1.500 metara uspona i poprilično težak dan, pa nisam gubio vreme i uputio sam se ka parkingu koji se nalazi pored planinarskog doma Rifugio Angelo Dibona (2.083 m), u podnožju južnog dela masiva Tofane.

Za razliku od većine planinarskih domova, do ovog se može stići kolima. Vožnja do njega nije bila idealna, ali bolje išta nego ništa.

Od Cortine d’Ampezzo do skretanja sa magistralnog puta vodi dobar asfaltni put, i jedino čega se morate pribojavati su drugi vozači, koji iz nekog razloga u Italiji voze kao da su pod dejstvom alkohola ili kojekakvih psihoaktivnih supstanci. A možda su samo opčinjeni prelepim prizorima svuda unaokolo.

Od samog skretanja je put dosta uži, a kako sam se približavao domu, postajao je sve lošiji, da bih na kraju bukvalno vozio putem kojem bi pozavideo i švajcarski sir.

Stigao sam oko 9 sati i na parkingu više nije bilo mesta, pa sam morao da se snalazim kako znam i umem. Na kraju sam parkirao pored samog puta, blizu doma. Nisam imao izbora - verujem da pauka ovde nema. 🙂

Dan je bio lep, bez oblaka, i sve je nagoveštavalo da će biti kao stvoren za planinarenje - ali to je značilo i potencijalno veliku gužvu. Uz to je bila i subota. Idealna kombinacija.

Sa parkinga kreće staza koja vodi ka planinarskom domu Rifugio Pomedes (2.303 m).

Put do njega me je većim delom vodio preko sipara obraslog niskim rastinjem, tako da sam od samog starta mogao da uživam u vidicima koji su se otvarali na sve strane i postajali sve impresivniji kako sam dobijao na visini.

Stigao sam do doma, ali se nisam zadržavao, već sam skrenuo levo u pravcu masiva Tofane.

Tu me je sačekala dosta strmija staza koja je vijugala preko ogromne količine sipara. Srećom, taj deo nije dugo trajao i ubrzo sam stigao na sam početak ferate Giuseppe Olivieri.

Nisam bio jedini koji se uputio na uspon; tu se već nalazilo nekoliko ljudi, ali nisam video veće grupe, pa sam se ponadao da ih neće ni biti. Kako sam se samo prevario. 🙂

Obukao sam ferata set i krenuo na uspon. Odmah na startu sam naišao na veoma izložen deo gde se krećete samom ivicom masiva, preko uske “nazovi staze“, što je samo nagoveštavalo šta me tek čeka.

Vidici su bili fantastični, a prednjačio je onaj u pravcu Kraljice Dolomita, gde se savršeno moglo videti kako je Cortina d’Ampezzo ugnežđena između planinskih masiva.

U daljini sam, u procepu između stena, primetio i legendarnih pet kula, poznatijih kao Cinque Torri. Kakav početak - za poželeti!

Ferata me je vodila u pravcu trećeg najvišeg vrha masiva - Tofana di Rozes (3.225 m), koja me je svojom bojom podsećala na predsednika Amerike. I ne, ne mislim na Baraka Obamu. 🙂

U planinarskim krugovima je često nazivaju drugim najvišim vrhom zbog njene popularnosti i masivnosti, ali to jednostavno nije tačno. Drugi najviši vrh je Tofana di Dentro (3.238 m), iliti srednja sestra.

Ali sve što je lepo ima kraj. Ubrzo sam stigao do mesta gde kreću usponi koji vode direktno preko stena ka vrhu grebena Punta Anna (2.731 m), gde sam naleteo na ogromnu gužvu.

Ljudi su čekali u redovima, jer su na stenama bile vođene grupe različitog nivoa iskustva; često se dešavalo da neko ne može da savlada određenu deonicu, pa smo čekali da im vodiči pomognu.

Neviđen smor.

Jedina dobra stvar je što sam upoznao par momaka iz Poljske dok smo zajedno čekali u redu, pa smo se fino ispričali.

U jednom trenutku se iza nas pojavio i moj prijatelj iz Škotske, koga sam dan ranije upoznao na ferati Delle Trincee. Srdačno smo se pozdravili i saznao sam da je i on poreklom iz Poljske, pa smo svi zajedno nastavili uspon.

Kretali smo se tako sve dok nismo izbili na vrh grebena Punta Anna, gde se Via ferrata Giuseppe Olivieri i završava. Na tom mestu planinari obično prave pauzu posle napornog uspona, što je učinila i grupa koju smo pratili sve vreme, pa sam iskoristio priliku da ih obiđem.

Bukvalno sam pretrčao greben, popeo se uz metalne merdevine i ubrzo stigao na početak druge ferate - Via ferrata Gianni Aglio. Uspon sam nastavio sam, jer su momci iz Poljske odlučili da odmore na grebenu.

Sačekalo me je manje-više isto što i na prvoj ferati, možda za nijansu izloženije i teže, ali bez preterano mnogo varijacija. Uglavnom se penjete uz sajlu direktno preko stena, U-profila ili hodate ekstremno uskim stazicama.

Vidici su bili još impresivniji jer sam bio na mnogo većoj visini - jednostavno, gde god da sam se okrenuo, imao sam šta da vidim.

Kako sam se penjao, nailazio sam i na delove koji tehnički nisu bili ferata, već veoma strma i izložena staza koja je vijugala padinom.

Takvih delova nije bilo puno, ali oprez nije bio naodmet jer nije bilo sajle da vas zadrži u slučaju nekog proklizavanja.

Nastavio sam dalje sve dok nisam stigao do najpoznatijeg dela rute, a to je prozor u steni - Bus di Tofana (2.920 m).

Ferata vodi direktno kroz njega i tu sam prvi put ugledao šta se nalazi sa druge strane masiva.

A to su još veličanstveniji pogledi sa mnogo veće visine, jer se “prozor“ nalazi na skoro 3.000 metara nadmorske visine.

Prolaskom kroz prozor nailazite na set od nekoliko metalnih merdevina naslaganih jedna iznad druge, koje tehnički označavaju i kraj ferate.

Nakon toga više nije bilo sajle, već samo uspon do samog vrha, koji se uglavnom sastojao od penjenja preko stena i ponekih merdevina.

Na vrhu je bila zaista velika gužva; sve je vrvelo od turista, a razlog tome je stanica gondole koja se nalazi pedesetak metara niže.

Zadržao sam se tek toliko da uhvatim nekoliko fotografija, a zatim sam krenuo ka najvišem planinarskom domu na Dolomitima - Rifugio Cima Tofana (3.191 m).

Dom se nalazi odmah pored stanice gondole i poznat je po svojoj drvenoj terasi koja se nalazi bukvalno iznad same provalije. Idealno mesto da se popije hladna Coca-Cola, što sam i uradio.

Napravio sam kratak predah, a zatim se vratio na glavnu stazu.

Kada sam pravio rutu za povratak, izabrao sam stazu koja kruži oko vrha Tofana di Mezzo. Ispostavilo se da je ta staza bila zeznutija od obe ferate koje sam prošao tog dana.

Uputio sam se ka planinskom prevoju Forcella Tofana (3.084 m), do koga je vodila kraća ferata - Via Ferrata Lamon, klasifikovana kao B (srednje teška). Uglavnom ništa teško. Sačekao me je laganiji spust propraćen sigurnosnom sajlom.

Spuštao sam se feratom neko vreme, a malo pre samog prevoja došlo je do odvajanja. Ferata nastavlja u pravcu “druge sestre”, odnosno vrha Tofana di Dentro, a staza koju sam ja pratio skretala je ka malom jezeru Lago Vallon de Tofana (2.855 m), koje se videlo nekih stotinjak metara niže.

Od tog trenutka je za mene krenuo najteži deo cele današnje rute. Put do samog jezera bio je veoma problematičan, jer je do njega vodila veoma strma staza sačinjena od sipara i sitnog kamenja. Uz to je bilo i snega, pa je sve bilo vlažno i veoma klizavo. Jedan od težih spustova koje sam radio - na momente sam morao da kočim i rukama.

Nekako sam se dogegao do jezera i tada sam primetio da se ispod sipara nalaze ostaci glečera, što je objasnilo zašto je teren toliko nestabilan. Topljenjem glečera i nastaje jezero pored koga sam prošao. Iskreno da budem, jedva sam čekao da se udaljim sa tog mesta jer se nisam osećao najbezbednije zbog silnog proklizavanja. Led i sitno kamenje se ne slažu baš najbolje.

Srećom, taj deo nije dugo trajao, ali mojim mukama nije bilo kraja. Usledio je poprilično zeznut deo koji je vodio preko stepenaste padine masiva Tofane.

Izgledalo je kao da je neko slagao slojeve torte jedan preko drugog. Staza je bila izložena, slabo obeležena i prepuna sipara.

Mogao sam da čujem kako sitno kamenje pada oko mene, pa sam veći deo vremena osluškivao šta se dešava, za slučaj da neki krene ka meni.

U daljini sam ugledao dve osobe kako idu stazom, pa sam ubrzao da ih sustignem, što mi je i pošlo za rukom na planinskom prevoju Forcella Vallon de Tofana (2.936 m). Ispostavilo se da su to dve devojke, što me je veoma iznenadilo - na celom ovom spustu nisam sreo nikoga osim njih. Svaka čast!

Ne bih ih ni stigao da nisu napravile pauzu da odmore i pogledaju mapu. Nakratko smo popričali i odlučili da spust nastavimo zajedno. Čekao nas je put preko “mora“ sipara sve do planinarskog doma Rifugio Camillo Giussani (2.561 m), koji leži na samom planinskom prevoju Forcella Fontananegra.

Mislio sam da će potrajati, ali pošto su devojke bile slatke i retke na visinama iznad 3.000 metara, nije mi smetalo. 🙂

Mislim da smo se do doma spustili za manje od 15 minuta. Ispostavilo se da devojke znaju šta rade i “strčali“ smo preko tog sipara kao od šale.

Na samom planinskom prevoju se nije nalazio samo dom, nego i ostaci ruševina iz Prvog svetskog rata, jer su ove planine bile poprište velikih borbi. Mesto puno istorije.