Day 5: Dolomites hut-to-hut

We all, the 6 of us bunking together, agreed to wake at 6:30, with breakfast starting at 7. Even before the alarms started going off the window was exploding with light even with the curtains drawn. Barb was first out of bed and pulled the curtains aside, revealing bright blue skies and a thick layer of clouds below us... which seemed to motivate us all to get moving. Sharing the room with 6 people total hadn't been bad- no crazy snoring or talking or weird breathing... just me tossing and turning probably being the most obnoxious part of the night.

We wove between each other in the tight, narrow space as we all tried to simultaneous change, plan, and pack, sharing thoughts about the weather and temps for the day and how to best dress for the morning cold. Finishing quickly, I snuck out of the room, hunted down my shoes in the busy shoe drying room (amazing!), and braved myself for the cold as I went out on the viewing deck. The sun was warm, the air brisk at 10 degrees C, and the wind was doing a good job of keeping the Italian flag straight. And the view above the clouds with island peaks jutting through the puffy sea below was amazing.

Breakfast was a substantial spread of baked goods, yogurt and cereal, and a plate of eggs and ham, along with juice and coffee and milk. Our conversation from last night continued, as we learned new words/phrases from Geoff (stropy and weasel piss), shared more stories of travel and adventure, and just enjoyed each others company. It was absolutely hilarious listening to them plan their day, as they were continuing on the same itinerary, and I think Geoff really enjoyed stirring the pot. It was wonderful to find people who sought out similar ways of travel and enjoyment, preferring to keep it simple and doing stuff rather than just seeing stuff. Janette and George insisted on us coming to New Zealand and staying with them on the South Island, which was awesome and quite enticing given their history of adventuring. We reciprocated with an invite to MN... but I don't know if that has the same pull...

Coffee did its job, and we finished packing up in the bunk room while the others finished planning their day. We too decided that it would be best to take the cable car down, limiting the wear and tear on Sarah's right knee. With the first cable car departing at 9, this left us with quite a bit of time to chill, and ice again our conversations continue as everyone else returned to the bunk room to finish packing.

Snapping a few last photos on the deck, we boarded the cable car at 9, filling it to the brim with hikers in our same position. The short, 17.50 euros each descent was worth it, as we descended the 2D view from far above morphed into a much steeper and longer 3D world. Stepping off the cable car into the windless, sunny, and hot air- I quickly regretted putting long underwear on under my shorts. Bidding goodbye to our bunk mates, we stopped across the road at the small store to fill waters ($1 euro to use the bathroom) and strip off all the extra layers.

Hiking up the 441 from Passo Falzarego Fouzaefo, where the cable car is based, we made good time, with the slope not being too steep and the trail in good shape from heavy use. While yesterday we saw barely anyone for most of the day, today the mountain sides were crawling with people. Passing the tiny Lake Limedes, we crossed into steeper and rockier terrain, and took a rest after an hour an instersection just before a steep, narrow gash in the rocky cliff above. Just above is were our bunk mates, picking their way carefully through the rocky way. While we had been hiking the clouds had begun to flow over us from the West in increasing thickness. Both of us had our rain gear close for the day.

Continuing upwards we pushed to Forc Averau (pass), which the clouds and wind were flying over, forcing us to unpack our warm jackets as the perceived temperature dropped immediately. Now working our way along the windward side of this ridge, the wind blew strong and we could see what was coming our way- lots of clouds, thick, dark, and low. We hurried along, passing some sport climbers and me ogling at the numerous, well bolted routes, past a group of elderly hikers enjoying the flowers, and towards Rifugio Averau, which was getting blasted in its low saddle between the two neighboring peaks.

Early for lunch, we entered the Rifugio and found a table right next to our bunk mates out on the covered and wind protected dining deck. Though early, as we'd saved about 1.5 hours of hiking by taking the cable car, we decided to eat a heart lunch here. Coffee, espresso, plates of noodles, and chocolate cake all went down the hatch as we made no rush to move on. Our final location for the night was very close, and as we watched the clouds swallow us and rain pelt the window, our desire to move onwards grew nearly invisible. Our bunk mates had headed out, and we hoped that they would stay dry, as their day was much longer than ours.

Eventually, we suited up, pulling back on the warm layers, rain coats, baseball caps to shield our faces, and wrapped our backpacks in their rain covers. Heading through the Rifugio to the exit, it was absolutely packed with people hiding from the weather outside. Stepping out into the wind, we oriented ourselves and headed down from the saddle towards Cinque Torre, and much to our surprise within a few hundred feet we were in calm, warm, and dry air as the mountain create a shield over us as we descended its eastern slope.

Here the trails were many and well worn, almost to the point of confusion as splinter trails cross-crossed all over, leaving us always wondering which way was best. In the distance below we could see the loft served Rifugio Scoiattoli, which was packed with people. All around the Rifugio and the towered Cinque de Torri people swarmed, gaining east acces via lift and a gravel road that climbed up the eastern flank. We wove our way down, choosing whatever path seemed best to get us to our nights stay at Rifugio Cinque Torri, which lays directly underneath the towers. The clouds flowed up and over the high ridge behind us, but they stayed high, creating a continued pocket of beautiful weather as we walked the final bit to the Rifugio. The last two hundred feet found us putting up our rain coat hoods as the sky finally began to open up and let free the rain.

Checking in early, around 2pm I think, we were given our own room with not bunks (still single beds, just not stacked), which made me hopeful for sleep. In fact, I shed my gear, hung up the wet stuff, and power napped. And it was great.

Around 4 we layered back on our hiking clothes and rain gear and went exploring around the towers of Cinque Torre above the Rifugio. It was wonderful to walk without packs as we explored the open air museum of WWI trenches and posts in a massive circle around the towers. My climbing eyes could help but find the fun lines reaching up the faces of limestone.