Samaire Armstrongfake

Chacotrek: from Alpe di Siusi Val di Fassa and

(val)

August 24 - after waiting a rainy Saturday last Sunday, the weather is splendid. We depart from and arrive in Bolzano Val di Fassa: Pera take the shuttle from the shelter Gardeccia x (1950slm), 5 €. And 'Sunday is August, we are the best known and celebrated in the Dolomites, therefore the main road that goes to the shelters and Vajolet Preuss (2243slm) is a kind of procession, but the landscape is ; so charming that it exceeds the discomfort. During the night it snowed in the mountains, the air is crystal clear. (Pictured Rosengarten Antermoia )

Once the two shelters we leave the main path and go up into the throat of Gartl, left, down the steep path 542nd, which will take us to the beautiful and famous valley below the towers of the Gartl Vajolet .

Classified "for experts" on the climb rocks is facilitated by a series of metal cables until just before the refuge King Albert I, I think most useful for the large amount of people who attend these places. Walk on the white rock is dazzling and beautiful, but that's part of my "sore dolomite.

From King Albert (2621slm) an easy path leads to small refuge Santner (2741slm) under the western wall of rugged mountains. The refuge has been recently renovated and the exterior wood is still unclear, it still worked from the weather. It has only 8 beds and we would gladly stayed here, but obviously we have not found a place called yesterday, so we'll just stop for lunch. Near the hut there is a panoramic point, overlooking the meadows below, which always manages to excite me stay there because we lay down in the feet is impressive for the attraction of the void.

We take some 'photos to Latemar, Horn Black Horn White, Bolzano, and in Sciliar distant groups and Adamello-Ortles Cevedale. Then it's time to get down to the same route, to the shelters and Vajolet Preuss.
Recall the easy path from south to north, 584, which leads to step Prince (2600slm) and the refuge of the same name, where we found a place for the night. At this time of the afternoon the people down and the magical landscape is only our own, the few that are up to sleep.

The last time I moved here in 2005, the small shelter was for sale. Now he has taken a mountain guide, Sergio, who has completely rebuilt (300 helicopter trips ...) and runs it with his son Daniel. Sergio sits a bit 'at the table with us, tells us, chatting as well happen in small huts, and Franza I asked if we are sisters (the second day), then plays with the dog that wins Chaco with his intelligence and his devotion. Baptize our trekking chacotrek "in his honor. Meanwhile, we keep an eye on the evolution of the sunset is from enrosadira evening and at the appropriate time comes to taking photos. Finally white grappa "correct" one teaspoon taken from a jar in which they are infused gentian root for me is inaccessible, how bitter is pure poison. Others appreciate it very much.

August 25 - Edo abandons us, we remain two of us "sisters" Spatuzza (those who request it again? Better say yes right away?). We are directed to the refuge Bolzano and we have two options to get there: one goes down a lot, going from shelter Bergamo (one of those old, still manufactured in 800), 1900, and then tap fee back from the "hole in the bear" to the path Tires that goes from the plateau towards Schlern, the other goes down only until about 2330, is a piece at a height and then back up a steep scree slope to the pitch Molignon (2600slm) falls refuge Alpe di Tires and from there continues as before. I would be more for the first option, more varied though longer and with more altitude, but the weather likely to damage thunderstorms in the afternoon so it is prudent to do the more direct. And so we start down the path 554, still in the shadow of the mountain, and of course we'll make the climb tremendissima under the blazing sun. Nothing difficult, but the scree means a half step up and step down and when you finally see the sign of the fork seems to be a mirage. From
, after a short distance at high altitude, we see the red roof of the refuge Alpe di Tires (2440slm) under the teeth Terrarossa, where we arrived shortly after. Small lunch break and then move to the west, along the path 4, direct Schlern plateau, the mountain witch, our mountain.

The earth here is red, the grass is green despite the advanced season, the landscape becomes more and more Irish, with cows and horses grazing, and the bells that play up there and the large shelter that looks like a castle. The trail is easy, drops, salt, risk goes up again, very gently as the clouds go around there and never find out, unfortunately, fantastic profile Dolomite.

arrive early to Schlernhaus (2450slm), CAI, built in 1885, very large, quite crowded. We eat at the dawn of the 18: it seems to be a picnic ... with soup. Wait until sunset to lift the cloud, but its gray belly up to the last draw a clear line and we preclude the view of the peaks.

August 26 - the morning is a marvel of clarity, but now we know the old story: we must take advantage of the first hour because then it clouds over everything, so after breakfast we go to upstream Pez (2563slm), the highest point Schlern, about 20 minutes from the refuge, and we are a bit 'to enjoy the 360 \u200b\u200bdegrees as the clouds arrive.

And finally back down to the Alpe di Siusi, first by the "path of the tourists' 1, then 5, then 10 to Compaccio, from alpine Saltner with refreshments and then lost in 1000 in photos in green meadows and undulating and the Alpe Baitina postcard.

The arrival in the "civilization" is shocking After this immersion into the beauty: hotels, facilities, shops, crowds, I dare not think what is in the winter if it is already ... now we want to avoid the mountains. From Compaccio instead take the new gondola, built in theory could be closed to traffic for the road (but only from 9 to 17 and with exemptions for residents of the hotel), which takes us up in Siusi Edo where we are to take. And the chacotrek is over.

The photos are here: http://www.milaklee.altervista.org/08agosto-chacotrek% 20in% 20dolomiti /