Left at 8:30am with another beautiful day ahead, about 4.5 hours if I didn’t stop which of course is not going to happen!
And today I decided I was going to write as I go. That might make it less of a chore at the end of the day and more in the moment. Because the moment is all we ever have!
Descending slowly on the gravel road, through the forest, all quiet, all by myself was so peaceful. The sun rising blissfully over the mountains, warming me gently as I started my way. No one around but me as the more ambitious hikers had left 30 minutes earlier.
Here as well quite some trees torn down by a big storm. Maybe the same one that happened on the other side in 2018.
Two more weeks or so and all the larch trees are going to start turning yellow and orange. Reminds me of my tours through the Canadian Rockies.
And then I met about 150 people going uphill! Buon Giorno, Salve, Ciao – you’re never quite sure what to say, sometimes it matches. People of all ages, single hikers with dogs, seniors, trail runners, groups of older ladies, families, couples, everybody out exercising and not just a walk in the park. Maybe it was so busy because it’s a gorgeous day and also a Saturday?
When I stopped at my turn off and 2 groups of people started asking me whether the signora was off to Carestuto by herself? And “good luck”, “good for you”, “pretty brave” were the next comments. It kind of made me a little uneasy. Did I look that incapable or did I in fact not know what I was getting into.
I must say it turned out to be mentally the most challenging of my hiking days and there was a good amount of physical activity too.
There was self hypnosis “I stay on the path” or better motivating my feet by telling them “we stay on the path”, and more than once I asked for divine support. Seeing all those memorials of mountain climbers makes you sure more aware of the threats of the mountains, as beautiful and stunning as they are there is a lot of danger around you. And what’s climbing the walls of the Civetta for some is my alpine adventure for me. ❤️
First I crossed through larch and pine forests, then a river bed, a couple of “Geröll” boulder fields ……. And steeper it went.
Finally in the quiet, wild Dolomite wilderness again. Met no people until early afternoon.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell where the path might go if you are standing in the middle of a rockslide. And those mini “Inukshuks” or “Stoamanderl” are actually giving you a focus point on where to head.
More than once did I need help of some big rocks or roots pulling me up or down. Some of the roots look like hands sticking out of the rock to me.
On my left I was passing along the Cima del Zoldani (2494m – 8182ft). Heading south along those walls of rock keeps you in the shade all morning which makes the steep climbs a lot less exhausting.
Slowly yesterday’s route became smaller and smaller.
And then that steep path came into view.
Crossing another rockslide there were bits of ice left.
And in these unfriendly places there are still flowers growing.
And then I came to a spot where I didn’t know how to cross. I tried going to the right first, through some giant bolders but realized there was a big hole at the bottom and a very deep drop.
Then I climbed up closer to the middle but you’d have to balance over a super narrow strip and with my giant backpack I didn’t feel secure.
What about the left?
The middle looked to steep.
And then this nice couple from the UK came along and that was just the reassurance I needed.
Over the Col d’Ors I went and it continued steeply but I had conquered the (for me) most challenging part of the day.
As soon as I am in a forest again, even if it’s just “Latschenkiefern“ (mountain pines) I feel more grounded, safer, more protected. I guess I am a “forest person”, meaning this is my preferred landscape.
And as soon as I was over the steep top I could hear cowbells, thinking at first it must be an echo but a little later I spotted the 2 mountain climbers.
Had managed to change into my shorts for a little bit of sun, the next 2 days could be a little rainy, and had a short lunch break on the Alm (high meadows).
A little up and around the next corner another unforgettable view, again.
My hiking guide says another hour and a half to go, we’ll see! Now comes the more relaxed part.
Descending through the south facing forest, a real pleasure now. Lots of herbaceous scents, even tobacco.
Sitting below this gorgeous very old tree, I think it’s a spruce (sharp needle tops, square needle, scaly bark) I almost feel like crying out of gratitude, that I can hike here, see all this amazing beauty, sit here, and feel the tree. Also gratitude for having it made that far.
Can hear shouting and screaming from ahead of me. I guess the Rifugio is not far! All I really want is stillness. Wilderness camping? Might have to wait until I am back in Canada. Kind of not wanting to go any further. Not feeling like wanting noisy people around me. Turned out it was a whole bunch of rock climbers coming down from the Ferrata Constantini. Some of them go the other way, some of them pass me on the way up.
And then another rocky slope with a steep descend, rocks sliding under my feet, really don’t like that!
And finally I am at the Rifugio Carrestiato, even the noisy people on the sun deck are fine now, just so glad I made it! The Rifugio was completely renovated in 2013, excited what this will look like.
I shared a 5 bed room with 2 young women from Stuttgart and Montreal and we even had our own bathroom with a shower. Dinner is at 7:00 and I am going to have minestrone and potatoes with cheese and cabbage. So hungry now!
And what a sunset!
