Alta Via 2 - Trekking in the Dolomites

Includes 1:25,000 map booklet. With Alta Vie 3-6 in outline

By Gillian Price

Guidebook to the Alta Via 2 through the Italian Dolomites. Suitable for experienced hikers with a head for heights, the challenging but hugely rewarding hut-to-hut trail covers 160km in 13 days and involves steep and technical terrain and exposed sections. The more demanding AV3-6 routes are described in outline. Includes 1:25K map booklet for AV2.

Seasons

Alpine summer (mid-June to late September) is the time to go as that's when the rifugi huts are open - essential for overnight accommodation and meals. Moreover that's when the snow will have melted off the high-level paths and the colourful alpine wildflowers will be at their brilliant best.

Centres

Bressanone, Passo Gardena, Passo Pordoi, Malga Ciapela, Passo San Pellegrino, San Martino di Castrozza, Fiera di Primiero, Feltre

Difficulty

A challenging 13-stage trek that entails a number of aided and exposed sections (though these do not rate as full-blooded vie ferrate; several can be detoured). A head for heights is essential, and a short rope and karabiner clips are helpful though not compulsory. Alte Vie 3-6 are more demanding, with remote terrain and prolonged and more technical aided sections.

Must See

The Plose, Puez-Odle, Sella, Pale di San Martino and Alpi Feltrine groups, each distinctive and exciting; key mountain passes such as Passo Gardena and Passo Pordoi; optional detours to peaks such as Sass de Putia and Rosetta as well as the glaciated Marmolada with its high-altitude World War 1 fortifications and poignant museum
ISBN
9781786310972
Availability
Published
Published
1 Jun 2022
Edition
Fifth
Pages
144
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x .90cm
Weight
230g
Overview

Guidebook describing Alta Via 2, a challenging hut-to-hut trek through the Italian Dolomites. Stretching 174km from Bressanone (Brixen) to Feltre, the route involves some aided and exposed sections (although several can be bypassed) calling for a sure foot and a good head for heights. It can be walked in under a fortnight - although it is also possible to walk shorter chunks should you only have limited time, and the guide highlights potential exit routes and transport options. Also included are summaries of Alte Vie 3-6, which are more demanding and include remote terrain and stretches of via ferrata for which climbing experience is essential. On Alte Vie 3-6 some nights will be spent in unmanned bivouac huts, meaning trekkers must carry their own kit, although it is possible to walk shorter hut-to-hut sections. The easiest of the Alta Via routes, Alta Via 1, is covered in a separate Cicerone guide.

An overview diagram is provided for each trek, showing times between huts. Alta Via 2 is presented in 13 stages, each with clear route description illustrated with 1:75,000 mapping. There are overview statistics for each stage and contact details and notes about mountain huts encountered en route. The guide also includes a wealth of information about the region's geology, plants and wildlife to enhance your appreciation of the landscapes traversed. Useful contacts and an Italian-English glossary can be found in the appendices. A handy pocket-sized map booklet showing the full route of Alta Via 2 on 1:25,000 Kompass maps is included with the guide.

Alta Via 2 visits the Plose massif, the jagged Puez-Odle, fortress-like Sella, the majestic Marmolada, spectacular Pale di San Martino and the rugged Alpi Feltrine group as it journeys from the baroque town of Bressanone to Renaissance-style Feltre. On all of the Alta Via routes you can expect breathtaking mountain vistas and a truly memorable trekking experience.

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Gillian Price Cicerone author PRICE

Gillian Price

Gillian Price has trekked throughout Asia and the Himalayas, but now lives in Venice. Gillian has steadily explored the mountain ranges of Italy, and Corsica, and brought them to life for visitors in a series of outstanding guides for Cicerone. She is an active member of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and Mountain Wilderness.

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