A Week in the Mountains
August 15 - 22, 2019
Innsbruck was our gateway into the Dolomites. Troy, Daryl and I were in a rental car headed to a farm south of Brixen. An easy drive through alpine scenery. Just across the Austrian border we made a lunch stop in Vipiteno, a cute mountain village.
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| Vipitano |
On this public holiday a band played upbeat music in the medieval town square. Outdoor restaurant tables buzzed with happy diners. We ambled over to the shopping stretch lined by colorful buildings, a stone clocktower at one end, mountain slopes at the other end. Though we were in Italy it was German we could hear, and Austrian staples featured on menus. Lunch in the atmospheric main square affirmed our vacation mode, but I regretted my choice of dumplings which were stodgy and tasteless. Daryl and Troy were quite happy with their soups.
Back on the autostrada we drove over the Brenner Pass, then past Brixen we exited onto a narrow road that ascended into the mountains to the village of Latzfons. We spent four nights in a chalet like apartment at Agriturismo Gosthof, a working dairy farm in the Sarntal Alps. A tranquil, remote, breathtaking setting.
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| From our balcony we see these Dolomites Peaks |
The balcony instantly became our favorite part of the apartment. On our first evening we witnessed the full lifespan of an electric storm. We were sipping schnapps after a pasta dinner, gazing at the Dolomites peaks against a mostly blue sky when we heard a rumbling which sounded like thunder. Lightning flashes confirmed our suspicion that a storm was about to erupt on the other side of the mountain range to our right. Weird to hear it but not see it! Minutes later the storm migrated to our side of the mountains. From our safe, cosy balcony we gasped at the downpour, inhaled the sweet earthy smells and shuddered at the ominous lightening patterns. Then minutes later the storm headed west.
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| Sarntal Alps |
Each day we hiked on trails in different parts of the area. Our first hike in the nearby Sarntal Alps required a skillful, slow drive up a narrow, windy road to the trailhead. The weather was glorious with no sign of the storm from the previous night. We walked up a gentle slope with the goal of reaching a church at an altitude of 2,300 meters. For 3 hours we were in the midst of undulating, emerald green slopes and dairy pastures. The shapely Dolomites with their distinct grayness framed the horizon and we kept stopping to admire them.
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| Val Gardena |
We spent a day hiking in the Alpe di Suis. From the town of Suis where we parked the car, a long, long cable ride deposited us in Compatsch, situated high up in the Dolomites. From there we took another cable car further up. This meant hiking on a mainly downhill trail with a gradual gradient. At the start of the trail rolling mist draped over the mountain tops. Notable on this walk was a breathtaking view of the narrow Val Gardena. Brilliant green, with clusters of villages on the floor between mountain walls. Along the way we past dairy farms, refugios, and lots of benches to rest and admire the views.
Our third hike, on a trail closer to Latzfons in the Isarco Valley, just beyond Villandro, provided a more remote experience than we'd had in the popular Alpe di Suis. A steep uphill stretch gave us a workout and led us to a point from where we had a panorama of South Tyrol, with the striking Dolomites in the background.
For the second half of our week in the mountains we based ourselves in Brunico, from where we had easy access to the "must do" trails.
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| At Pordoi Pass |
Leaving behind Latzfons, we headed east onto the Great Dolomites Road, famous for its numerous hairpin bends and mountain passes. At Pordoi Pass we were surrounded by the iconic peaks and couldn't resist a hike up a trail into the rugged cliffs. Pristine air, mild temperatures and sublime scenery - ingredients to put anyone in a jolly mood.
We headed north on the tamer SS244, cutting through the Val di Badia. Brunico, though strategically situated to access popular Dolomites trails, didn't have the jaw dropping setting typical of towns in South Tyrol. As a result the town felt local, authentic and Hotel Post in the center was more than sufficiently luxurious.
An extravagant breakfast buffet on our first morning was a wonderful surprise. Especially since we'd been making our own breakfasts until now. And since on our agenda was a full day of hiking we felt free to fill up on eggs, cheeses, pastries, fruit and yogurt.
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| Lago di Braies |
It was an easy 20 minute drive from Brunico to Lago di Braies, the largest and most famous Dolomites lake. We merged with a thick crowd to do the two and a half hour walk tracing the lake's periphery. As soon as I saw the beguiling blend of greens and blues surrounded by grey mountain wall, I understood the hype. The mountain backdrop kept changing on the walk and at one point we escaped the crowded lakeside trail and headed upwards through forest toward the jagged peaks. When we returned to the shore a band of mist descended obscuring the peaks and rendering the lake a deeper tone.
The most popular hike in the Dolomites is the 6 mile trail around Tre Cime, the famous triplet peaks that UNESCO adopted for its icon of this national park. From Brunico it was a 45 minute drive to the trailhead.
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| Tre Cime di Lavaredo |
For most of the hike on a gravelly well-defined trail we were worried about getting drenched in a rainstorm. Mist and clouds swirled and spread constantly, though we did have intermittent clear views of the spectacular spires. Looping around Tre Cime we had exposure to every possible angle of this stunning part of the Dolomites. Parts of the trail challenged me a bit. A section of steep climbing got me out of breath. I had to actually take mini rests! Then there was a section of narrow trail cut into a steep cliff with a sheer rocky drop on one side. Scary!!
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| Tre Cime Trail |
But the exhilaration at the end of the hike underscored why these mountains are so special.
Our days in the mountains were followed by evening indulgences back in Brunico. The hotel's jacuzzi and sauna provided excellent therapy for tired muscles. With energy restored, dressed in city clothes, we took in the summer evening vibe of a small Italian town over apérol spritz at one of the many atmospheric bars. Dinner time here was later than in the previous places and by the time we were seated at a restaurant our desires leaned heavily toward carbs. Might as well indulge in wood fired pizza and fresh pasta dishes in their home country we thought! Especially after a day of outdoor physical exertion.
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| An entire pizza for each of us in Brunico's Old Town |
We had one final day of mountain scenery on our drive to Salzburg where we were returning our rental car. We followed the scenic SP44 through the Italian and Austrian Alps.
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| Lake Obersee |
En route we stopped for a hike to a waterfall, then at the Austrian border we munched a picnic sandwich with a gratifying view of a turquoise lake. An image that served as the end punctuation mark to our week in the mountains.
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