AMother's Gift- A Month in Italy- Part 9

Rifugio Tissi to Rifugio Bruto Carestiato

Elevation gain 2,244 feet

Elevation loss 3,583 feet

Total miles: 9.5

When we awoke, it was like Christmas morning! 

"Berta! Berta!  I think it snowed!" I heard Mark whisper to his wife early in the morning.

This was my view from the little bathroom window, which was just down the hall from the bunkroom.

This is Judy.  

I will devote my next post, part 10, to her.

At the edge of the mountain flank there was, of course, a cross.

The sun rising behind Tissi (the lower right hand corner)

Now I'm on my belly looking down to the little village and lake below.

After we descended, we waved good-bye to Tissi, a little box perched on the mountain flank.

I so enjoyed the quiant signs advertising their huts and fromagio, speck, and latte.

A more elaborate chapel at Rifugio Mario Vizzoler.

Of course, I ordered cioccolata calda con panna. 

Who wouldn't?

This is the only group picture I got!

(L to R) Mark, Andrea, Laura and Roberta.

As we descended along this road, we got stuck behind a farmer driving his herd to a lower pasture.  This picture doesn't do the situation justice.  

The cows FILLED the road and the sound of their bells filled the air.  

As we passed, we steered clear of the huge, black bull with a ring in his nose.

Which way?

To the right.

At the top of the pass...

A bench-alter just below.

(Andrea L, Roberta R)

Laura pointed out the alpine orchid on the trail.

Rifugio Bruto Carestiato.

Newly remodeled, I shared a bunk room with Laura and Andrea.

Quite plush, but remote.

It was run by Diego, a handsome young man who had been asking about Andrea along the trail.

Dinners were always fun as we ate in a common dining room with many other hikers.  

Most were German, some Italian and once in a while someone from another country.  

Here I admired a beautiful, young woman from Australia hiking solo.  

Back home she was a professional.  

This was her holiday and because she didn't have anyone in her life who enjoyed this type of adventure, she went alone...but really never completely alone. 

I also met a handsome young couple from Munich, Germany.  

They were university students who were hiking from Munich to Venice! 

There were two brothers taking this journey as well, along with a woman and her two male friends.

At one point, the single woman told me they had been trekking for 22 days and had 9 more until Venice! 

After dinner that night we sampled the local grappe'.  

Diego poured us about 5 different kinds and we tasted them all. 

On the house!

Salute'! 

A Mother's Gift- A Month in Italy- Part 8

Rifugio Staulanza to Rifugio Tissi

Elevation gain 2,937 feet.

Elevation loss 1,353 feet.

Total miles: 7.5

We climbed up to Rifugio Tissi by way of Col Dai.

Col Dai is perched on the shoulder of Monte Coldai, which lies on the edge of the famous Monte Civetta (10,620)

It was here I had my first cioccolata calda con panna.

Hot chocolate with whip creme.

It was like drinking melted chocolate! Oh so good!

Though quite rustic, I would have really liked to stay here. 

The owners were very kind and the food was superb.

We continued on past this alpine lake.

This is called bladder wort, such an ugly name for a beautiful flower.

Now we skirted right at the base of these mammoth mountains. 

This "wall of walls" extended over four miles.

The rocks told us we were getting closer.

And when we came around the corner, we saw our goal.  

See that tiny white bump on the top of the mountain flank?  

That is Rifugio Tissi!

The rocks continued to guide us.

Tissi is just a little ways now.

After I settled in, I went to explore the mountain flank.

I looked out over the very edge at the Val Civetta, down the Alleghe Valley and west to the Marmolada Glacier. 

The view was obscured by the ever flowing clouds, but still stunning.

Looking back at Rifugio Tissi (right hand corner) at the "wall of walls" and the pass we had just ascended.

Roberta taught me how to play rummy.  

Tissi  had beautiful flower boxes.  

Tissi was a cold hut with a tepid shower, and all 5 of us stayed in an upper bunk room.

The owner was a very hard working woman, her husband and their 4 year old daughter. 

At the end of September, they close Tissi for the winter and lived and operated another refugio they owned in a popular ski area.  

I wondered how the little girl could play outside with the cliffs all around. 

I also contemplated what it would be like living there having to haul everything up the mountain pass.  

Everything: food, water, fuel, bedding etc. 

A Mother's Gift- A Month in Italy- Part 7

Refugio Cinque Torri to Rifugio Saulanza

Elevation gain 2,277 feet

Elevation loss 3,316 feet

Total miles: 11.78

We began our glorious walk with astounding scenery...

These rocks were as big as a bus...

I felt my mother's spirit smiling on me through out my journey.

Do you see the cows lying down in the meadow?

We hunted for edelweiss and found some!

Farmers have high country farms they use in the summer.
My journey was in September 2013, so they had already come down from the mountains for the winter.

Somewhere along the way, in this area we passed a man and woman.
We were startled as he greeted us with "Howdy!"
We were used to either German or Italian greetings.
We found out later he was a "big wig" from NBC.
He and his friend were hiking alone without a guide.
It's called a self-directed hike.
I would like to do this one day.

This farmer had made sure our trail did not pass too closely to his home.
He lives here year round.

We stopped here, Rifugio Citta Di Fiume, for cappuccino.
This one is more rustic and remote.
The NBC man and his friend stayed here for the night.

We continued on over steep open limestone slides.

Awwww!  We are getting close.

Rifugio Passo Staulanza is really just a roadside inn...

With beautiful ceramic fireplace heaters inside.

Staulanza is owned and operated by a very famous local mountain climber.
His awards and trophies were displayed throughout the dining area.
He's summited mountains all over the world.

He was a nice man to chat with, though he was a little off.
Andrea said it was because of all his climbing on high mountains where the air is very thin.
When I told my mountain guide brother about him, he said all extreme climbers are a little off. :-)

We each enjoyed our own private room and bath for the night.

A Mother's Gift- A Month in Italy- Part 6

 Refugio Scontoni to Refugio Cinque Torri
Elevation gain 3,470.
Elevation loss 3,022.
6.7 miles total, not 8.7 because we rode a ski lift up the last section.

We started off the morning climbing up this pass.

As we came to the top, we began to spot remnants of WWI bunkers.

And sheep.  Yes, they also wore bells.

We climbed up higher to find a number of officer's quarters from the war.

I went inside to check one out.
Though I am smiling, it was sobering thinking about the young boys and men who lost their lives here. These were the front lines.

We ate lunch at Refugio Lagazuoi at the very top of the trail.
 Then began our adventure climbing down a 2,000 foot WWI passage/tunnel called a gallery.
We wore our headlamps and gloves as we clung to the cable and descended into the dark.

Once we came through the tunnel, we were out in an open exposed area.
We descended down steep trails holding on to more cable.

When we reached the bottom, the cheese van was waiting!
Along with small souvenir shops.

From there we hiked along the road for quite a distance and stopped for a snack.
We were all tired, so we decided to cut off the last two miles of hiking by riding a ski lift up to our refuge.
Laura's smiling face.

Cinque Torri--Five Towers
A rock climbing mecca

The artwork in the dining area depicted the favored sport.

The Croda di Lago could be seen from the dining room window.
Stunning

Cinque Torri was one of my favorite refugios.
Owned by the same family since 1936.
Unlike the other huts there was no wifi and the owners did not have computers.

 Andrea, Laura and I shared a room, while Mark and Roberta had their own room.