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The entire route is suitable for every hiker wishing to experience
something of the romantic 19th century in the mountains and to
enjoy the beauty of nature.
From valley to valley or from hut to hut, you walk through the
richest landscape, not only in the Dolomite region but also all along
the “Alta Via”. Every section is unique, always new, full of dazzling
colours and timeless.
The Stages
This long route has been divided into a series of stages. Each of
these has a start and end point, which can be a shelter, a bivouac,
an alpine hut or simple accommodation. These bases are (with
very few exceptions) open from 20th June until 20th September.
Shelters and alpine huts (these are both numerous and comfortable
in Austria) offer accommodation and meals which may be basic but
are nonetheless homely and traditional.
The bivouacs are always opened and unmanned. Inside one can
find piece(s) of furniture, divan beds, mattresses and blankets.
During the high season in summer, it is always advisable to book
an overnight stay in a mountain hut well in advance, especially in
August (see the telephone numbers in the hut descriptions).
If you have to cancel a reservation we would ask you to contact
the hut immediately (even if you have already paid) as it’s respectful
toward the owner and is courteous to other hikers.
The stages have been divided up so that a hiker with an average
level of fitness and preparation can complete the stage from the starting
point to the finishing point in between 4 and 9 hours. By setting
out early enough you allow yourself sufficient time to rest or simply
admire the beautiful surroundings along the way.
You can, of course, walk each stage individually, starting from any
point you wish, such as a village in the valley. Many of the additional
connecting paths can also prove very useful in case of emergency.
They are indicated in the bibliography or on the appropriate maps,
which contain practical information.
The descriptions of the stages have been kept simple, immediately
understandable and easily readable. They do nevertheless contain
useful information and numerous important details. We have particularly
focused on the inclusion of this interesting information in
order to satisfy the needs of all but the most demanding of hikers.
Day stages are described in a way that gives the hiker all the information
he/she may need for in the course of the day. This allows the
hiker to know what he/she will encounter on the path: e.g. additional
shelters or bases/staging posts, indication of differences in altitude
(ascent and descent), the length of the path in km, the walking
time, markings of the paths, level of difficulty (grades), safeguarding
condition relating to the routes, signposts. Alongside these technical
details, we have also included information about the landscape and
panorama, flora and fauna, geology and unusual features.
As with climbing, difficulty grades for walking are displayed on a
five-level scale. Please pay attention to the key below to ensure that
you do not find yourself in difficulties when walking.
The following difficulty grades correspond to the evaluation scale
of the INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAINEERING AND CLIMBING
FEDERATION (UIAA):
T, Tourist, suitable for all, simple
E, hiker
EE, Experienced Hiker
EEA, Experienced Hiker with mountAineering equipment
A, mountaineer
8 FROM BRIXEN TO FELTRE THE DOLOMITES “ALTA VIA” N.2 9