Mike & Sharon's Top Five Dolomite Hikes

Someone just asked me over on YouTube for hiking tips for the Dolomites, so I thought I'd put a "top five" together based on our own experience over the years. I've been a number of times over the years, starting with a trip to Kastelruth near the Seiser Alm for the kids' first birthday back in 2002. I'm going to use the German place names rather than the Italian ones for simplicity, since these are the ones I'm most familiar with. Since then, we've spent several 7-10 day holidays there in the summer, staying in Malga Ciapela, Corvara and Cortina where we've usually done a mix of hiking and via ferrata. I'll stick to the hiking here for simplicity's sake, assuming that if your into the climbing you'll have other resources to fall back on.

One thing we learned the first time we we visited is not to make the mistake of thinking that you can do all of the Dolomites from a single centre or in a single week. The distances on the map do not translate to normal driving times as the valleys are very steep sided and linked by fantastic pass roads. Do not stay near the Seiser Alm and think you can visit Tre Cime/Dreizinnen as you will spend all day on the road and be very disappointed. I'll probably edit this document in the coming weeks as I want to get this out relatively quickly and I'll flesh out some of the details later when I have time together with photos and links.

I'm going to assume that people reading this are used to rough trails and spending 6-8 h hiking and covering fairly serious altitude differences. Be aware that if you're coming straight from the UK that some of the higher trails, such as Piz Böe, are really quite high and may require some acclimatisation. Don't forget to check the weather forecast and dress appropriately. Make sure you're up to the tour before you start, some of these are quite physically demanding.

Although we've been several times, there are still a lot of places that we don't know at all, so this is just our personal top 5, there are other trails out there that have yet to be discovered by us. Let me know below if you have any favourite tours not listed here, or if you follow any of these suggestions, let us know what you thought.

5: Sellajoch to Col Rodella (2484 m)

A relatively easy tour to start with, walking from the carpark below the Sellajoch (2200 m) to Col Rodella underneath the brooding slopes of the Langkofel/Sassolungo through a grassy landscape.

4: Piz Boë (3152 m)

Piz Boë is a biggy with great views over the Marmolada and north to the Sassongher. Take the chairlift up from Corvara to Rifugio Piz Boë (2200 m). Follow route 672 up and then 638 back down. Check out the Strudel at Rifugio Franz Kostner al Vallon on the way back.

3: Lago di Federa (2040 m)

Great round tour up from Pocol (1500 m) up to Lago di Federa through the forest along route 431 or 434, then back over Forcella de Formin (2462 m) via route 435. Take time to take in the views from the lake; in the autumn when the larch are yellow the view from the western bank of the lake eastwards towards Sorapiss are stunning. Don't forget to stop for Polenta Saucisse with cheese at the refuge Croda da Lago.

2: Cinque Torri to Nuvolau (2574 m)

Either take the chairlift up to Rifugio Scoiatolli (2255 m) or drive up to Rifugio Cinque Torri. Up route 431 to Rifugio Averau at Forcella Nuvolau (2413 m) and then on to Rifugio Nuvolau. Back the same way (unless you're feeling adventurous ;). Great all-round views over the Tofana to the north, Cinque Torri, Croda da Lago to the east and Lagazoi to the west.

1: Tre Cime Round (max. altitude 2454 m)

You can't really go to the north-eastern Dolomites without visiting the Tre Cime, even if you do have to pay an arm and a leg for the toll-road up to Rifugio Auronzo. Get there early in the summer to avoid the massive tailback at the toll station. Park at the Rifugio and then walk anticlockwise around the Tre Cime peaks along route 101 to the Dreizinnenhütte and back via Col Forcellina. If you have time, walk south from Rifugio Auronzo up Monte Comadelle for great view northwards of the Three Peaks.

A: The One That Got Away

I've not done this tour yet, but it's top of my list for next time based on the recommendations of a fellow photographer: Cold di Varda to Rifugio Auronzo through the Cima Cadin di Misurina. This would have to be a one-way trip giving you great views of Lake Misurina and later of the Tre Cime

Star-Hunting in the Dolomites

What is it about the Dolomites that draws us (my wife and I) back again and again? For some reason, this region has a hold on both of us and won't let us go. The impressive peaks, green meadows and constantly changing skies are like a drug, so when I saw an advert several months ago for a week-long astrophotography workshop in the mountains around Cortina, I just knew that I had to go. Once I had the hall-pass in pocket I registered and was very happy to be able to secure one of the restricted places.

The week leading up to the trip I was busy studying the weather forecasts to see whether we were going to be in luck or not. It wasn't looking too good, but I wasn't overly concerned because even if we didn't get clear skies, this was the Dolomites. There would be photos a plenty to be had even in the worst weather. I wasn't wrong.

Tofana and Lagazoi || Olympus 9 mm, f/8, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Day 1 - Lago Misurina, d'Antorno and Rifugio Auronzo

One of the other participants picked me up early on the Tuesday morning and we headed off down to the meeting point at Lago Misurina, a popular lake nestled among the mountains with Punta Sorapis providing a dramatic backdrop to the essentially deserted hotel at the lake's head. The overcast weather on this first visit of the week to Misurina didn't really invite photos of the larger landscape, but there were plenty of mini-scenes waiting for our cameras. 

Reeds at Misurina || Olympus 86 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 s, ISO 200 

Several hours after we arrived, the rest of the group appeared and after working out where to leave the remaining cars for the week, we headed up to the more intimate Lago d'Antorno before driving up the toll road to Rifugio Auronzo. We'd parked at Auronzo many times over the years, but this was the first time I'd spend the night here.

Solitary Feather || Olympus 100 mm, f/8, 1/30 s, ISO 200

After a general round of introductions, our instructors informed us what we could expect from the week ahead and I was excited to catch some new perspectives of places that were very familiar to me, as well as taking in a couple of new locations. It was interesting to learn that only a couple of us had any experience at all at taking nocturnal images - most were complete novices.

Cima Cadin della Neve || Olympus 100 mm, f/8, 1/30 s, ISO 200

Our first evening saw us hiking a trail southwards towards Monte Compardelle below the imposing Cima Cadin della Neve to capture some evening shots. Golden hour gave way to the blue hour without much fanfare as the cloud cover was simply too thick for most shots. I quickly rediscovered my aversion for shooting photos in a huddle. Whilst everyone else seemed to be preoccupied with Cadin, I turned around and focussed on the Tre Cime, seeing them from an angle I had never had before. Shooting in the blue hour isn't always easy as the way the eye perceives light and the way the camera perceives light aren't always the same. I find that the best photos occur around the time where I think it's too dark for photography; I noticed this when I was shooting from the Kranzberg with Matthias back in May and the same happened here. This is pretty much the last shot I took before giving up for the evening. The lights are those of Rifugio Auronzo, our beacon for the route back.

Tre Cime and Rifugio Auronzo || Olympus 20 mm, f/8, 1/2 s, ISO 200

Day 2 - Auronzo to Locatelli and Back

If anything, the forecast for day 2 was worse than day 1. After breakfast we headed off on the well-trodden route to Rifugio Locatelli (a.k.a. the Dreizinnenhütte) via Forcella Lavaredo. We wanted to be out and back in good time since thunderstorms were predicted for the afternoon, conditions that we really didn't want to be caught out in. 

Chapel on the way to Forcella Lavaredo || Olympus 400 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 s, ISO 200

It was strange being out in territory that I was very familiar with in the context of a bunch of strangers. I was able to demonstrate my local knowledge by introducing one of the guides to a tunnel affording a view of the Tre Cime that he hadn't previously been aware of. In return we became privy to a great panorama spot for taking shots of the Tre Cime together with Locatelli and Monte Paterno, a shot which one of the workshop leaders had previously immortalised with his image Magic Dolomites. Even if we didn't have the best weather, at least I know now exactly where to head to in order to capture something similar one day when the conditions allow it.

Dolomite Poppies || Olympus 12 mm, f/11, 1/200 s, ISO 200

The weather was so poor that evening that we didn't even venture out for the non-existent sunset. Stefan promised that he'd check the cloud cover at regular intervals during the night and wake us if anything promising came up - a really great service! There was a brief break in the clouds around midnight, but only a couple of people dared the elements to catch a glimpse of the stars between the clouds, but that was all it was.

Locatelli alle Tre Chime || Olympus f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200

Day 3 - Auronzo to Scoiatolli and the Cinque Torri

There's a song from my childhood titled "Hello Muddah, hello Fadduh." The text describes a fictional letter home from a child who's been sent away to camp for the summer, complaining about the weather, the other kids, and generally begging to be allowed to come home on promise of best behaviour. The letter closes with an update that the weather has taken a sudden swing for the better and implores Muddah and Fadduh to disregard the rest of the letter. So it was with day 3. We awoke to mist clinging to the mountains and clearing skies. We were of course all out on the balcony overlooking the valley and Cima Cadin della Neve before breakfast, snapping away. I even had a chance to sneak in a time-lapse of the fog fingers creeping through the peaks.

Mist Time Lapse

Misty Mountain Hop || Olympus 100 mm, f/8, 1/100 s, ISO 64

Sun Breaking Through || Olympus 100 mm, f/8, 1/60 s, ISO 64

As the Mist Lifts... || Olympus 16 mm, f/9, 1/80 s, ISO 64

Rifugio Auronzo || Olympus 9 mm, f/16, 1/100 s, ISO 200

The prospect of better weather changed the mood of the whole group and we were suddenly cautiously optimistic about the prospect of getting some astrophotography in that night. Stopping at the lakes d'Antorno and Misurina on the way down to re-capture some of the images of day 1 in better conditions, we finally headed off to Cinque Torri.

D'Antorno Revisited || Olympus 15 mm, f/8, 1/160 s, ISO 200

Dolomite Reflections || Olympus 100 mm, f/8, 1/250 s, ISO 200

Lago Misurina || Olympus 100 mm, f/10, 2 s, ISO 200

The car park at the bottom of the chair lift up to the Rifugio Scoiatolli was full to overflowing, but we managed to squeeze the minibuses into a gap on the access road. Before heading up the mountain, our guides took us to the tiny Lago Bain de Dones, an otherwise fairly non-descript woodland lake that afforded some beautiful reflections of the Tofana range opposite us. The excessive rainfall of the previous 24 h had rendered the water extremely muddy and flooded the path at the lake's edge, forcing us to detour through the undergrowth. Maybe under better conditions the lake would have been a worthwhile photo op, but I wasn't able to get anything decent out of it.

Tofana || Olympus 10 mm, f/8, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Given the state of the car park, it was no surprise to find the restaurant at the Rifugio heaving with people. The hut itself is absolutely beautiful and a very welcome change to the more functional Auronzo hut. The food, too, was exceptional, meaning that we will very definitely be back here some time in the future. We spent the afternoon shooting the cr@p out of the eponymous Five Towers and scouting the area below the hut for suitable spots for capturing the Milky Way that night. We still weren't 100% certain of the cloud levels; Clear Outside was still indicating a 15% chance of high cloud (or was it low cloud?) - hardly surprising given the previous day's weather. Even as the sun was setting, there were still clouds on the horizon.

Big Skies over Croda da Lago || Olympus 10 mm, f/8, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Broody Skies || Olympus 86 mm, f/8, 1/13 s, ISO 200 

Our mood over dinner was on the exuberant side. Finally we were going to have a crack at taking some astro images. I've never sat at a table in a mountain hut in the evening with so little alcohol being consumed. We were all being exceedingly abstemious, bearing in mind the need to stay awake and alert into the wee hours, or at least we were until one of our party spotted an extremely rare bottle of red wine on the wine list that he had to share with the group. I don't think I've ever drunk a wine with a list price closer to three figures than two, and it was very nice, but not something I'd ever think about buying for myself.

Cinque Torri and Rifugio Scoiatolli || Olympus Panorama, f/2.8, 6 s, ISO 800

After dinner, we headed out to the various spots that we'd scouted earlier in the day. When Sharon and I had passed by a closed Scoiatolli in autumn a couple of years ago, we had the impression that it stood on a cliff-edge. This couldn't be further from the truth. Below the Rifugio there's a warren of WW I trenches and hideouts. Most of the others had scouted a spot lower down the slopes, giving them a panorama shot with the Cinque Torri centre picture. My spot was significantly higher up with  the Cinque Torri framing the left hand side of the picture, followed by the beautiful ridges of Croda da Lago and the peaks of Nuvolau and Averau because this composition had a much more personal connection to me. 

Scoiatolli and Nuvolau || Olympus 12 mm, f/3.4, 240 s, ISO 800

I don't think I necessarily got the better composition, but I got some astro shots that I was pleased with, both with the tracker* and without. My single image (above) was taken with the tracker, the panorama (below)  without due to time constraints. We only had around half an hour or so to shoot the Milky Way before the core dipped below the horizon. Three rows of 10 photos for the panorama at 30 s each meant a total of 15 min of exposure. Had I used the tracker, it would have taken me upwards of 2 h to catch the same data, not to mention taking a further set of foreground pictures without the tracker for still shots of the mountains.

*A (star) tracker is a device that allows photographers to take long photos of the stars without having the points degrade into lines due to the earth's rotation. Normally the limit for an exposure before star-trailing occurs is (500 / focal length) s - approximately 30 s with my m43 8 mm lens. In order to get anything worthwhile, I have to increase the ISO setting on the camera to 6400, resulting in a lot of excess noise in the images. With the star tracker I can shoot for 4 min at ISO 800, resulting in a much more pleasing image with significantly more colour and less noise.

Milky Way over Cinque Torri || Olympus 8 mm, f/2.8, 25 s, ISO 6400

As I reached the end of my 30-shot panorama,  the clouds started rolling in and it was time to head back to the Rifugio, but not before taking a couple of last snaps of the Great Tower.

Cinque Torri by Night || Olympus 12 mm, f/3.3, 10 s, ISO 6400

Day 4 Scoiatolli to Passo Rolle

The night was short. At 4:30 am we were up again to shoot the dawn over the Towers. The sickle moon put in an appearance over the Great Tower as the first colour became visible in the sky. 

New Moon in the Dolomites || Olympus 12 mm, f/8, 1 s, ISO 200 

Then it was off to attempt to capture sun stars and flowers. At least that was the brief. I stopped off at a suitable looking patch of Adenostyles (yes, I did have to look that up) to wait for the sun to rise. As it happened, I was spot on with my positioning to catch the sun rising between the towers. In the end, I preferred this shot of the warm sun's rays coming through the gap rather than the sun star shot itself.

A New Day Dawns || Olympus 10 mm, f/16, 1/100 s, ISO 1600

Just One More... || Olympus Panorama, f/8, 1/160 s, ISO 200

After a hearty buffet breakfast back at the hut, we headed to the chairlift to carry on with out tour of the eastern Dolomites. Our goal for day four was a mountain lake above Passo Rolle in the south-eastern corner of the range. We spent a rather fruitless evening looking for more flowers to feature as foreground for the dominating peaks of Cima della Vezzana. Unfortunately all of the suitable species were over at this time of year. Clouds were also passing through, making shots of the pinnacles above us very elusive as well. The clouds put paid to any attempts at another evening of astrophotography and we arrived back at our accommodation a little dejected.

Day 5 Passo Rolle to Brunico via Lago Carezza

After a lazy breakfast we all piled back into the minibus for an arduous drive up and down the passes all the way to the northern edge of the Dolomites via Lago Carezza and Bozen, followed by short trips to Lago di Braies and the stone pyramids at Platten. It was a long day that tried all of our patience with closed roads, misleading directions, late lunches (I don't do well with low blood sugar!), complicated light and everything in between. Had we not all gotten on so well I think day 5 would have broken us as a group, but we survived the mixed bag that day 5 presented us with and ended the day having pizza (first time of the week) in a restaurant that we had pretty much to ourselves in a village just round the corner from the farmhouse that we stay at.

Lago Carezza was interesting, full of influenzas taking selfies and the usual tourists. In contrast to scarce flora at Passo Rolle, the rosebay willow herb was still out in force at the lake. The tips of the Diamantiditurm were engulfed in cloud, but the pink flowers contrasting against the turquoise water of the lake were irresistible.

Lago Carezza || Olympus 16 mm, f/8, 1/80 s, ISO 200

After a late lunch in Niederdorf the road to Lago di Braies was open. We arrived just as the rain started, but this actually enhanced the charm of the lake as well as chasing off all the tourists. The boats are so photogenic here, particularly with the beautiful blue waters. The dull light made long exposures easy to set up, smoothing out the lake surface.

Rowboats at Braies || Olympus 9 mm, f/8, 5 s, ISO 200

Lago di Braies || Olympus 9 mm, f/8, 5 s, ISO 200

Before heading back to the farm, we detoured up to the earth pyramids of Platten, an interesting rock formation revealed overnight by a flash flood in 1882. 

The Platten Pyramids || Olympus 25 mm, f/8, 1/40 s, ISO 200

Day 6 Lago di Braies to Lago Misurina

On our last day, we were up again for dawn at Lago di Braies. My photos in the rain from the previous afternoon had much better colour than anything from this morning session. Having waited in vain for some dawn light we headed back to Brunico to pack and grab some breakfast before returning to Misurina to pick up the cars.

Conclusions

One of my photo-goals for 2021 was shooting a Milky Way panorama that I was happy with. I'd managed to get good arches both on the Kranzberg and at Raisting, but wasn't happy with the results because of the light pollution. Bagging shots that I am happy with at Cinque Torri made the whole trip worthwhile in my estimation.

We had a good week with mixed weather. It was no-one's fault that we only got one evening of astrophotography during the six days. The company was very welcome and I hope that we will be able to keep in touch with the other participants. I might have wished for a bit more instruction and feedback from our workshop leaders, but I still picked up some new tricks and discovered some interesting new spots to shoot from in better conditions. Would certainly do it again.

Dolomites Revisited Part II

Day 2: Two Lakes and Three Pinnacles

View West from the Paternsattel || Olympus, f9, 1/125 s, ISO 200

Lago Misurina & Lago d'Antorno

LAGO MISURINA & LAGO D'ANTORNO - QUICK SUMMARY

Best Conditions	First thing in the morning for still waters
Challenges	Lago d'Antorno can get a bit weedy late in the year disturbing the surface of the water
Parking	€2 at either lake
Where to Stop	Any of the cafes at the north end of Misurina, Rifugio across the road at d'Antorno
Links	Lago Misurina, Lago d'Antorno

The Tre Cime must rank in the top three most recognisable mountains. Obviously you've got the Matterhorn, and then… … what? Mount Fitzroy perhaps, Mount Fuji? Okay, so it's in the top five. Whichever it is, the three limestone peaks pointing up like fingers are unmistakable. 

Any approach to the Tre Cime from the south, i.e. From the Auronzohütte,will take you past two stunning lakes that are worth the detour. I know, I know, the peaks are waiting, but they can wait a few minutes longer, they're not going anywhere. Alternatively, set off extra early to plan a 30 min break at at least one of them. 

The first lake is Lago Misurina. I've not yet shot here myself, but the classic photo is from the north along the lake looking towards the Opera Diocesana San Bernado with the lake as foreground and the mountains as a backdrop. This photo works almost all the year round and especially in the blue hour or even at night if the stars are out.

Lago d'Antorno, THAT Bridge and Tre Cime || Olympus f8, 1/60 s, ISO 250

The second is the smaller Lago d'Antorno, one of my favourite finds in the Dolomites. OK, in the meantime everyone who knows the region around Cortina knows about Lago d'Antorno, but when I first found the lake it was in the days before Instagram and I'd never seen it in any of the guidebooks.  We were driving to Tre Cime - probably the very first time back in, oh, I don't know, 2010. The road goes directly by the lake and is difficult to miss. Because of the location, surrounded by mountains, you can shoot at almost any time of day (barring midday in the summer of course), though like any open water, the surface is usually calmest in the early morning. The near absence of buildings (just the refuge) makes unspoilt photography very easy, though the proximity of the road means that you need to be prepared to clone out a car or two [hint; take two or three identical shots, optimally with a tripod - use these to create layers in your editor of choice and 'rub out' any unsightly cars - this works for people and other extraneous objects as well]. There's a path all the way round the lake, but the classic shot is practically from the roadside - the little wooden bridge with the first of the Tre Cime in the background (yes, that's the Tre Cime already, it's just not quite so recognisable from this angle). 

Both lakes work in the evening as well, so if you really are pinched for time on the way up, try and plan them in on the way down at least.

Tre Cime

Tre Cime Classic  || Olympus f9, 1/200 s, ISO 200

TRE CIME - QUICK SUMMARY

Best Conditions	Only really accessible from spring to autumn, road closed in winter
Challenges	Catching sun on the more picturesque north side only possible at sunset near the summer solstice, getting to the Paternsattel requires mountain shoes and a modicum of physical fitness
Parking	€30 at the Auronzo Hütte (toll road)
Where to Stop	Dreizinnenhütte - half way round
Links	Tre Cime

Once you've finished with the lakes, carry on up the road to the toll road. Despite the exorbitant € 30 to use the road (2019), the price is worth it as it saves you a 500 m climb over a long 5 km and allows you to park for free at the Auronzo Hütte. Things now get interesting linguistically because we're at the border between Italian- and German-speaking Dolomites, giving us bizarre combinations such as the Auronzo (I) Hütte (D). The classic route starting from here is to head east along the south side of the Tre Cime towards the Paternsattel. As you head out, keep your eyes open on the long south-east running valley down towards Auronzo. Often the mist hangs in the valley and there can also be some good contre jour sunrise shots here.

From the Patternsattel looking East || Olympus f8, 1/125 s, ISO 200

Unfortunately, the path runs too close to the three peaks to be able to get a decent photo of them. One day I'll have to try the route up to Monte Campadelle to the south in order to see whether there's a better view of the south side of the peaks from there. Even if you head a long way out along the outcrop from Rifugio Lavaredo, you can't get far enough for a decent view of the peaks, though there are a couple of lakes here that allow you to get some nice reflections of the Cima Piccola (the Laghi di Laverdo).

From the Paternsattel || Olympus f9, 1/125 s, ISO 200

At the Paternsattel there's a classic view along the north faces of the peaks as well as a good view over to the Dreizinnenhütte. The north face of the peaks is by far the most photographed side, the trouble is, being north-facing, it's almost impossible to shoot them in the sun. A few weeks either side of the summer solstice it's possible to catch them in the dying light at sunset, otherwise you'll just have to be a bit creatve and definitely avoid shooting in bright midday sun. Sometimes the best you can hope for is some atmospheric mist!

Rautkofel || Olympus f9, 1/100 s, ISO 200

From the saddle there are two paths to the Dreizinnenhütte, an upper one for mountaineers and a lower one for the tourists. If you've got the footwear and the head for heights (and the weather's good), I'd stick to the upper path, but do watch out for rock-falls, both from above and that you don't cause one onto the path below.

On the way to the Dreizinnenhütte || Olympus f9, 1/500 s, ISO 200

We've always taken the high road and when we were there in October we weren't disappointed. The weather was a bit, well, meh, but about half way across, the sun suddenly started poking through the clouds, bringing the otherwise dull mountains to life. The red flanks of the Rautkofel really stuck out, just begging to be shot as the spotlights strafed the valley.

A "B" Shot at Best || Olympus f9, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Just before you get to the Dreizinnenhütte, watch out for a path off to the left heading towards a WW I bunker where there are outlooks both over the Tre Cime and the Rautkofel that form a nice frame. A judiciously used fill-in flash will help you get the exposure of the framing rock right, and if you have a tripod with you, you might want to practice your focus stacking skills. The only thing I don't like about this photo is that the icicle is soft, otherwise it might have been quite a cool image.

A Bit Better - Looking West || Olympus f9, 1/250 s, ISO 200

After stocking up at the hut, the path runs along the high stoney plateau to the Langalm and the Forcella del Col de Medo. There's not a great deal of photographic interest on the route back apart from a few smaller ponds near the Langalm.

Day 3: Five Towers - Cinque Torri

Cinque Torri Classico || Olympus f7.1, 1/400 s, ISO 200

CINQUE TORRI - QUICK SUMMARY

Best Conditions	Winter for the icicles, early summer for snow-melt
Challenges	Tripod inadvisable due to narrow walkways / avoid midday sun in summer / check opening times (link below)
Parking	Free at Rifugio Cinque Torri
Where to Stop	Rifugio Cinque Torri, Rifugio Nuvolau, Rifugio Scoiattoli, Rifugio Averau
Links	Cinque Torri

From the Fanes Valley || Olympus f11, 2.5 s, ISO 200

At certain times of the year (and certain times of day), it is possible to drive all the way up to the Rifugio Cinque Torri from the SR48. Otherwise you'll either have to take the Cinque Torri cable car or hike up the 400 m from the valley to Rifugio Scoiattoli (2255 m). There are some great perspectives on the Cinque Torri from near the Rifugio Scoiattoli, especially using the paths as leading lines. Alternatively, you can walk up to the Rifugio Nuvolau (2574 m) via the Forcella Nuvolau (2400 m) for a great gallery view over the Cinque Torri, dwarfed by the 3225 m Tofana in the background. There is a round tour here off the far end of the Nuvolau that brings you back through stony terrain to the Cinque Torri, though I wouldn't recommend it to anyone without climbing gear and the route back isn't very well marked. The hills here are again dotted with larches which turn an attractive yellow in late October (depending on the season). Exceptionally, Rifugio Averau at the Forcella Nuvolau is open until late October, providing a useful stopping point.

Below the Rifugio Cinque Torri || Olympus f6.3, 1/200 s, ISO 200

When we were here in October, we were able to drive up and park pretty much at the Rifugio 5 Torri and were greeted with a wonderful view up to the towers. Pure blue skies aren't necessarily the thing that a photographer looks for, but the day started this way and the orange rock of the Torre Grande looked magnificent in the morning sun with the light behind us. It was one of those occasions where it would actually have been better to leave the polariser behind. The path up from the rifugio takes you almost within touching distance of the main tower and then on to the ridge leading to the top of the cable car, but by the time we'd got there, a mere 30 min or so after leaving the car, the weather was looking very different. The wind had got up and there were leaden-looking clouds headed towards us on the western horizon.

Our initial plan had been to explore the mini Klettersteig/via ferrata on the impressive-looking Averau , but as we climbed towards the Rifugio Averau on the saddle we were seriously doubting whether this was possible, let alone sensible:We experienced at least two snow flurries on the way up to the hut and so instead of heading straight up the mountain it was coffee and Linzertorte in the comfort of the rifugio. Cold hands and an untried Klettersteig aren't the best combination. About half an hour later, coffee and cake safely inside, things were looking up and so we headed up the small track leading to the bottom of the climb.

Sharon in the Averau Chimney || Olympus f7.1, 1/60 s, ISO 1600

We took refuge in the lee of the mountain to gear up just as a young couple started the climb ahead of us. We could hear them but not see them above us as they attempted to negotiate the Einstieg, the start of the climb. Suspiciously their voices were not getting any quieter and there seemed to be a lot of discussion going on. As we headed out to clip in to the starting wire, we found them coming the other way - the first length of cable had been too much for them. A little daunted, particularly as it was my first serious climb since my knee operation, we pressed on. The first little section really is a little challenging, but after that there's a delightful chimney with a ladder section, followed by a short section over smooth rock - one of those short sections that you can bullshit your way up using muscle reserves, but at the same time one that you didn't want to go on for too long, because you know that those reserves are limited. Fortunately this wasn't the case and after the exposed rock the route turned into a regular dolomite climb with good grips and - more importantly - footholds. The Klettersteig itself is relatively short but then turns into a longer, pathless scramble up though loose stone to the summit. A relatively thankless ascent apart from one point where there's a cleft in the rock giving you a marvellous view down over the route up to the Nuvolau. Despite waiting for a few minutes for a gap in the cloud to light up the path there was nothing doing here apart from taking the obligatory documentary shot. It would be worth coming up again some time with a temperature inversion, but I definitely wouldn't bring a group up here.

Moody Tofana || Olympus f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 200

The views from the top of the 2,649 m Averau are pretty decent, looking out towards the Marmolada to the west and the much nearer Tofana to the north. The wind (as well as a lack of snacks) proscribed  a longer break on the top and so after a few minutes we went back down. The descent is pretty much like the ascent and so not worth further reporting, unlike the splendid lunch at the rifugio with wonderful views over the southern approach to the infamous Passo Giau.

Croda da Lago from Nuvolau || Olympus f8, 1/320 s, ISO 200

After lunch we took the narrow ridge path to Nuvolau, all the while waiting for the best light on the Cinque Torri, which I've documented before here together with some thoughts on photo editing. This remains my favourite photo of 2019 and I've had it printed on aluminium dibond, initially for a photo exhibition at work, which unfortunately was cancelled due to Covid 19.

The Same Again with Larch || Olympus f7.1, 1/250 s, ISO 200

The views from the top of the Nuvolau are also unrivalled, particularly over the Lagazuoi and Croda da Lago. Again, there's a short Klettersteig off the end of the Nuvolau that brings you back to the Cinque Torri, but I wouldn't recommend it without a harness unless you're very sure-footed.

Croda da Lago  || Olympus f8, 1/80 s, ISO 200

Other points of interest in the vicinity: Rifugio Lagazuoi (also reachable with the cable car, fantastic views of Croda da Lago), Passo di Giau (no explanation needed).

Day4: Lago di Braies / Pragser Wildsee

The Iconic Lago di Braies Rowing Boats || Olympus f8, 1/200 s, ISO 1600

LAGO DI BRAIES - QUICK SUMMARY

Best Conditions	Open all year, no boats in winter. Water stillest in the early morning
Challenges	Too many Instagramers and Influencers later in the day
Parking	€5-6 at the lake
Where to Stop
Links	Lago di Braies

A couple of years ago (probably when I started on Instagram actually), my attention was caught by a series of photos of a lake surrounded by mountains with a picturesque boathouse and iconic wooden rowing boats. As the lake was only a little way off our route home we decided to see what all the fuss was about.

Lago di Braies Reflections || Olympus f8, 1/125 s, ISO 400

It was still frosty when we reached the car park for the lake and the sun was still low below the mountains on the east bank, making good photographs of the boathouse almost impossible. We walked all the way around the lake, which took a good 90 min including photos and waiting for the sun to finally kiss the western side of the lake shore. By the time we got back to the chapel, the Insta' generation was out in force, posing on the banks and in the row-boats. It was time to head home.

di Braies Sycamore || Olympus f8, 1/160 s, ISO 250

Dolomites Revisited Part I

There's something very special about the Dolomites to me (yeah, I get it, I'm hardly alone in my opinion, but give me a chance to explain myself). Hardly anyone will dispute that this exquisite mountain range is extremely photogenic for a number of reasons, but it's more than that. We've been coming here on and off for over 17 years - I know exactly when we first came because our kids celebrated their first birthday in Seis am Schlern (Alpe di Siusi if you're an italophone). Our choice of venue was influenced in part by photos of Alpenglühen on the Rosengarten that I'd seen in the German alpine press.

Forcella Staunies - the Since Decommissioned Cable Car and Refuge || Panasonic FZ1000

But it's more than just 17 years of history. I've been pondering for a while what is so special about the region to me. We've travelled all over the Alps over the years, from the Mont Blanc massive in the west to the Säntis in north east Switzerland, from the German Allgäu around Oberstdorf to the high mountains of Austria and there's not a corner that doesn't have it's own special character and appeal. So why the Dolomites?

The Inaccessible-Looking Paternkofel || Panasonic FZ1000

Apart from the general picturesqueness (is that a word?) and many fond memories - including several hiding in tents waiting for the rain to stop, I think it's the apparent inaccessibility of the peaks that turn out to be achievable after all. Case in point is the Paternkofel pictured above; the picture is of Sharon enjoying a late lunch at the Dreizinnenhütte just after having climbed this mountain. In a way it's an allegory about life in general to me. The problems we face sometimes appear insurmountable, but many times, if we follow the trail and keep putting one foot in front of the other, we'll get where we want to go. I'm sure others could express it more eloquently, but I think this sums it up.

Field Gentians || Panasonic FZ1000

A Tale of Two Tours

Two tours spring to mind that epitomise this apparent inaccessibility, both of which we undertook whilst camping in Cortina in 2015, two tours which almost ended my mountaineering days for good as I abraded my way through the cartilage behind my kneecaps. The first one is presently no longer possible without an overnight bivouac in tricky territory - the Ivano Dibona via ferrata above Cortina. The ridge looks impossible from the valley and remains impressive close up with its ladders and bridges. Despite having set off with the first cable cars from Passo Tre Croci, we missed the last gondola down and ended up descending the whole 1700 m (5,500 ') by foot.

One of the Bridges on Ivano Dibona  || Panasonic FZ1000

View from the Ridge: A Dolomite Panorama  || Panasonic FZ1000

The second tour a couple of days later took us up the impervious-looking Paternkofel right next to the Tre Cime. We'd left far too late, waited for ages at the toll station just after Lago d'Antorno and got stuck behind coach loads of tourists who had absolutely no place on the trails we were using! Just before the Dreizinnenhütte, a path branches off to the right up along the ridge. The ferrata starts in WWI tunnels and turns into a grand scramble up a cleft before climbing up the back of the peak. Unfortunately we weren't the only people who wanted to go up that day, but sometimes these things have to be done.

Hardly Alone on the Paternkofel  || Panasonic FZ1000

Bringing it Forward

Fast forward to autumn 2019 and for the first time in 18 years Sharon and I can plan our vacations without regard to the kids and so we took a mini break in Cortina over the long German reunification weekend at the beginning of October. We knew that we'd be arriving on an improving forecast and so it didn't bother us too much that the weather was less than perfect driving up over the Brenner pass. What we hadn't appreciated was that the rain in the valleys had been a smattering of snow on the high peaks all around us and that consequently the rock walls surrounding Cortina would be garnished with a layer of snow.

Out the Front Door || Olympus f7.1, 1/100 s, ISO 400

Once we had settled into our cosy little Air B&B it was time to unpack the cameras and enjoy the late afternoon light hitting the Sorapiss massive. We'd come fully armed for three and a half days of photography in the surrounding mountains. We've come to photography from the perspective of mountaineers rather than the other way around and I think that this will always be the case for us.

Our first little trip on the hillside behind the farm we were staying on was very muddy, taking us to the top of a little cable car. The view included basically the whole of the Cortina surroundings; Monte Cristallo, Sorapiss, Croda di Lago and Tofana - essentially the Who's Who of the great and good in the Dolomites.

Punta Nera || Olympus f8, 1/200 s, ISO 200

Just walking round the little hamlet of Chiamulera gave us a buzz for the upcoming three days. We'd not been long back from a photographically frustrating week on The Gower; despite having mostly decent weather I'd found getting images that I felt satisfied with extremely frustrating. Here in the Dolomites not only was I practically on home turf, the weather looked set to be interesting (as opposed to good - the hiker and the photographer have quite different ideas regarding what constitutes 'good' weather). The game was afoot!

Day 1: One Lake - Lago Federa

There are some cracking shots of Lake Federa in the autumn, looking from the western shore of this small mountain tarn eastwards towards Sorapiss. The small ridge between the lake and the Cortina valley is covered in fir and larch and in October the larch turn from their customary green to a glorious yellow.

Forest Mushrooms || Olympus f7.1, 1/8 s, ISO 1600

Walking up through the woods from below Pocol on the SR48 we kept our eyes out for mushrooms - always worth watching for at this time of year when walking in the forest. The area guide that we used for the hike suggested taking a detour to a local outcrop, Becco d'Ajal. What looks like a completely inaccessible pillar from below turns out to be an easily climbed path once you get up there. The top of the pillar isn't big but houses the ruins of a WWI lookout post. The panoramic views from the top are incredible and I could imagine camping out there in the summer to capture some great astro images.

Ruin Atop Becco d'Ajal Becco d'Ajal from Above

As we climbed through the forest the green larches were getting paler and paler and we were hoping for some strong yellows at the 2,000 m high lake. Unfortunately this was not to be; despite the recent snowfalls we were about two weeks too early. Fortunately, the hut was still open. Paradoxically, compared to the northern alps, the refuges and cable cars in the Dolomites seem to close quite early - towards the end of September. The Rifugio Croda di Lago was still serving cheesy polenta on the sun terrace though. The hut remains open throughout October and this would be a great place to spend the night, catching the late evening and early morning sun. I've seen some great sunrise images from Andy Mumford looking along the lake to the south towards the Becco di Mezzodi.

Lago Federa - Only a Touch of Yellow || Olympus f8, 1/50 s, ISO 200

After lunch we explored the western slopes above the lake trying to get the best angle on the lake and the Sorapiss. Scrambling up about 50 m above the lake seemed to give a good perspective, but if you want a reflection you need to be right down on the water. Tofana and Cinque Torri || Olympus f8, 1/320 s, ISO200 The descent had us facing the Tofana and the Cinque Torri all the way through the forest. And it's a long way, especially on dodgy knees. Croda da Lago at Dawn from the East || Olympus f8, 1/80 s, ISO 200 LAGO FEDERA: QUICK SUMMARY Best Conditions All year round, but particularly autumn for the larches Challenges The lake is at least a 2 h trek from the road in mountainous territory Parking Various points along the SR48 Einkehr Rifugio Croda da Lago Links Rifugio (Italian)