Wilderness-Travel-2017-Catalog

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Nothing quite prepares you for the awesome spectacle
of the Dolomites, where enormous rock spires soar
above an enchanting realm of deep green valleys and
tiny villages. Our exhilarating journey brings you into the
stunning Cortina Dolomites, justly famed for the regal
Tofane Massif and the ghostly pillars of the Tre Cime
di Lavaredo. With a choice of moderate or challenging
hiking options, you’ll experience incredible mountain
scenery and delight in northern Italy’s delectable cuisine,
including creamy polenta with porcini mushrooms or
casunziei (beet and poppy-seed ravioli).
Our special overnight in a remote hike-in
lodge gives you a perfect perch for
watching the sunset paint the massive
pinnacles an extraordinary palette of
ever-changing, luminous hues.
Days 1-3 Venice / Passo Giau / Civetta
Massif From Venice, we head to the heart
of the Dolomites and our chalet-style
mountain hotel at Passo Giau, with its wonderful views
of the Tofane, Croda Rossa, Cristallo, and Croda da Lago
massifs. Our hikes lead right from the hotel, including one
that brings you through beautiful meadows to Ambrizolla
Pass, with a descent past waterfalls and stunning views of
the Tofane Massif. Other hikes lead into the magnificent
Civetta Massif, with its famous six-mile-wide north face
known as “the wall of walls,” while a lovely ramble
through meadows and woodlands carries you beneath the
soaring Tofane peaks to a lakeside restaurant for a cappuccino
and fresh pastry.
Day 4 Rifugio Lagazuoi A challenging hike (with easier
options) rewards you with panoramas stretching from Tofane
to Marmolada (10,965'), the “Queen of the Dolomites,” as
we head to Rifugio Lagazuoi, one of the most awesome spots
in the world to experience the sunset. Here we are on top
of the world, above the clouds and the birds, amid the silence
of the mountains.
Days 5-8 Cortina d’Ampezzo / Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Our hikes from stylish Cortina include a challenging option
featuring the “secret” valley behind the Tofane Massif that
few hikers explore. Walking right from our rifugio, we
traverse around the peaks of the Tofane via the remote
Val d’ Travenanz amid lovely, sweet-scented wildflowers,
crystal-clear springs, and alpine meadows. Our moderate
option leads along a trail below the great spires of
the Tofane di Roses and continues along the Alta Via 1,
a long-distance footpath traversing the Dolomites from
north to south. You’ll also enter the world of the famous
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, three yellow-pink spires that offer
quintessential Dolomites hiking and an iconic setting.
No matter which hikes you choose, the views are simply
out of this world. Depart on Day 8 via Venice, or extend
your stay in this glorious city.
SEAN MORRISSEY
ROBERT HARDING
Great hikes by day, wonderful food and wine at night—the perfect trip! PHOTO: ANNIE HAWKINS
HIGHLIGHTS
• Hike through a surreal
landscape of splintered
spires, huge rock walls,
and picturesque villages
• See the Dolomites at your
own pace, with moderate
or challenging hiking
options
• Delight in Italian-Austrian
alpine culture and hearty
cuisine—be sure to
try canederli, a bread
dumpling unique to the
area, and speck, the local
cured, smoked ham
DETAILS
• 8-day trip begins and
ends in Venice
• 6 nights 3- and 4-star
hotels and inns, 1 night
comfortable alpine lodge
with semi-private or
dorm-style rooms, shared
baths, and hot showers
• All meals included except
1 dinner
• All transport during the trip
included (cable cars, etc.)
DATES
Jun 23-30, 2017
Jul 3-10
Jul 17-24
Aug 6-13
Sep 1-8
TRIP COST
$4495 (11-15 members)
$4895 (6-10 members)
Single supplement: $320
TRIP LEVEL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6 hiking days, choice of
moderate to steep trails,
3-7 hours a day, altitudes
from 5,000-9,100 feet, van
support, team of up to
3 Trip Leaders