I'm going to be in northern Italy (Vittorio Veneto) the first few weeks of Nov. on business, and wanted to do some hiking over the weekend. Has anyone been there and have some tips for me?

It sounds like it's more of a day hike or hut-to-hut setup. I was wondering...

- What trail should I hike if I only have the weekend? I could have a car if that would be useful.
- Are there other areas I should explore while there?
- Typical temperatures & precipitation?
- What are the trails like?
- Are the huts worth the cost? How do I make reservations?
- Is there any primitive camping?
- Where could I get trail maps?

Any help is appreciated.

Tom

Come on, someone must know about this area!

I lived in Italy for 10 years, but further south in Tuscany. I found some websites, that are not the usual tourist/ hotels offers. Some have an English version on the site, but I can help with the Italian, if you'd like.






http://www.dolomitidibrentain.it/
http://www.magicoveneto.it/Dolomiti/trek.htm
http://www.dolomites-adventure.com/ita/trekking.php

and...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/DA-Dolomites-Adventure/363502557123

Edited by Kat_P on 10/17/2010 20:29:17 MDT.

Grazie!

I hiked the Dolomites in late September--terrific area, but it will likely be quite cold and probably under snow by November. Buses tend to shut down by mid-October, as do many of the mountain huts. They might reopen for skiers, however. Skiing or snowshoeing may be your best bet.

Hhmmm, not what I wanted to hear. Cold is OK, but snow can be more problematic. Don't have much urge to haul my snowshoes across the Atlantic and take chances with closed bus lines.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll have to be prepared with a fall-back plan.

i have little time now, but will write you quikly i did the via monti liguria trail from ventimigilia to genoa arrived yesterday. it was about minus 5 in the night at 1000 meter,they said snow would be permanent at mid november at 800 meter, i would guess it would be much harsher in dolomites

i can really reccomend the stage 3 to 7 on the via alti monti liguria. if you would go to ventimiglia, you will have information about hostels hotels that are open. here is a link for the alti via, this stages was one of the most beutiful places ive walked

http://www.altaviadeimontiliguri.it/portale/it/tappa_per_tappa.wp;jsessionid=D2DE0E062BA54E6C89B3790D59B455D8

this might be worth a look

http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/385/title/walking-in-the-dolomites

http://www.via-alpina.org/

The regular hiking season is definitely over (bus + hut), but this doesn't mean you can't hike there. You just can't hike in a crowd ;) and maybe with some snow. A little. Most likely not more than a pair of gaiters can't deal with. It would be most unusual if you would need snow shoes, after all the dolomites are not that snowy. Normally I fear that there is not enough snow when I go ski touring there in high winter ...

The big routes via the via ferrata at high altitude is most likely really over, but part of the charm of the dolomites is the space between the high peaks with trails that are technically not so demanding and offer nice views on the mountain scenary.

The trails are usually quite abundant and offer plenty possibilities for plan B variations in case the planned route turns out to be unpassable. Just plan your route accordingly.


The 'best'maps you can get are the Tabacco maps . They quality is not what most usually expect from a topographic map - but it is ok for finding your way home (usually) :)

In some areas of the dolomites are plenty of "bivaccos" as shelters. These are small emergency shelters that you might use if you plan an overnight trip. As they are usually in the higher places you need to check of course if the conditions allow getting there.

Here a few pics from the Sennnes-Fanes Group (northern dolomites) in late October 2002 after the first heavy snow fall.

Nice photos!

Might need a bit more than a basic tarp under those conditions? :-)

Cheers