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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2014 - 11:02pm PT
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For those curious about routes and huts, I will post a map and specific hut information next week. It appears that tent-camping is not allowed in the higher Brenta Dolomites, but we did see some folks cooking outside to lower their meal cost. Bed & meals in the huts runs around 43 -49 EUros per day for non-members.
Here's a Wiki link to their page on the Brenta Dolomites. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenta_group
The climber's memorials were somewhat sobering. There were a lot of memorial plaques for brave young men.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Sep 17, 2014 - 06:11am PT
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Fritz-
Re: Memorial plaques; they are actually everywhere in the Dolomites. These are big and unforgiving mountains.
Almost every access trail has something like this.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 20, 2014 - 12:00am PT
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What did you think of the Teroldego, Fritz?
I have been enjoying this trip vicariously from my computer screen while drinking swill and yelling at the "old lady".
"Honey, could you get me a beer?"
"and while you're at it, could you make me a sammich or something?"
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2014 - 06:33am PT
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Wayno! Re your question: What did you think of the Teroldego, Fritz?
We only had it at Tucket Hut. I recall that it was smooth and fruity after breathing for a while, but quite tart when first opened. However, we were drinking to ease the pyschic pain of doing a somewhat airy & unprotected Via-Ferrata that morning, then being caught in a hail, lightning, rainstorm on our way to Tucket. We were toasting "cheating death" that----and every evening.
We did, on your recommend, drink more Marzeminos, whcih we all liked, and we also found the local Valpolicella & Bardolinos wonderful too. So many different varitals to sample, and we only found one not to our liking & I don't remember much about it. The below wine was wonderful.
The salad hit was green salad with tomatos & Buffalo cheese. Insalata Caprese di bufala.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Sep 20, 2014 - 08:32am PT
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Wayno-
I too, tried a Marzamino, and found it delightfully refreshing. I love the price per bottle in Italy: ~ 6 Eu for a bottle of excellent wine.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 20, 2014 - 09:22am PT
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awesome-- just talking about brenta the other night with a friend from there.
i've only had a couple days, because i'm usually in the "real" dolos. would love to have an extended trip.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Sep 20, 2014 - 09:42am PT
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Never been in the Brenta's. A great thread.
Here's to more reflective moments,
and to happier moments in the Dolomites.
Thanks for posting up!
Chris
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Sep 21, 2014 - 05:32pm PT
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An amazing trip, thanks for taking us along!!!!!
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Sep 22, 2014 - 06:32pm PT
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Great fun and good times. We should all get together there some time.
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SC seagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, or In What Time Zone Am I?
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Sep 22, 2014 - 06:36pm PT
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What a wonderful trip to follow.! I certainly am enjoying!
Susan
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 22, 2014 - 07:12pm PT
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For the detail-oriented folks, I post some map photos and a hut by hut photo report.
I suspect adventurous folks can enjoy the area without a local guide, but life was so much easier with our mellow, fun, and knowledgeable local guide Mauro.
It also would have been nice to speak & read Italian, but English is the language that most all Europeans also learn to speak.
We were surprised to see two German climbers indignant that some hut employees didn't speak German.
"German Dudes! Remember that you lost the war for Northern Italy in WW I ------- and also WWII."
Here's a close-up of the area. North is up in the photo.
The three huts we stayed in are marked with yellow blotches, the first at the very top of the map. Our hiking route is in blue, and the main Via Ferrata route in the range is in yellow. Trails are marked with red dashes, and most Via Ferratas with red dots. Click on the photo for better details.
This photo shows a larger area. The large ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio, where we started, is marked with a blue ruler, and our trip ended at the large lake Lago di Molveno.
On the first day of our trip we hiked ski slopes to the west of Madonna di Campiglio for a view of the west side of the Brenta Dolomites.
Heidi and I found a play area, while others in our group found a lift-top snack area.
Then we followed a forest trail to a pleasant hut on a small lake for a late lunch. Our lunch hut stop was scenic and the food was great.
We did find the best Amanita muscaria I've seen in 42 years along the way. We resisted testing it.
By the time we made it back to the "ski-village" part of Madonna di Camoglio, a big thunderstorm had settled into the valley. We could not ride the gondola that provided accesss to our first hut: Rif S. Graffer al Groste. However the shopping was fabulous!
After sitting around (and drinking) for a few early evening hours, the hut manager, our hero Robbie, drove down the mountain in his Land Rover, and we had an exciting, bumpy, & wet trip up to the hut.
The hut was large, newish, well-kept, and our climber host Robbie took great care of us. We all tried to ignore that we were inside a major ski area.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Sep 22, 2014 - 07:23pm PT
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Go Fritz, you bad dog!!!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 22, 2014 - 08:25pm PT
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Survival! Great to have you on board!
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 23, 2014 - 05:15pm PT
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Our 2nd day we did a morning hike out to the SE onto a large tilted area of "Karst" limestone full, of small caves, & large fissures. It was interesting terrain, with intricate routefinding up towards the large peak of Cima Groste.
By late morning we split into two groups. The climbers would do a nearby Via Ferrata, and the hikers would go back to the hut or do more nearby hiking.
We ate sandwiches we had made of leftover breakfast hard rolls, cheese, & ham, on the go.
By the time we got to the start of the Via Ferrata, clouds had obscured the upper part of the route and we retired down to our hut as the afternoon storm rolled in.
We managed to have a fun evening of hooping it up.
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Sep 23, 2014 - 05:38pm PT
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More great photos from Fritz! It's my vicarious Italian vacation. I have to go back in 2015...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Sep 23, 2014 - 05:49pm PT
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Fritzi, why am I worried I'll be showing up at some of the places you visited
and they'll be saying
"We're out of the good stuff, some guy from Idaho was here."
Hopefully they can re-supply before we get there.
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Sep 23, 2014 - 06:29pm PT
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Reilly-
Not at all likely! The area around Trento is awash in a sea of vineyards. Be sure to try the Bardolino and Marzamino from that locale. I left some for you...I didn't drink it all.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 23, 2014 - 07:24pm PT
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Reilly! Re your concerns:
Fritzi, why am I worried I'll be showing up at some of the places you visited
and they'll be saying
"We're out of the good stuff, some guy from Idaho was here."
Indeed! No worries! Each major hut has a small tramway to bring up fresh gourmet food & fine beers & wines. (The trams also haul down garbage & other waste, but not lazy hikers.)
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 24, 2014 - 05:28pm PT
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Day 3 dawned clear, with the valley below full of fog. We hiked up a 1/2 mile to the morning's Via Ferrata named Gustavo Vidi, on Pietra Grande. The route is just north of our rifugio, S. Graffer al Groste.
The Via route was technically & physically easy, but there was a lot of loose rock, and a couple miles of walking ledges above cliffs where we were a stumble from eternity. There was an occasional up or down jaunt through a cliff band.
I did get a great shot of an Edelweiss along the way.
Then we were back to the hut by a different route for lunch.
After lunch, we hiked to Tuckett Hut, where we would spend the night. After a while we were in the clouds, then it started lightly hailing.
After a few minutes, it started hailing much harder with some rain mixed in and we paused to put on rainwear. I braced for the inevitable lightning, but except for one ground strike that hit a half-mile away, we were spared more stress. With no safe-place to hide (I was really pleased that no-one tried to take shelter in a little limestone cave along the trail) all we could do is walk the wet & slippery limestone as quickly as possible.
Then the storm was gone, & we had scenic, but slippery walking to Tuckett Hut.
After we got to the hut, it rained more, but we were secure.
The next morning dawned clear, but not cold.
Day 4 would be a "big" day of March or Die Alpine adventure.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Sep 25, 2014 - 05:44am PT
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Tucket Hut! Going to have to remember that one. Beautiful area.
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