This September Lauralee hiked the Alta Via 1 solo along a route very similar to my 2011 route. Here is her guest post with her impressions from the trip. Enjoy the read and many thanks to Lauralee for sharing! ^marketa
Where did you hike?
I did a six day solo hike along the Alta Via 1 from Lago di Braies to Rifugio Tissi and then down to Listolade.
When was your trip and how was the weather?
The weather in the second week of September 2015 was great! It rained on two or three nights but not during the day. It was often below freezing at night and only about 10 degrees Celsius during the day, but this was just fine for hiking. There was frost and/or a very light layer of snow on the ground some mornings. It rained a couple of times but only in the evenings and overnight.
What was the best thing about your trip?
Being surrounded by such beautiful mountains and meeting other hikers!
Is there anything others should know before setting off on the trek?
It might be helpful for others to know that it’s definitely possible to hike it alone!
As a solo female traveler I wasn’t sure how I would make out but it turned out perfectly fine. If you’re an experienced hiker, there’s no greater danger on this route than many other hikes. I avoided some parts of the route that were rated higher difficulty or not well-marked but there were always other options.
While I sometimes walked with others, I spent most of my days alone (walking at my own pace was pretty nice!) and then met people at the rifugios every evening. There were lots of other people on the trails (of course I still went long stretches without seeing any other hikers) but there were enough to never feel dangerously isolated.
The route:
- Day 1: Lago di Braies – rifugio Fodara
- Day 2: rifugio Fodara – rifugio Scotoni
- Day 3: rifugio Scotoni – rifugio Scoiattoli
- Day 4: rifugio Scoiattoli – rifugio Citta di Fiume
- Day 5: rifugio Citta di Fiume – rifugio Tissi
- Day 6: rifugio Tissi – Listolade
the marmot post 
Hi Lauralee,
In 1967, I went on a junior exhibition to the Dolomites. My memory is fairly vague of where we stayed etc, but we climbed or rather trekked over Mnt Marmalade. We stayed in the Dolomites itself, we would have a meal in one of the sort of taverns which were dotted around the mountains, the toilets would be holes cut out in the mountainside and covered with a sort of lean to. We dig grave like holes in the ice and pitch our tents over them to sleep. I have very good memories of the miles and miles of hiking and climbing we did, and was hoping to visit this coming year for a sort of walking holiday, but reading the words Alta Via 1 and the other numbers has totally confused me. Your pictures are truly magnificent and make me more determined to visit in the very near future. Many Thanks Dave
Hi Lauralee!
I am a solo female traveler hoping to hike in the Dolomites in the few weeks time. I would like to do the Alta Via 1 and I have about 7 days.
I was wondering if you could provide some details about how to plan for this hike! Where you found maps/hut locations/areas to avoid in poor weather etc. I am a little stuck trying to find information without using a guided tour.
Any information would be great 🙂
Thanks
Allannah
Hi Allannah!
Thanks for stopping by on the marmot post. Lauralee wrote a guest post after her trip last year, but otherwise she’s not entirely available to respond to comments on the blog. I walked a very similar route on the AV1 in 2011, so I’ll try my best in her place.
The best and most comprehensive information about the hike, i found, is Gillian Price’s Trekking in the Dolomites. Until you get hold of a copy you can have a look at some of the other Alta Via 1 posts on this blog. They can help you with route planning and finding huts. I’ve also included links to other sites with useful info:
This year’s trek: Alta Via 1
Along the Alta Via 1 in six days: the route
A forcella a day keeps the doctor away: AV1 trip report
With regards to maps, you can most likely get them online. I used this UK online maps retailer. Otherwise, if you will have a day or two in Italy before the hike, you should be able to buy them there.
I hope this will be helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck with planning the trip!
marketa