Distance: 26.3km (383.2km), time spent: 9:19.
Weather: Heavy rain.
We had heard of bad weather for some days almost now, and today it came. Gone is the good weather from the previous days, outside a thick layer of clouds has descended upon the mountains, blanketing the Marmolada. It pays justice to our decision of walking longer than originally planned. Today we will walk down to Alleghe, a stage of Der Traumpfad that in terms of scenery will not be as exciting as the last days, so I thought that bad weather should not make such a bad day. I was wrong.
Clouds cover the Marmolada and in the valley bottoms below in the morning.
It does however start off in a very nice manner. From the Rifugio Viel dal Pan, the Dream Way continues on the Viel del Pan and although the sky is ladden with dark clouds, it does not rain. It is simply put a beautiful walk as the path resumes to its course, contouring alongside the ridge with views of the Marmolada that is now cut in half by the clouds. A fun fact about the Marmolada is that within its glacier the Austro-Hungarians built an ice-city with over 11km of tunnels during World War I, this was done to supply their troops during the war. A not so fun fact is that the glacier is retreating, it is also the last surviving one in the Dolomites.
View of Lago di Fedaia.
Walking on the Viel del Pan with Marmolada cut in half by the clouds.
Yesterday, the sky was blue and I could see the Civetta rising up in the background. Now it is obscured by the clouds, but the clouds do add a certain atmosphere to the surroundings. I am happy to have experienced the way of the bread in both this weather and the lovely weather of yesterday, got to see both versions of it so to speak. Below on the green meadows below, I can see deers running, or maybe it even could be chamois or mouflons.
Looking back at Rifugio Viel dal Pan, the first part of the walk was actually beautiful.
The Lago di Fedaia is coming closer as the splendid walking of the morning is coming to an end. We all knew it was going to rain today, but it was not forecasted until some hours later, but as I start to descend towards the lake, I can feel the clouds letting go of its contents. Soon, the air is full of rain and visibility is limited to a grey world. I had hoped to get past the Sottoguda Gorge before it started, but must confess that that is now a dream lost.
Then rain arrived on the descent towards Lago di Fedaia.
Down at the Lago di Fedaia and the Rifugio Castiglioni there are several bedraggled hikers. By the look and talk among them, most of them will take the bus from there. I do feel a little bit overwhelmed by the downpour, so I step into the refuge for a cup of hot coffee. Martina and Johanna is there, as they got ahead of me back up on the Viel del Pan, while I was busy enjoying the view (meaning, taking a lot of pictures). They leave and I was not to see them again until later in the day.
Lago di Fedaia.
The walk next to the lake is all on paved road, but I would believe this is a nice walk if it had not been raining (so much). It also seems that the temperature has taken a drop as I quickly get chilly. The ridge I have come down from is disappearing in the rain behind me. I am still stupid enough to take pictures, so at the Rifugio Fedaia, I seek shelter again. To warm myself, have another cup of those good coffees, and dry my camera.
A walk underneath ski lifts.
From the Rifugio Fedaia, the nice part of the walking today has come to an end. Downwards, the trail just follows the ski slope underneath ski lifts and close by a road. This might have been a lovely walk if not for all the ski paraphernalia, with old farms scattered around and views of deep mountains around. The path is a little vague. I can see the gondolas going up and down between Malga Ciapela and the Marmolada. At Malga Ciapela, the Alta Via Dolomiti 2 splits from Der Traumpfad, having shared the path almost all the way from the Peitlerköfel some days ago.
A world in black and white, looking up at the gondolas going up and down between Malga Ciapela and Marmolada.
Malga Ciapela is just what I have thought it would be. A place that I normally would have passed quickly through, but my body and camera screams for another hot coffee break. Malga Ciapela also comes with another disappointing news. The Sottoguda Gorge, which was the most anticipated part of the stage today, is closed. And I had looked so much forward to walking through the narrow gorge, now ribbons barrs the way and signposts brusquely announces 'Thou shalt not pass!'. The little devil sitting on my shoulder wants me to pay no heed to the warning signs and walk on, but something tells me that it is not right to do so.
Going through the tunnel after Malga Ciapela, I must confess there is some weird aesthetics in this.
Then, what to do? Taking the bus is not an option. At the closest hotel, I am told that the only way is to walk on the busy road. On my map I can see a path going up in the valley above, which is going to the Sottoguda village, but when I inquire about that path I am told that I should forget about it. That it will take me about three to four hours to get to Sottoguda on that path. I am not sure I believe in him, but as he is a local, I decide to follow his advice. I go for the road, I do not look forward to it.
On the alternative route I found, I passed by several curious figures, this was one of them, a lumberjack.
And truthfully, walking on the road is no fun, but from it I can see that it was the right choice. There are places where I can look down into the gorge and I can see that it is totally destroyed and the road at the bottom is broken. The man at the hotel told me that it was destroyed during a fierce thunderstorm that ravaged the whole valley last year, but that it maybe would be reopened next year.
Looking down at Sottoguda from the path.
After walking on the road for a while, past a tunnel, I have had enough. When I suddenly see a signpost with Sottoguda written on it on the other side of the road, I do not hesitate to leave the road and follow the path. The path takes me up into the woods above the valley. Mostly clear of the debris from the storm, but sometimes I have to climb over or around fallen trees. Next to the path are curious wooden figures, a lumberjack, singing children and old women, and more. Strange, but it makes for an entertaining walk for sure. More signs of the damage done to the Sottoguda Gorge can be seen.
A walk in the cliffs, a fun part of this path.
If the way through the Sottoguda Gorge is not passable, this path should be taken. Avoid the road at all cost and find this path then. After the odd wooden figures, I arrive at a section where the path is almost carved into the cliffs (kind of like the Chemin de la Mâture in the Pyrenees on the GR10, or the Congost de Mont-Rebei in Spain on the GR1 Sendero Historico). After that, the path goes into a lovely ancient beech forest, the Bòsch di Faier. Underway, nice views of Sottoguda and the valley. However, on the signpost it said that it took about 30 minutes to get to the village. I spend some more time than that, but it was a time well worth spent as it meant less walking on roads.
Bòsch di Faier, an ancient beech forest.
In Sottoguda I find an open restaurant and sit down for lunch, having a good carpaccio and a beer, even an icecream for dessert. The village itself is quite beautiful, with old traditional buildings. Leaving the village, however, I cannot escape the fact that I am heading into the aftershock of the storm. At first, it is difficult finding where the path is going, but that is not the worst part. When I finally find it, it does not take long time before I find out that it is totally wrecked by the storm and that I have to get down to an ugly forestry track below to get going further.
Old style house in Sottoguda.
Obscured trees in the hills above Sottoguda.
The rest of the walk down to Alleghe is just adding to the misery. All around me are evidences of the ravaging storm (not the one I am walking in), with fallen trees in numbers. I can just but wonder about the size and force of that storm. The mountainsides appear razed, paths and walls next to the river has tumbled down into the water, debris lining up the sides. There is even a power mast that is broken and has crumbled down. At times it is difficult to know if I am on the right way or not.
Wearing and tearing.
If there is something positive about this walk is that I still enjoy seeing clouds tear at the sides of the mountains above. And the one section where the trail heads up into the hills above on a path overgrown with bracken, although it shortly went down to the river again. At Santa Maria delle Grazie I encounter another hiker, Florian, who I also saw at the Rifugio Viel dal Pan. We walk together on the last part towards Alleghe, apparently we are both staying at the same hotel, the Hotel Coldai.
A ravaged valley, here I stand on the actual path, which is impassable, having to get down to that forestry track below.
Martina and Johanna had been so nice to book a bed for me as well. After this walk it is just great not to have to walk around to find a place. Getting inside a warm room now and then jump into a hot shower is just wonderful. The girls were not in the room when I arrived, but I meet them afterwards, they have also found a great pizza place for dinner. I learn that they had taken the bus down to Caprile and walked from there, skipping all the trouble between Lago di Fedaia and Caprile (things got a little bit easier after that village).
The trail heading up into the hills on a path overgrown with bracken.
Coming down to the hamlet of Pezzé.
In the evening the rain has subsided and we go out to look at Alleghe. Although carrying the mark of being a place that tourists visits, I like it. Of course it is a little bit out of season now too, so it is quite quiet here. Walking next to the lake with views of the small town and the mountains around is nice, both surrounded by dramatic clouds. Before going to bed I meet Florian and a friend of him that has arrived for a beer.
Walking through the evidences of a storm.
After three days of sheer bliss, this day was a major downer. Although I cannot blame the trail for that, I think the storm of 2018 has to be made accountable for that. While it might not be the most memorable of the stages on Der Traumpfad, it could still be a pleasant enough walk. Had it not been for damage the storm has made and the awful weather today. Thankfully, the evening in Alleghe was very nice.
Alleghe, the Civetta above.
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