Dolomite fairy tale of darkness and light - Tre Cime di Lavaredo

Where can I even begin with this post?

Possibly from the start of this journey...
We have been planning our trip to Italy for the weekend and our active weekend of hiking in the Dolomites for weeks. Hiking in Lago di Sorapis on the first day, camping and resting over night, followed by a hike to Tre Cime di Lavaredo on the second.

SUMMARY
A circular hike around 3 iconic peaks in the Italian Dolomites.
DISTANCE:10.3-kilometre round trip
TIME :3 hours, 20 minutes
ELEVATION:400 metres (+/-)
DIFFICULTY:Easy to Medium

On the first day, we were to go to Cortina d'Ampezzo, which is close to the resort, from where we would begin our climb to Lago di Sorapis. If you're interested, you can read a post I've already written about Sorapis by clicking the link I've provided.

https://hive.blog/hive-163772/@lensational/enchanted-lake-lago-di-sorapis-the-path-to-one-of-the-most-beautiful-attractions-of-the-dolomites

The weather was not on our side, in fact it was at the beginning, and until Sorapis itself the weather was actually perfect. A combination of beautiful white clouds that covered the strong sun in the most necessary parts (climbing). The closer we were to the lake, the warmer the sun was. But as I mentioned earlier, the clouds saved us. But already on the way back from Sorapis, the sky was getting darker and the rain was getting stronger.

We returned to the parking lot, changed and started the drive to Rifugio Auronzo
We decided not to camp because of the bad weather and the fact that the rain had stopped for the time being, though everything was still dark.

We ate lunch to refuel after a five-hour hike to Sorapis and back. Even though we were tired, we decided to hike to Tre Cime di Lavaredo and spend another 4 hours hiking because we didn't want to give up and miss out on seeing nature's perfection in the Dolomites.

Hiking around these magnificent peaks is an unforgettable experience.

Some interesting facts about Tre Cime di Lavaredo

The First World War marked and left its mark in this region of Tyrol, which was bounded by the Tre Cime di Lavaredo or Drei Zinnen until 1919. Numerous bunkers, tunnels, and battle sites from that brutal conflict can still be seen today.

Not only are the Tre Cime di Lavaredo among the most visited locations in Italy, but they are also among the top Alps attractions. The term literally translates to "three peaks," and because they lack vegetation, they have an unforgiving, harsh, and above all, magnificent appearance.

Cima Piccola (2,857 m), Cima Ovest (2,973 m), and Cima Grande are the names of the peaks (2,999 m). Paul Grohmann made the first ascent to the highest peak in 1896, and today, in addition to mountaineers who explore its difficult but unforgettable climbing routes, Tre Cime di Lavaredo draws a sizable number of climbers.

The most well-known hiking location in the Dolomites is without a doubt Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

The reason for its fame and the enormous number of visitors is not just due to the unique beauty of these peaks. Tre Cima di Lavaredo is a highly accessible mountain, and the trail itself offers a number of alternatives. With a little extra work, those without much mountaineering experience may also pass through it. Of course, nature is the focus with the right tools. As a result, there are lots of people. Although there were not many people that day, most likely because of the rain.

At the Rifugio Auronzo mountain cabin, which is situated at 2,320 meters above sea level, you will connect with trail 101 to begin the round trek around Tre Cime di Lavaredo. In fact, it's difficult to get lost at the base of these majestic peaks because the pathways are clearly marked and there are a lot of people there.

Before coming to Rifugio Lavaredo, we passed a little church and a cross that were slightly off the beaten path and provided views of the valley. We continued up to the ridge at Forcella Lavaredo because it was a little too early to rest, and when we did, we were completely astounded by the incredible panorama that lay before us.

The horizon was dotted with hundreds of jagged peaks in various twisted shapes, like a forest of crumbling stone towers. The Tre Cime di Lavaredo, a group of enormous sandstone monoliths, were to our left, and the light shining off them gave the area a surreal charm.

By the first stop at Rifugio di Lavaredo (2344 m), the weather has changed in all possible charms it offers. Extremely variable.
On Tre Cime di Lavaredo we experienced sun, wind, rain, a break in the clouds and sun again.

The track ascends gradually from this housecabin and soon leads to a signpost and a fork in the road where the trail 101 leads to Rifugio Locatelli on the left and path No. 104 leads to Rif. Pian de Cengia, Rif. Comici, and Rif. Carducci on the right. We keep going down the trail that takes us to the Forcella Lavaredo pass, which is 2454 meters high and is situated between the Tre Cime and Monte Paterno. From this pass, we can see the mountain lodge "Locatelli" and the most stunning view of the Tre Cime.

Do you think he might be alone ? :(

We debated whether to continue walking after we reached that spot or turn around and head back to the car. The majority of the sky was gloomy and appeared ominous. After giving it some deliberation, we decided to go on to Rifugio Locatelli. which enjoys a magnificent location in front of the three towers of Tre Cime.

We should have realized it might not be the best decision as soon as we began traveling in the direction of Rifugio Locatelli. We nevertheless made the gutsy decision to carry on. We were able to laugh and take some pictures on our way.
The sky began to close more and more as we neared our destination, and it began to lightly rain.

When we arrived at Rifugio Locatelli, it was pouring rain, there was thunder outside, and lightning was flashing more frequently.

To get energy so that we could rejoin our storm, we drank coffee.
Unfortunately, the weather was getting worse as we made our way back to the car. And trust me when I say that the lightning that was repeatedly striking everywhere and frequently was more of an issue than the fact that we were soaked to the skin.

And I must admit that it no longer seemed like a fun experience. Although we had any other options, I was terrified of lightning. The distance to the automobile was still an hour and a half. Our movements were swifter and larger. Damp footwear and wet clothing...

I apologize for the lack of pictures from the crazy segment of our hike, but I assure you that taking pictures was the last thing on my mind and that it was too rainy to pull my camera out .

When we were maybe five minutes away from the car, all that chaos came to an end. And I can say with certainty that we were ecstatic when we got there.

Even though I'm aware of how much the weather contributed to my mood and exhaustion, I can without a doubt declare that the experience was wonderful. With brief pauses, our nine hours of hiking covered a lot of ground.

Undoubtedly a beautiful location. Both Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Lago di Sorapis are magnificent.

Only when I think back on it all today do I realize how wonderful everything was.

I hope I was able to express at least half of my beautiful and troubled moments to you.

Have fun reading. :)

#pinmapple