Go Back in Time in Cinque Torri

September 11, 2024 from the itinerary: Today, you'll transfer to Passo Falzarego and hik to Rifugio Averau (7,921'). From here, descend to Rifugio Scoiattoli and beautiful Cinque Torri. Learn about the history of Cinque Torri and the surrounding mountain valleys as WW1 battlefields, complete with tunnels and bunkers. Depending on the group, there are 3 to 6 hour hiking options. Lunch will be in one of the rifugios around the Cinque Torri. In the early afternoon, transfer toCortina d'Ampezzo in the Veneto region and enjoy an evening at your leisure. Sleep in luxury at the 5-star Grand Hotel Savoia.

Planned activity: Several hiking options that will be catered to the group

Actual activity: according to Komoot, we actively hiked about 1h48 minutes for a total of 3.48 miles with an upward elevation gain of 1,250 feet. According to Apple: 4.46 total time (resting and hiking), 4.45 miles, with a 1,379 elevation gain. Either way, a rather light day of hiking.

I'm not sure what all the options were for our hike, but this hike was very interesting (see below). Our hike briefings have been less and less detailed, if they happened at all:) In general I feel the walks towards the end of our time have been getting shorter than I expected, but maybe that's just me.

Weather: Weather was good enough to do the walk around the Cinque Torri.

We arrived at our new 5-star hotel which was a bit of a let down. The room was tiny, that said, there was a kettle in the room:) (no tea). It was a Radisson hotel and disappointing.

We had a drive over to the trail head and hiked up pretty steeply to gain altitude. During WWI the partisans dug tunnels to get up to the enemy who was entrenched at the top of these hills. The enemy could hear them digging, so moved before they reached the top. The tunnels are still there.

there were some more gentle parts as we made our way up to the rifugio

All of this area was once under water and you can still find fossils of seaweed and shells. I was just glad to stop to be able to get my breath back.

Time for a group shot at the top before lunch (dad/mom and the kids...)

A nice rest at the rifugio for cocoa and a rest in the sun

After coffee we went around the towers. This was interesting on several levels...1) there were mountain climbers trying to get to the top of the towers

and 2) historically interesting redoubts built by the partisans during WW1, complete with bunkers and tunnels. The conditions were awful, not only because the weather was terrible and cold and the locals didn't have our modern conveniences, but because they were shooting at people with whom they lived for generations, simply because political borders were shifted.

Then around the towers

to lunch at the same rifugio - cheese and polenta which was evilly wonderful - a bit like cheese fondue with polenta. Very filling, but I at the whole thing. I had some vanilla ice cream for desert.

After lunch we walked down for pick up at another rifugio - one of the oldest in the area

I did some site-seeing through the town, less than impressed, but found my Dolomiti pin to remember this trip. It represents the Tre Cime peaks - which I never did see....(see tomorrow's blog). There was a shop with a bunny head on the front, so it deserves honorable mention in this blog.

Lisa told a funny story of trying to get into a bank (with Kim) to get to an ATM. They got the door buzzed open, but they couldn't actually open the door. They tried and tried and finally gave up and went to another bank where they saw another person inside - hence knew that the door would open. Same thing - buzzed the door, it clicked to open, but they couldn't get it open. Finally, just before giving up, they tried pulling the door instead of pushing and it opened immediately....

Dinner was on our own and we went to yet another pizza place, this time they had a version of the truffle oil pizza - not quite as good as the first one we had, but good none-the-less.