day7.md (7396B)
1 <table style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"> <thead> <tr> 2 <th style="text-align: left"> <a href="../day6">← Day 6</a> </th> 3 <th style="text-align: center"> <a href="../">Alta Via 2</a> </th> 4 <th style="text-align: right"> <a href="../day8">Day 8 →</a> </th> 5 </tr> </thead> </table> 6 7 # Day 7 - The longest day 8 9 <p align="center"><em>August 26, 2025</em></p> 10 11 ## Route of the day 12 13 <details> 14 <summary><strong>Click to see map</strong></summary> 15 <img src="../img/26-0000-map.png"> 16 </details> 17 18 *Download the [gpx file](../gpx/av2-day7.gpx) or see the route on 19 [outdooractive.com](https://www.outdooractive.com/en/route/hiking-trail/san-martino-di-castrozza-primiero-vanoi/-2025-alta-via-2-day-7/325542923/?share=%7E3zdmdrba%244ossqbdf)* 20 21 ## A relaxing stroll in Val Canali 22 23 Last night we had to check our maps, because we were not sure which route 24 we would be going, according to our plan. We did not remember that the 25 guide book suggested two possible alternatives to reach the next hut, 26 Rifugio Treviso: a higher mountain trail, with some challenging sections, 27 and an easier one that starts by walking down the *Val Canali*, a valley 28 that leads out of the Pala group and into the *Vette Feltrine* mountain 29 range. Our plan was to follow the easier route, and we decided to stick 30 to it. 31 32 We leave the Pradidali at 7:30. 33 34  35 36 <p align="center"><em> 37 Rifugio Pradidali and a mountain behind it, in a beautiful sunny morning. 38 Maybe I should have taken notes of the names of the peaks I photographed. 39 Oh well, too late now. 40 </em></p> 41 42  43 44 <p align="center"><em>Val Canali.</em></p> 45 46 The descent is quite diverse, alternating between rocks, gravel, grass 47 and forest. There are some steel ropes that seem oddly placed in a very 48 simple section, but they would probably be useful in a rainy day. 49 50  51 52 <p align="center"><em> 53 Walking down an easy trail, in a typical Dolomite landscape. 54 </em></p> 55 56 At 9:50 we reach the ruins of *malga Pradidali* (1428 meters on sea level). 57 So far it has been a nice sunny day, and the walk has been easy. But the 58 end of the day will be very different. 59 60  61 62 <p align="center"><em> 63 The ruins of malga Pradidali. A "malga" is a building where people 64 temporarily lived in the Summer while their livestock grazed the high 65 mountain pastures that surround it. Malga Antersasc, that we passed by on 66 <a href="../day1">day one</a>, is another example. Many malgas are still 67 in use nowadays, and they often sell locally-produced dairy products, 68 but unfortunately for us we only found ruins so far. 69 </em></p> 70 71 The trail continues in the forest, and at 10:35 we pass by *malga 72 Canali* (1307m). This one *was* in use, and we could have stopped to 73 eat something if we wanted, but we did not. 74 75  76 77 <p align="center"><em>The pastures behind malga Canali.</em></p> 78 79 We now have to walk up to reach Rifugio Treviso (1631m). The trail in 80 the forest becomes steep, but it does not last long. We reach the hut 81 at 11:40, and it is time for a break. 82 83  84 85 ## The return of the clouds 86 87 After taking a few pictures and a slice of a typical alpine dessert (I'll 88 let you guess which one), we are ready to start walking again at 12:30. 89 90 Our next checkpoint is *forcella d'Oltro* (2094m). My knee has been 91 good so far, but I still try not to put too much weight on it. The road 92 up to the forcella is steep, and we are tired. We have done nothing but 93 walking steep trails for more than a week at this point. We walk slowly, 94 but steadily. 95 96  97 98 <p align="center"><em>The forested slopes on the North-West.</em></p> 99 100 On our way up, we meet a couple walking down from the forcella. They 101 tell us that they could see nothing at all on the other side, because 102 of the fog and the clouds. We are not sure if we should take them 103 literally, because it is such a sunny day on this side. But indeed, 104 when we reach the tight pass at 14:30, we can see it with out own eyes. 105 106  107 108 <p align="center"><em>The fog on the other side of forcella d'Oltro.</em></p> 109 110  111 112 <p align="center"><em> 113 The side where we came from, in contrast, is perfectly sunny. 114 </em></p> 115 116 We need another short break, but we don't want to stay here for 117 too long. As often happens in these high passes, 118 the wind is strong and chilling. 119 120 We thought this would be the last place above 2000 meters of the whole 121 trip. Or at the very least for the day, considering that all that was 122 left was walking down to the 123 [Cereda Pass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereda_Pass). 124 But we were not exactly right. 125 126 ## Down? Not so fast, cowboy 127 128 The descent to the Cereda Pass starts very steep, and we quickly loose 129 about 200 meters of altitude. But then the trail starts going up again, 130 and slowly but surely we walk up, and up, and up. The road is not steep, 131 but we are walking on a tight ledge on a grassy slope that requires us 132 to focus. 133 134  135 136 <p align="center"><em> 137 Me on this tight path that, for whatever reason, is leading back 138 up instead of down to Pass Cereda. As you can see, I am not amused. 139 </em></p> 140 141 Only after we reach the altitude of 2150m do we start going down, 142 but this time very slowly. We cannot see very far due to the fog, 143 and in any case we would still be hyper-focused on our steps. 144 But at least there are some interesting rock formations close to 145 us that are worth admiring. 146 147  148 149 <p align="center"><em>Some interesting rock formations close to the trail.</em></p> 150 151  152 153 <p align="center"><em>A tree growing on top of a naked rock.</em></p> 154 155 The trail gradually becomes less exposed, but more steep. My knee starts 156 hurting once again, but I am not surprised, considering how long we have 157 been walking since this morning. 158 159 After what feels like an eternity of wandering through the fog, 160 we reach the hotel at the Cereda Pass (1361m) at 18:15. After 161 almost 11 hours of walk, my feet and my knees are begging for mercy. 162 163  164 165 <p align="center"><em>The pastures around the Cereda Pass.</em></p> 166 167 We have a private room at [Rifugio 168 Cereda](https://www.rifugiocereda.com/en/), where 169 we can have a shower, and we rest well. The food is 170 also amazing: I have what is one of the best plates of 171 [*käsespätzle*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4sesp%C3%A4tzle) 172 of my life. By the way, over here the spätzle are prepared with spinach 173 and they are green, not white; I think they do the same in Tyrol, but 174 definitely not in Germany. 175 176 Unfortunately, the weather forecasts for the next day are not as good 177 as our dinner. 178 179 <table style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"> <thead> <tr> 180 <th style="text-align: left"> <a href="../day6">← Day 6</a> </th> 181 <th style="text-align: center"> <a href="../">Alta Via 2</a> </th> 182 <th style="text-align: right"> <a href="../day8">Day 8 →</a> </th> 183 </tr> </thead> </table> 184 185 186 187 188 189