The Alta Via One for Runners

In late June 2009 we ran the Alta Via 1 from Lago to Braies to the Passo Duran. I’ll come right out and say it – this is the perfect trail for mountain running. But not just for the trail or the views, rather for the experience as a whole. 100km with 10lbs on your back… Really.

Huts make it all possible. These are not just some backcountry “lodges”, these are backcountry athlete hotels complete with comfy beds, multi-course Italian meals, full bars (seriously), espresso machines, showers, the works. They are what allow one to travel light and live well.

The Alta Via 1 Page is best for the full details of the trail for hiking and general info. For runners considering the trail as a tour, this was our Alta Via 1 itinerary, from north to south:

Day 1 : Lago di Braies – Rifigio Fodara Vedla (approx 4 hours, moderate)

Day 2 : Fodara Vedla – Rifugio Lagazoui (approx 6 hours, moderate to difficult)

Day 3 : Lagazuoi – Rifugio Nuvolao (approx 4 hours, many variations possible, moderate)

Day 4 : Nuvolau – Rifugio Tissi (the ultimate day! approx 6 hours, difficult)

Day 5 : Tissi – Passo Duran (approx 3 hours)

Photos say it best, Alta Via One Photo Gallery

The Trail

The Dolomites tend to be a rocky landscape, the AV1 is no exception. Care should be taken in footwear choices, choose something stable and with enough cushion to dampen pointy rocks that you will be landing on. Fortunately, there also long stretches of dreamy cush singletrack to cruise on.

Each day there will also be plenty of walking as the climbs are enough to slow things down. The trail is marked reasonably well though maps should certainly be carried. The actual Alta Via markers are not seen until the Nuvolau area but signs do point to the destination huts. Maps play a key role in determining additional distance or peak bagging for the day or more direct lines to speed things up. We stayed on the Alta Via 1 proper.

What to Take

Not much. 5 days, my pack was a 20 liter Deuter Race. I needed nothing extra and we had rain and snow. I even had the addition of a full size SLR camera and still plenty of room. Luxury items include an extra, non-lycra, outfit for the huts. I opted to wear my running gear, so be it, less to carry.

Often the huts have a way to dry things so socks can be washed and left to dry overnight.

Water: Again, the huts are reasonably close together, I never carried more than a liter at a time.

Paying at the huts is best done with cash, carry lots. The huts average about €60 per night, this includes dinner, breakfast and a bed. More Euros required for heavy beer drinkers.

The Fodara Vedla Hut

The Weather

Changeable is a good word for the Dolomites. In the summer you can still expect anything, we had everything; snow, rain, wind, cold, hot, humid. The snow is not normal, but the others are. You’ll know what is in store once you arrive and check the forecast. Luckily the Dolomites do typically have more stable, clear weather come July – late September. Temps are between 13-23 (50-75). Nice.

What Else?

Again, refer to the Alta Via 1 Hiking page for more info, also to our Overview Page for general info on huts, making reservations, transortation, etc…

This exact trip is available as a guided tour through our Partner Site, Holimites. While not a difficult trail to travel along, the logistical end is what most foreign visitors find daunting; hut reservations, transportation, language, and trail side answers to all the amazing scenery. We suggest using Holimites and you will arrive with nothing to do but the trail and eat/drink.

As a bonus to the mountain environment comes the somewhat bizarre World War 1 outdoor museums. The Alta Via 1 literally takes you through trenches and along the front line gun placements. The most extreme experience comes at the Lagazoui Hut where a 1 kilometer tunnel may be followed straight down. This was a tunnel the Italians dug beneath an Austrian stronghold so as to blow it up. It isn’t runnable, but it is certainly worth experiencing.

In summary, the Alta Via 1 is considered one of the world’s great treks but not until recent years, with the growth in mountain running tours has it become a viable trail running tour. My own experience in the Dolomites is that they are literally made for multi day tours and for running. The Alta Via 1 is just the logical one to do first.

Short Video of running the Alta Via 1 from June 2009. The Holimites Alta Via One Running Tour.

Alta Via One Photo Gallery