The tour of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, in the Dolomites: how to organize it, the shelters where you can stop to eat and sleep, the paths to choose and the recommendations for getting around well in the Dolomites in Italy.
Le Three peaks of Lavaredo are perhaps the best known postcard of all The Dolomites: the beauty and the peculiar shape of their profile has been celebrated in commercials and fiction and in fact they are considered among the most famous natural wonders in the world of mountaineering. Technically they are located within the territory of the Veneto region and to reach them you need to climb the panoramic road that passes next to the enchanting one Misurina lake.
The paths of the Cime di Lavaredo
The road includes a toll for cars, motorcycles and campers but by choosing the bus as a means of transport you will be comfortably "exempted". At the top you will be greeted by an immense parking lot and by the first (of the three) refuges: the Auronzo Refuge. This arrival point is dominated by the lesser known (but no less beautiful) profile of the Three Peaks. The path that allows you to circumnavigate this wonder of nature starts right here and it is possible to walk it both clockwise and counterclockwise.
An advice
Having chosen the second option and having tasted the goodness of the route, with hindsight my advice is to absolutely prefer the clockwise route, ie from the parking lot take the path on the left. I'm not a couch potato but I categorically deny all the reviews that praise it on the web ease of the Tour of the Three Peaks. The difficulties are there: the very steep climbs, the rough terrain and many paths run along very dangerous cliffs. Much of the route does not allow an easy walk for people with mobility problems or families with very young children. The use of the stroller is excluded. However, the effort will be rewarded by the most beautiful views that the Dolomites can offer. I recommend technical clothing, boots and trekking poles which in many places are almost a salvation!
Towards the Locatelli Refuge
By tackling the route in the traditional way, that is, by taking the path that starts from the Auronzo refuge, you practically travel along the northern side of the Tre Cime group. To your right you will have a crazy view of the sharp and so particular peaks of the Monte Paterno. The first stretch is very easy: you will encounter old chapels, trenches and crosses, testifying to the fact that between 1915 and 1917 these peaks served as the backdrop for the "war front".
The first steep climb will put you to the test but at the top it will allow you to see the tiny profile of the Locatelli Refuge, the most famous perhaps because its frontal position to the Three Peaks gives the most classic and photographed image. Reaching the refuge is not easy, the path is very long especially in the last stretch which is all uphill.
Arrived at Locatelli Refuge a restorative treatment based on local cakes is absolutely mandatory. I recommend the apple strudel but, if you are close to lunchtime, the refuge restaurant prepares typical dishes of the mountain culinary tradition. Venison goulash, polenta with mushrooms and sausage, canederli in broth etc. The refuge is equipped with bathrooms and dormitories with beds for those who want to wake up on the spot and enjoy the most beautiful and spectacular sunrise that the mountain can offer.
The Passport of the Dolomites
Also at the bar you can buy the Passport of the Dolomites to be completed with i custom stamps of every refuge scattered throughout the territory. Don't forget to also sign the summit book placed on the porch at the entrance to the refuge!
The Three Peaks of Lavaredo: a difficult path
At this point there are two options: retrace your steps or continue the tour for circumnavigate the Three Peaks crossing spectacular landscapes made of alpine lakes, marvelous skylines passing through the last refuge (the Lavaredo refuge). However, you must be aware that the path will be beautiful but very hard! The duration of the complete tour is approximately 5 hours; the highest point is the Locatelli Refuge which reaches almost 2500 meters above sea level and the best time to make the excursion is the month of July.
I was there in the first days of September and the thermometer of the Locatelli Refuge showed "only" 8 degrees at 10:30 in the morning! An almost impalpable but very cold rain fell from the sky. I have an unfinished business with the Three Peaks: unfortunately due to that dense cloud bank I was unable to admire its entire profile and also for this reason I promised myself to return!
