Dolomites: Day 3

/ alliwanders

Secada, 6.5 miles

A perfect morning, not a cloud in the sky. I’m up and out by 8:30am, catching the bus to Santa Christina for the gondola ride up to Col Raiser to hike around the Secada ridge.

The views at the top are so gorgeous I could have foregone the hiking and spent the day just here and been happy.

I started walking in the general direction of Secada (i.e. “up”) but the beauty of this place made me stop frequently just to take in its majesty, and I let go of the stress of trying to beat the crowds to the iconic viewpoint, what will be, will be.

Multiple routes and multiple huts to rest and relax

I initially had a route mapped but very soon abandoned it as there’s a spaghetti network of trails so I just followed the signs (who knew?) and about 2.5 miles later I reached the top. Lots of people up here as this is where another gondola from Ortisei arrives. It’s well worth the journey no matter how you get here, the views are spectacular in all directions.

Didn’t realize how open it was up here: roads/trails/huts/private chalets everywhere
At the top looking south across the valley to the other side
Southwest down to Ortisei
Looking west & down on yesterdays hike
North to the iconic Secada ridge. Very crowded but it was all quite orderly and no one hogged the view. A constant shuffle down….
Joining the Selfie crowd. The view lives up to the internet hype

A steep descent down then along the slope to the Pieralonga rock group where I sat for 20 minutes just soaking in the view….

A steep, busy descent (didn’t I just say that?) to Firenze hütte, then a pleasant, gentle 20 minute walk through trees back to the gondola.

Stopped just prior to the gondola at the Malga Odles hütte for a lunch with a view (and waiters in lederhosen!).

The shuttle from the base of the gondola to the bus stop was finished for the day so it was a …… (Word of The Day) steep 15 minute walk down. Combined with yesterday’s big descent my toes are now crying. I did manage one last wander through Ortisei before calling it a day with afternoon tea on my balcony.