As you may be well aware by my annual pilgrimage, I love the Italian Dolomites. They are arguably my second favourite mountain range on earth (second only to the Canadian Rockies where I call home - I may have a slight bias). After a half dozen trips to the area I am still finding new ways to explore them. This summer I was invited by Dolomiti Superski to experience the Dolomites Ronda.

In my partnership with Dolomiti Superski (which I am still set on the idea of going back in the winter to experience) and the regions of Trentino and Sud Tirol I spent a week hiking through the Dolomites, exploring new routes and eating so much cheese that I questioned if I am more cheese or human at the end of the hike.

This is the first in a three part blog series on this trip. If you are looking for my day-to-day experience on the trial (including a few bonus adventures I went on while in the region) and what on earth to pack for this trip - that information can be found via the buttons below. This page contains everything you need to know (and likely more) before booking your trip to hike the Dolomites Ronda (1 or 2 or… 3?).

Before I get into this, just a general disclaimer that I did my best to put together all of the information I cold find to the best of my ability. It is, to my knowledge, accurate as of Summer 2025. I am not a professional guide - simply a girl who wants to see more people get out and do cool things!

More European Hiking Tips and Trips:

The Tour d’Erna
Haute Route Packing Guide
Haute Route Part 2 (Chamonix to Zermatt)
6 Amazing Swiss Mountain Huts
One Month in Switzerland - Packing Guide + More

What is the Dolomites Ronda?

The Dolomites Ronda is less of a singular set route, but rather two routes as there are two (soon to be three apparently) variations of the Dolomites Ronda, and more of a way to experience the Dolomites. I decided on this option as opposed to a hut-to-hut hiking trip (like the Tour D’Erna the year prior) or a camping trip as I liked the idea of sleeping in my own, private, bed each night and with my upcoming race schedule, the luggage transfer mitigated the need to carry a heavy backpack and the flexibility of choosing how challenging I wanted each day to be was very enticing.

In their own words, Dolomites Ronda is:

You decide how you want to experience the Dolomites, according to your preferences. You have the choice between a light and a challenging route each day, as well as an alpine variation. To conserve your energy, you will reach the starting point of each daily stage with the help of the ascent facilities. When booking your individual multi-day tour, you choose the accommodation category in which you want to stay. All accommodations are reserved for you, and you will receive detailed travel documents, maps, luggage transport, and a 24/7 service number.

As mentioned, there are two variations of the Dolomites Ronda (numbered one and two) and the specific route information, daily hike options including distance and elevation gain and losses for each option on each day can be found via the buttons below.

When to hike the Dolomites Ronda

Late June to mid-September seems to be the consensus on the best time for hiking in the Alps. Early to mid-September is an especially enjoyable time to hike since September typically has less rain and a more stable weather pattern than either July or August, but the days are a lot shorter as the season goes on.

Accommodations are often full during July and August so plan to book those in advance.

I did this hike in mid August (during the Italian summer holiday - I do NOT recommend this) and it was very busy, beautiful and hot!! Below is a general temperature and precipitation chart for both Cortina d’Ampezzo (Ronda 1) and Bolzano (Ronda 2) to give you an idea of what the general climate by month looks like. but remember that these are the mountains and weather can (will be) unpredictable so always be prepared.

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Bolzano

Is it safe to hike without a guide or as a solo person (male or female)?

One of the main questions from North Americans about hiking in the Alps is : can you do this without a guide?

100% yes. There was not a second on this trip that I felt unsafe or lost unsafe on the trail. Most of the trail had cell phone service and there are people everywhere (nothing more demoralizing than 9 hours of hiking to meet up with a family of 5 piling out of a mini van).

Almost all of the trail is marked (red and white for easy trail,  blue and white for more challenging terrain) with signs indicating direction and hiking time to the next point of interest(examples below). The Dolomites Ronda also offers an app for the hike (with all three hiking variations in case you change your mind mid hike, which I did more than once) which makes it next to impossible to get lost.

As a note, in North America I find those time/distance signs time estimates to be pretty slow - in Western Europe they are accurate for a quite quick hiker.

Is the Dolomites Ronda a good option for families

Yes! On my fourth day of this trip I messaged a friend of mine with two tween girls and told him that this was the perfect family trip in the Dolomites.

I will be honest that I did also suggest doing what I did and adding a night or two on the end so that the girls (as well as he and his wife) could experience the European Hut system.

Between the planning all being done but no need for a guide as well as the private rooms, luggage transfers and multiple daily hiking options this feels like the perfect multi day hiking trip for families looking to experience the best of the Dolomites.

Where to fly into for the Dolomites Ronda?

The below information and map are from the Val Gardena tourism website and can be found in their original form here. Although my route did not include this region - it does give an overview of where the Dolomites is in relation to major airports. The easiest international airport to fly into is Munich (I have also come to the region from Zurich, Vienna and Milan previously). I do find the train systems easy to navigate (even as someone who does not use public transportation ever - I grew up in the country and most places I go are not like Italy and therefore not accessible by transit).

By Car

• The easiest way, in my opinion, to get anywhere in the Dolomites is by renting a car. In every single trip prior to this, I did rent a car and if I am being honest I likely would do that for the Dolomites Ronda but it is not necessary.

• I always like to note that each country seems to have its own way of highway tolls that you should be aware of. For instance Switzerland and Austria both use a vignette system (purchased at petrol stations) whereas Italy uses a manual road toll system in which you pay (via cash or card) at a toll booth after using a section of roadway.

By Train and Bus

• When travelling by train or bus, you can leave your car at home. Instead, you’ll arrive at your destination quickly, safely and stress-free by avoiding traffic, tolls, refuelling or poor weather conditions.

• Travel times, costs and ticket information can be found online. I flew into Munich for this trip and then used google maps to find the best way to get to my starting point. I do feel as though the European transit system decided to pressure test me on this trip just to prove it can be done even when everything goes wrong - and it can. There was a scheduled maintenance closing the Austrian-Italian border the day that I arrived so I took a FlixiBus instead of a train there. And on the way home there was a broken down bus that caused a very long detour followed by a train derailment. So my route back (I was visiting family in Austria) ended up being two busses followed by an uber and then finally my two trains “home” - the thing about public transit in Europe is that is it amazing… until it is not. But thankfully there are always 101 workarounds and I do find google maps to give an abundance of options.

Search for a Connection

• Italy: Trenitalia

• Germany: Deutsche Bahn

• Austria: ÖBB

• Switzerland: SBB

• Trainline

What languages are used along the route?

This is the fun part - since the Dolomites (South Tirol) were part of Austria until the end of the First World War - most of the trails speak German. However it depends valley to valley and Italian is also commonly spoken as well as Ladin. Nearly everyone spoke English with me and as seen below even the huts offered English menus. On the trail you greet one another in Italian with a quick “ciao” or “buongiorno”

Just be extra patient and appreciative - remind yourself often that if they are speaking English to you that they are doing you a favour as it is their country in which English is not one of their native tongues. And download a translation app.

What do you eat on the Dolomites Ronda?

My overnight stays in hotels we had “half board” which included a set meal dinner and breakfast.  And for lunch I would stop at a mountain hut on the way and have lunch, this was one of the mistakes I made - not stopping often enough. I would aim to have lunch around noon and then stop early afternoon for a cake and coffee (there were a lot of afternoon rain storms so this was a great way to take shelter).

At a restaurant or mountain hut:

• Beer: 5 euro

• Coffee: 5 euro

• Pastry: 6-8 euro

• Lunch from a mountain hut: 15-30 euro

Is there water along the trail?

Yes, unlike in North America, Europeans do not filter their glacial water (unless there is livestock around). There are small “fountains” all along the trail and streams to fill up with that have potable water - I don’t think I ever needed more than 1L at any given time. Just remember to fill up before heading up a pass. And bring electrolytes with you. They are hard to find in Europe.

Will I need cash?

Yes - for lunches and snacks - most huts do accept cards but there are the odd few huts that do not and they do not openly advertise that they do not, so always be prepared. I would recommend bringing 150-200 euro per person with you just in case.

Note: USD is not accepted anywhere (I hate that I even have to say that)

So…how much does it cost to hike the Dolomites Ronda?

This is, of course, the biggest question, always.

Flights to/from Europe

This varies depending on where you are flying from and how far advance you book (or if there is a sale). The nearest large international airports to the Dolomites are with Munich or Milan (most locals recommend flying into Munich).

Transportation

I typically will rent a car but this trip decided not to (it was a long trip and having a car would have actually been very nice for this portion but would have been logistically very challenging later on) and instead flew into Munich. My bus ticket from Munich to Bolzano was ~€100 (the train ticket would have been between €19 and €120 - book in advance if you can) and then the regional bus tickets are €1.50 to €2.50 but are free if you are staying in a hotel in town - you just need to ask the front desk to register you (there is also an app - so many apps).

I will note that every country has their own train system (and corresponding app of course) - and the trains typically do not need to be booked in advance. But having the app makes it easier to plan your route. You can also buy tickets at the train platforms - or what I did was plan my train and then purchase the ticket as soon as I got on (just in case I missed the train I was hoping for)

• South Tirol

• Austria

• Switzerland

• Germany

For the lifts, the Dolomites Ronda does include a pass for Dolomiti Superski and it is loaded with the exact number of list tickets you will need for your hiking trip.

Meals and Accommodation on the Ronda

All accommodations, your Dolomiti Ronda lift pass and half board are covered by the fee - full information and a link to book can be found here. But the cost begins at € 1,295 (per person) for a 3 star hotel option and are a maximum of € 1,825 (pr person) for a 4 star hotel option (where no 4 star hotels are available an upgraded room is provided).

Other

• Phone plans : I have a phone plan which includes international data. Otherwise any eSim works. Most of the hotels and huts do also have free wifi.

• Travel Insurance: I purchased via TD as it is who I have my car insurance with so it bundles and gives me a discount - it was $300CAD/year (you can only be out of Canada 30 consecutive days). But previously have used Manulife. Also check with your credit card. I believe my American Express Platinum card also offers some coverage.

Packing

For my full Dolomites Ronda Packing Guide - click here.

What to do with extra luggage?

In all of my trips past this has been a very stressful piece of the puzzle. Especially because there has not been a multi-day hike that I am not doing something else entirely before or after the trip. In this case I was going from the Dolomites Ronda to visit family in Austria and then on to run a race at UTMB week in Chamonix before returning home to Canada.

But not Dolomites Ronda. They have thought of everything to bring you piece of mind. Including a built in luggage transfer between your accommodations. I did not necessarily need everything I brought with me - but on a few of the shorter days it was nice to have my laptop with me to get some work done (or back up photos and videos) as well as changes of clothing, my full skincare routine and a backup cache of snacks without needing to carry more than a small daypack each day.

My Dolomites Ronda 2

And if you want to hear my personal, firsthand journey on the trail including my exact route. You can see every step here. Also! My full GPS tracks are available by following me on Strava.

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

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In my usual last minute fashion, I booked a trip to Europe (non-refundable because I will never learn my lesson) and had two weeks with no real plans before I needed to be in Chamonix, France to run the opening race at the 2025 UTMB trail running festival.

Last year I was invited by Dolomiti Superski to show Erna (my mom) so many of my favourite places in the Dolomites - and therein we created and completed the Tour d’Erna. This year, with my first ever big scary trail race approaching I reached out to Dolomiti Superski and asked if they had anything they thought would be a good fit. They suggested the Ronda - and I had some hesitancies. The entire circuit is spent in hotels deep in valley bottoms - instead of staying high in the alpine and being able to watch the sunrise and sunset from the most beautiful vantage points (while still in pyjamas) I would be hiking during the day and resting during the most beautiful times to take photos.

We compromised by tagging a hut onto each night of the “official” Ronda. And somehow it was the perfect trip. A few beautiful sunrises and sunsets - a luggage transfer between hotels so I was able to work and have all of my belongings everywhere. Afternoon cake and coffee and coca-colas. Options daily for each, moderate or challenging hikes. And a taste of regions I had mostly never visited - and those that I had, had only briefly sampled.

More European Hiking Tips and Trips:

The Tour d’Erna
Haute Route Packing Guide
Haute Route Part 2 (Chamonix to Zermatt)
6 Amazing Swiss Mountain Huts
One Month in Switzerland - Packing Guide + More

What is the Ronda?

For everything you should know before booking the Dolomites Ronda - and to learn about the difference between the Ronda 1 and 2 check out my intro to the Dolomites Ronda guide below.

Packing

For my full Dolomites Ronda Packing Guide - click here.

My Dolomites Ronda Two

Why did I choose the Ronda 2 and not the Ronda 1

You might be asking this question right about now. And the reason is… that I had actually hiked all of the Ronda 1 piece by piece over the years. And if this had been my first trip the Dolomites that is likely what I would have picked. It is all of the hot spots and the views that you have seen a million times online that made you want to come to the Dolomites in the first place. It overlaps a lot with my Tour d’Erna. And since I had hiked all of the Ronda 1 (multiple times) I opt’ed for the Ronda 2 which was shockingly beautiful and most of the trails were less busy (which was nice during the Italian summer holiday when I was there) and there were only small sections that I had already hiked (one in the dark when I had food poisoning so it does not even count).

TLDR:

If you want to see the highlights of the Dolomites, it is your first time visiting and you don’t mind a busier trail : the Ronda 1

If you are looking to have a little less traffic on the trail (still busy by North American standards), have already visited before and looking for hidden gems : the Ronda 2

My route

Note that the distances and elevation gain/loss numbers given by the organizers of this hike along with all of the options can be found on there website here.

This page is my personal experience and the information is pulled from my watch data from my week spent in the Dolomites. I did the hike out of order starting with the final day and ending with the second to final day which does make it very slightly more complicated - I also was anxious about not having any sunrises or sunsets as most of the days begin with a lift assist (and the lifts do not open that early) so we added two huts to my trip (one at the start and one at the end) and indicated those side quests as “Day Zero” and “Bonus Day”. There are also days that I took a private taxi instead of public transportation which is noted but public transportation is available for the vast majority of this route and any mandatory private transportation is included in your booking of the Dolomites Ronda.

Now that we got all of that out of the way… onto the adventure!

Map

Click the below map for all of my stops and a few alternate suggestions. One day I will learn how to actually make function hiking maps but until that day… this is all I have.

Day zero

a trail running side quest to Rifugio Vajolet

• starting point : Vigo di Fassa / Catinaccio Funivie

• distance : 4.84km

• elevation gain : 330m

• elevation loss : 82m

• transport : Catinaccio Funivie (up)

• daily trail time : 45min

• ending point : Rifugio Vajolet

my thoughts

After a long flight and an even longer journey by land I was equally exhausted and elated. The cablecar up reminded me of how much I love the accessibility of hiking in Europe (note that this cable car is not included in the Dolomites Ronda pass as this is not part of the circuit). I opt’ed to trail run this ~5km to ensure my bag was light, test for a few longer fast packing trips on my list, and get a little fast movement in as I was to still be actively training for an upcoming trial race.

As I started my run a light rain began… and then quickly turned into a torrential downpour which abruptly ended when I reached Rifugio Vajolet - as I learned this was a very common afternoon occurrence. Almost like clock work. And a great time to have a piece of afternoon cake on a covered terrace.

I arrived at the Rifugio Vajolet and was the last in my room which I shared with seven other hikers and was relegated to a top bunk under a sloped ceiling leaving ~2ft of headspace. That along with jet lag and some of the most prolific snoring I have experienced… made me very happy that the setup for the Dolomites Ronda is private hotel rooms instead of shared dormitory style. My advice : always try to arrive at or before check-in time to claim your bed.

The dinner was amazing and filled with Tirolian dishes that reminded me of my family in Austria. I shared a table with a German couple and three women from nearby Bolzano (one that followed me on instagram funnily enough). It was overall a wonderful evening in a truly magical place… with very little sleep.

Day 0.5

a trail running side quest from Rifugio Vajolet

• starting point : Rifugio Vajolet

• distance : 4.84km

• elevation gain : 83m

• elevation loss : 323m

• transport : Catinaccio Funivie (down)

• cake : Ciampedie refuge

• daily trail time : 31min

• ending point : Vigo di Fassa / Catinaccio Funivie

my thoughts

And now to undo my little side quest I had to make my way back to Vigo di Fassa. I packed up early and departed immediately after breakfast making it to Ciampedie refuge (cash only) just in time to accidentally steal a piece of cake and mid morning cappuccino. This was especially embarrassing as I ran into the owner of the cable car that morning and when I went back days later to remedy my accidental thieving and pay for my stolen goods… they remembered me in relation to him. I will blame it on my jet lag and lack of sleep - but mortifying nonetheless.

I am glad I went back to pay for it but will be honest that they did not find it at all amusing and I do not feel I can ever show my face there again.

After my cable car down I was picked up and quickly dropped off my bags at what would be my first hotel of the trip before rushing to the official start of the Dolomites Ronda 2.

Day one

The Dolomites Ronda day 5 (remember I did this out of order)

• starting point : San Martino di Castrozza

• distance : 13.47

• elevation gain : 824 m

• elevation loss : 1,141m

• transport : Colbricon Express

• lunch : refuge Laghi di Colbricon

• daily trail time : 3:29:09

• ending point : Passo Rolle

my thoughts

I learned a lot on my first day of the Dolomites Ronda - mostly that I need to check my ego and also check where all of the stops for food are. And also that I need to pack more emergency snacks on the trail just in case.

I started my day with the Colbricon Express and chose the challenging option. As I felt like I was already behind I decided to skip the first hut that offered food (“Punta Ces” mountain station) and push forward to my high point of the day. This was a mistake. But the time I reached the Sentiero Achille Gadler – Translagorai (which was absolutely beautiful by the way) I could hardly appreciate it because I was so hungry.

Beginning my descent to Passo del Colbricon and the Laghi di Colbricon, like clockwork, my afternoon storm rolled in - this time bringing lightening that was a little too close to comfort for me. At this point I made the mental note that morning hiking was in my personal best interest for the remainder of the trip.

I made it down to Laghi di Colbricon and the rain let up, desperately stopping in the refuge just after 3pm I was told that lunch had stopped being served. I think the man working felt the desperation in my voice (or saw the tears welling in my eyes) and offered to make me a small cheese and meat plate. Unbeknown to him.. that is actually my all time favourite food. I sat outside by the lake and ate my girl lunch and can of coca-cola (European Andrea is really into a cheeky afternoon coke break).

After I was fed, I checked the Dolomites Ronda app and decided that I had no interest in finishing the challenging route and took the quick exit out the easy route to Paneveggio. I was quite exhausted at this point and decided to call for a private taxi - but there is public transportation that services this area. The challenging route ends at Passo Rolle (which we will visit later in this hike).

Typically this would be the end of the tour so from here you would have the option of spending the night at Passo Rolle or continuing on wherever your journey takes you for me, however, this was just the beginning.

Day two

The Dolomites Ronda day 1

• starting point : Predazzo

• distance : 15.07km

• elevation gain : 1,095m

• elevation loss : 1,513m

• transport : chairlift at Passo Feudo

• daily trail time : 5:58:27

• cake : Refuge Tower Of Pisa

• lunch : packed snacks

• ending point : Carezza

my thoughts

My second day on the Dolomites Ronda. Today began with a one minute walk from my hotel to the bus stop (note : download the bus app and make certain your tickets are loaded before leaving the hotel - the reception will help you with this) and a short bus ride to chairlift at Passo Feudo where all three options start their hike from.

I, once again, felt the need to prove something and chose the challenging option. This was also my first day of not reading my daily description and being difficult. The challenging option for this day includes the Via Ferrata dei Campanili del Latemar. I did not realize this until I woke up in the morning and was eating breakfast. There was no time to get the mandatory equipment. I could have chosen one of the easier options which passes by a set of very cute huts but no… the challenging option featured the cuetest little orange Bivacco Mario Rigatti hut and I was determined to see it with my own eyes.

My first detour of the day was a small side quest to Refuge Tower Of Pisa - which I saw on the map and it looked beautiful. As I did in fact learn my lesson and well prepared with packed snacks galore for a day I knew may require a many hour backtracking detour because I am too stubborn… I stopped in for cake (tiramisu actually) and a coffee with an absolutely breathtaking view (do make this detour).

From there I did attempt to ask if it was possible to bypass the Via Ferrata dei Campanili del Latemar but… nobody understood what I was asking and I eventually gave up and decided that I was in need of an exploratory mission. I walked along the backside of the Gruppo del Latemar - an absolutely breathtaking landscape of white rock and meandered up the col to the entrance of the Via Ferrata dei Campanili del Latemar. It was extremely clear that without equipment this was not physically possible. Not just recommended but explicitly mandatory. And so if you cant go through it… maybe you can go around it. And that I did!

It was not as interesting or fun as the via ferrata would have been (I did not want to but did eventually look up photos - bring gear!) - and there were sections of extremely lose rock with some questionable no-fall zones. But a small path existed and I did eventually make it to the Bivacco Mario Rigatti hut - smug as a bug! It was so cute that it made the challenging journey worth it.

From there I continued up to the Pulpito di cima Pope - and then along the Ridgeline, down into the forest where I ended at the Sporthotel Passo Carezza - a very cool hotel that is actually owned by a former ski teammate of my ex boyfriend. What a small world! But if you do get the chose of hotels - request Sporthotel Passo Carezza - I am determined to go back in the winter. It also had the best cappuccino of my entire stay in europe.

Day three

The Dolomites Ronda day 2

• starting point : Carezza

• distance : 13.95km

• elevation gain : 1,073m

• elevation loss : 1,225m

• transport : Paolina chairlift (up) Colbricon Express (down)

• daily trail time : 6:23:13

• cake : Ciampedie refuge

• lunch : Roda di Vaèl hut

• ending point : San Pellegrino (not the water)

my thoughts

The lovely staff at Sporthotel Passo Carezza gave me a lift down to the starting point of my hike. They were also able to arrange Via Ferrata gear for me to rent (I don’t know if this is available to everyone or they made a big exception for me so please don’t quote me on this and bring your own gear as you will want it multiple days).

I, of course, chose the challenging option. From the top of the chairlift you meander up a gradual trail and pass the Christomannos monument - a 2.7-meter-tall bronze eagle commemorates the achievements of Austrian tourism pioneer Theodor Christomannos, who played a key role in the development of tourism in the region. It also looks over the hike from the previous day. That was one thing that I really enjoyed about this route. That you were able to start most days looking back at what you had completed the day before and end it looking at what was to come.

This route was fun in that it was a thru hike with a silly little loop in the middle where you will enter the Via Ferrata Roda de Vaèl - the first section to the summit was quite easy and could arguably be done without the gear (liability disclosure : don’t do this) - but from he summit you will have a down climb that I would personally not do without being tied in. After this small chimney section you have the option to either exit back to the Roda di Vaèl hut (this is the crossover of the loop and the main trail) or continue on to the second section of Via Ferrara. I chose the later. It was a lot of fun and in my opinion more exciting than the first half. The first half has a better view and the second half is more fun. So both very important.

After I made it back to the Roda di Vaèl hut I sat down for an incredible wild mushroom polenta (and of course a cheeky coke) before continuing along the shoulder back toward…. Ciampedie refuge (remember from our warm up day where I became a thief!) I paid my debts and ate a piece of chocolate cake in the pouring rain before taking the Catinaccio Funivie to Vigo di Fassa where I was picked up by a car and taken to my next night’s accommodation.

Day four

The Dolomites Ronda day 3

• starting point : San Pellegrino

• distance : 25.56km

• elevation gain : 1,228m

• elevation loss : 1,765m

• transport : Col Margherita cable car (up)

• daily trail time : 7:07:08

• cake : Rifugio Laresei

• lunch : Baita Segantini

• ending point : Passo Rolle/Valles

my thoughts

When will I ever learn? After a private transport ride to the Col Margherita cable car (make certain to get on the first cable car as this is a long day). I chose the challenging option once again. And even added on a small side quest.

From the cable car I meandered down along the ski resort and saw in the distance a small hut - Rifugio Laresei - and enjoyed a piece of apricot cake looking over Lago di Cavia and the mountains that awaited me.

I then returned to the trail and made my way down to Passo Valles - and my biggest mistake of the day. The Rifugio Capanna Passo Valles was quite busy so I decided to continue hiking instead of stopping for lunch. Big mistake. BIG mistake.

I pressed onwards up the slope to Forcella Venegia and a pass where I ws greeted by a group of wild horse - I did go up to the highpoint - Passo di Venegiotta - but honestly… I do not feel this was necessarily worth it and would likely opt to immediately descend to Val Venegia (the moderate option for this day).

I did make it to the Baita Segantini and had a very late lunch (apparently with the entirety of Italy as this was extremely busy). And with this newly found energy I looped up to the peak of Castellazzo which I DO recommend making the detour for. It has incredible views overlooking the northern Pala mountain. From here you simply meander down to Passo Rolle (remember - I told you we would find our way back here).

On this evening I stayed at the Albergo Vezzana hotel. And I have some notes. First : when booking ask if you can stay in the new rooms, this is what they advertise on their website and photos show up in google search. I stayed in an older room and it was fine… but not what I was expecting. ALSO - when you check in ask to be seated beside the windows for meals - and insist. I did this but they still sat me alone in a weird corner and my view for the evening was of the doors to the kitchen. It was extremely disappointing given the potential for the hotel I felt it let me down.

Day five

The Dolomites Ronda day 4

• starting point : Passo Rolle/Valles

• distance : 11.34m

• elevation gain : 1,006m

• elevation loss : 396m

• transport : none

• daily hike time : 4:36:49

• lunch : Rifugio Rosetta

• ending point : Rifugio Rosetta

my thoughts

Our final day and on this day I did start hiking from my hotel and was able to get an earlier start. Unfortunately… the way that the trail orients it would have likely been better to sleep in and have a slow morning. Especially as I was cutting this day short so my path ended up being the moderate option as I had booked into a hut for my bonus evening.

This trail beings at Passo Rolle and essentially meanders up hugging the shoulder with amazing views of the San Martino valley and the Lagorai mountains before a steep set of switchbacks bring you to Rosetta Pass. The highlight of the day is the summit of the Cima Rosetta - which allegedly has beautiful expansive views… but I was stuck in a cloud. Oh well, that is just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes! I spent the afternoon on the patio of the Rifugio Rosetta before settling in for the night.

This time I was ready and ended up in a non bunk bed in a room with 5 other people. The last couple to arrive did try to con their way out of the top bunks with short ceilings to no avail. Stand your ground! This hut has wifi for purchase but only in the eventings and it is $$$. Dinner was good, nothing exceptional and there was only one person who snored in our room. So I count that as a win!

Bonus Day

A night at Rifugio Rosetta

• starting point : Rifugio Rosetta

• distance : 0.54 km

• elevation gain : 44m

• elevation loss : 8m

• transport : Colverde - Funivia Rosetta (down)

• daily hike time : 00:08:23

• ending point : San Martino di Castrozza

my thoughts

A classic hut breakfast of bread and butter and jam. It reminded me of the days on the Haute Route. I don’t like cereal or super sweet foods in the morning so I spent that entire trip praying that there would be cheese or eggs and more often than not accepting my breakfasts of buttered bread and mediocre coffee. I did, however, splurge on this final morning and when they finally fired up the espresso machine I ordered a cup. It was… the best that you could find on that mountain top. Which is all I will say.

The sunrise was still foggy but at the last second turned the entire sky pink and purple and I took a handful of very swollen morning eyed photos before packing up my bag and making my way toward the cable car - I had a long trip back to Austria to make it in time for lunch (spoiler : I did not). On my way to the cable car it began to rain… and rain and rain and rain.

I collected my luggage from the bottom of the cable car station and lugged them around town to the bus stop. The bus arrived and then immediately broke down. This is when I should have cut my losses and called an uber. I did not. I got on a second bus that would still get me to the train but take twice as long.

Upon arriving at the train station (finally) I watched as all of the tickers turned form scheduled times to cancelled. there was a train derailment. Allegedly there were busses that would act in place of the train but I had not the time and took the most expensive uber of all time (the same as my original uber would have been 6 hours prior) and did eventually make it to Bolzano where I boarded my train to Innsbruck. I was only an hour late… for dinner.

final thoughts

I had a lot of hesitancy (read : ego) with staying in hotels instead of huts for this trip. I think it made me feel less like myself. Less roughing it, less rugged. I had fresh clean sheets and unlimited hot water. There was nobody snoring next to me - I did not risk drawing the short straw and sleeping in a hot cramped upper bunk. And not just the comfort that made me feel like I was a fraud, not a real outdoorsy girl… but I felt like my job, to capture this experience, would be hindered as my hiking and my time spent in the most beautiful places would be in the harsh mid day light.

And I loved it. I loved being able to truly rest and recharge. I enjoyed the slower pace - the lack or urgency. The mid afternoon stops for snacks and small naps in meadowy fields. Maybe this is me getting older, losing my edge. But (aside for my inability to use public transportation) this trip was different in a really great way. There was no stress of planning or anxiety around making sure I was where I needed to be. But I also was not in a group, there was no guide. I had an app with a single choice to make easy, medium, difficult and was on my way. Ideally making it to the hotel before dinner.

This hike is great for families, it is great for groups of friends but it is also perfect for people, like me, who really need a little alone time on the trail. To sort out their thoughts and re-centre.

As much as I wish I could say that I chose to hike the Dolomites Ronda, it seems to have chosen me.

Also! My full GPS tracks are available by following me on Strava (you can find each day by looking at August 14-20, 2025).

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

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As with most everything, I am not an expert when it comes to winter running. And more often than not I will google what I am supposed to wear for a run in insert temperature here weather. However, I have been a life-long Canadian and have been running for well over a decade at this point. So I feel moderately confident in writing this.

With temperatures dropping but race season extending - this had been sitting in my notes app as my little holy grail of layering. I do run(pun intended) a little warm but this will be a good starting place for your layering options. Every piece in this guide I do personally own and use (there are a few exceptions that are noted).

So here I am to share with you my guide to dressing for runs at any temperature. You can click the links or images for the product purchase page.

The Basics

Shoes

These will not generally change from summer to winter - I sometimes will add micro-spikes for traction or swap out for trail runners in snowy conditions and will include my trail runners below but if the ground is clear I will almost always opt for my summer (all year) running shoes. Most of the added warmth comes from wearing socks (and/or small running gaiters to protect from wind) than the shoes themselves.

Road

ON Cloudmonster 2 Road-Running Shoes

Hoka Clifton 9 Road-Running Shoes

ON Cloudrunner 2 Road-Running Shoes

Trail

ON Cloudsurfer Trail Trail-Running Shoes

Hoka Challenger 7 Trail-Running Shoes (also available in gore-tex here)

ON Cloudultra 2 Trail-Running Shoes

Running watch

I have used Garmin watches for years and currently am still rocking a Fēnix 7S from 2022 that (although the battery is far from what it once was) definitely does the trick!

Sports bra

I have, in all honestly, not ever given this very much thought. I am not a particularly busty girl. And most anything will work - I am primarily looking for something that is comfortable and has a similar profile to whichever top I am wearing. In winter running this seems to be less of an issue but these are a few of my go-to’s.

Vuori All The Feels Bra

REI Co-op Active Pursuits Sports Bra

lululemon Align V-Neck Bra Light Support

Or…. cropped tanks with built in sports bras

Vuori Halo Essential Tank Top

Vuori Halo Performance Crop 2.0 Tank Top

lululemon Align Tank Top Light Support

Headlamp

With colder temperatures, the sunlight also seems to vanish a little quicker which means that if you are scheduling your runs into life… you may be running in the dark. I tend to opt for rechargeable batteries and a lightweight headlamp. There are running specific headlamps but I typically will use my backup hiking/backcountry camping headlamps.

Black Diamond Sprint 225 Headlamp

Reflective tape/vest

Becuase I know Erna will not be happy if I do not include this. Most colder weather running gear DOES have reflective detailing built in but adding on a small vest with lights and/or reflective detailing will keep you safe when running when it is a little dark out.

Amphipod Xinglet Optic Beam Max Vest

Amphipod Xinglet

Microspikes

For particularly icy runs, these come in clutch. They will alter your gait and you will want to be mindful of lifting your feet and not catching on your opposite ankle but they may save you a slip and fall or two.

Kahtoola EXOspikes Traction System

Black Diamond Blitz Spike Traction Devices

Gaiters

To protect our feet from snow and wind. These act as an extra warmth layer.

• REI Swiftland Running Gaiters

Layers

40 to 30°F (5 to -1°C)

I decided to start here because it is when I will start negotiating temperature. It’s too cold for tank tops. But you can still just sneak away with shorts on a good day. Unless it is windy (more about that at the bottom of this page) or I am being a baby. I will opt for shorts and a warmer (long sleeve) top.

Upper

Long-sleeve Shirt

REI Swiftland Long-Sleeve Running T-Shirt

lululemon Swiftly Tech Long-Sleeve Shirt 2.0

Lower

Shorts, cropped tights or thin full length tights

Vuori Clementine 2.0 Shorts

on Performance 5" Short Tights

REI Swiftland 7/8 Running Tights

lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 28” Pockets

lululemon Base Pace High-Rise Tight 28"

Socks

Normal (summer) wool running socks

Smartwool Performance Run Zero Cushion Low Ankle Socks

Darn Tough Pacer Micro Crew Ultralightweight Cushion Socks

Hands,Head & Accessories

At this temperature unless there are extenuating circumstances (strong wind or precipitation primarily) I would not bring any additional accessories

30 to 20°F (-1 to -6°C)

Now we are starting to see our breath. This is where it is deceiving - where you will need to trust the process. A thicker top paired with normal tights should be good. I will in this range make sure that my long sleeve has thumb holes and little “cuffins” I don’t know if that is actually what they are called (when I worked at lululemon that is what we called them) - the little makeshift mittens on the ends of a lot of running baselayer tops. I start with my hands in the mittens but they inevitably get too warm about 1km in.

Upper

I will alternate layering to keep warm. Tank tucked into my tights with my “base” later thermal top over. This way no chilly air will come up my shirt to my bare skin.

Thermal “base”-layer top

• Swiftland Thermal Running Half-Zip Pullover

• REI Midweight Base Layer Half-Zip Top

• Arc’teryx Rho Zip-Neck Base Layer Top

• lululemon It's Rulu Half Zip

• lululemon It's Rulu Ribbed Long-Sleeve Shirt

Sweat wicking tank

• Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Tank Top

• Vuori Energy Long Tank Top

• ON Core Tank Top

Lower

Long thin/normal compression run tights

• REI Swiftland 7/8 Running Tights

• lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 28” Pockets

• lululemon Base Pace High-Rise Tight 28"

Socks

Normal - Midweight Wool Socks

• Smartwool Performance Run Zero Cushion Low Ankle Socks

• Darn Tough Pacer Micro Crew Ultralightweight Cushion Socks

• Smartwool Trail Run Targeted Cushion Mosaic Pieces Print Crew Socks

Hands,Head & Accessories

I would think about bringing lightweight gloves (although a lot of running base layer tops have small built in mittens (that fold over your hands) that I find work perfectly in this temperature range). I would also consider brining a headband if it feels chilly out.

20 to 10°F (-6 to -12°C)

Now we need to pack the gloves and toss on a headband. It will be a struggle to get out the door. But once you start moving you will warm up very quickly. Promise - and if you don’t it just means you need to run a little faster. Your face and any exposed skin might be a little chilly especially if there is any wind exposure or you are near water. Wear a thicker tight (maybe even ones with wind blocking panels) and you will be fine. I never expect to run a PB in these temps but getting outside and moving when it’s this cold always makes me feel like a superhero.

Upper

I will alternate layering to keep warm. Tank tucked into my tights with my “base” later thermal top and either vest or winder breaker if I am wearing them over. This way no chilly air will come up my shirt to my bare skin. No risks taken.

Wind vest or jacket

• Arc’Teryx Norvan Insulated Vest

• ON Weather Vest

• Patagonia Houdini Jacket

• Arc'teryx Norvan Windshell Hoodie

Thermal “base”-layer top

• Swiftland Thermal Running Half-Zip Pullover

• REI Midweight Base Layer Half-Zip Top

• Arc’teryx Rho Zip-Neck Base Layer Top

• lululemon It's Rulu Half Zip

• lululemon It's Rulu Ribbed Long-Sleeve Shirt

Sweat wicking tank

• Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Tank Top

• Vuori Energy Long Tank Top

• ON Core Tank Top

Lower

Thermal tights - you can also look into some with wind blocking panels (featured later on) but I would not just yet.

• REI Swiftland Thermal Running Tights

• lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Thermal Tight 28"

Socks

Heavy wool socks

• Smartwool Run Cold Weather Targeted Cushion Crew Socks

• Sealskinz Runton Waterproof Cold Weather Mid-Length Socks with Hydrostop

Hands,Head & Accessories

Mid-heavy gloves/mittens

• ON Core Gloves

• REI Co-op Flash Power Stretch Gloves

Warm hat

• Smartwool Active Fleece Beanie

• Patagonia Re-Tool Headband

• ON Core Headband

Buff/baclava

• REI Co-op Wind Pro Hinged Balaclava

• REI Co-op Polartec Fleece Neck Gaiter or Pro Fleece Neck Gaiter

10 to 0°F (-12 to -18°C)

We are getting into my threshold here. I personally won’t double layer my pants. I think it restricts range of motion too much to be worth it for me and you will find me in the gym at that point. I will, however, layer up on the top (the jacket only if there is wind) and wear a thicker pair of tights with wind paneling on them on the bottom. This will be cold. Be warned. It will not be comfortable.

Upper

Wind vest or jacket

• Arc’Teryx Norvan Insulated Vest

• ON Weather Vest

• Patagonia Houdini Jacket

• Arc'teryx Norvan Windshell Hoodie

• ON Core Jacket

Fleece or insulated mid layer

• REI Co-op Trailmade Fleece Jacket (not technically a run jacket but I wear it as a mid layer when its cold)

• lululemon Down for It All Vest

• I will sometimes just wear a normal sweatshirt here.

Thermal “base”-layer top

• Arc’teryx Rho Heavyweight Zip-Neck Base Layer Top

• Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Zip-Neck Long Underwear Top

• lululemon Cold Weather Running Half Zip

• REI Co-op Heavyweight Merino Base Layer Half-Zip Top *I do not own this as I am allergic to most wools but this is a great option at a slightly lower price point to consider

• Smartwool Active Fleece Wind Half-Zip Pullover

Sweat wicking tank

• Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Tank Top

• Vuori Energy Long Tank Top

• ON Core Tank Top

Lower

Thermal tights with wind blocking panels, or thermal tights +windbreaking pants.

Thermal tights with wind blocking panels

• Smartwool Active Fleece Wind Pants

• Smartwool Active Fleece Wind Tights

Thermal tights

• REI Swiftland Thermal Running Tights

• lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Thermal Tight 28"

• Arc’teryx Essent Warm High-Rise Leggings 26"

windbreaking pants

• Salomon Bonatti Waterproof Pants *I do not own these - if this is necessary its too cold for me

Socks

Heavy wool socks

• Smartwool Run Cold Weather Targeted Cushion Crew Socks

• Sealskinz Runton Waterproof Cold Weather Mid-Length Socks with Hydrostop

Hands,Head & Accessories

Heavy gloves/mittens

• ON Core Gloves

• REI Co-op Flash Power Stretch Gloves

a warm hat

• Smartwool Active Fleece Beanie

• Patagonia Re-Tool Headband

• ON Core Headband

buff/baclava

• REI Co-op Wind Pro Hinged Balaclava

• REI Co-op Polartec Fleece Neck Gaiter or Pro Fleece Neck Gaiter

I would also likely bring eye protection - especially if sunny or windy.

<0°F (<-18°C)

stay home. just kidding… kind of. Even the warmest temperatures here on the limit of wanting to be outside running. I would likely opt to go for a ski or stay inside and run on a treadmill much below the -20°C mark. But if you are more dedicated than me…

Upper

Wind jacket

• Arc'teryx Norvan Windshell Hoodie

• ON Core Jacket

Down or synthetic mid layer

• REI Co-op Swiftland Insulated Running Jacket

• ON Climate Zip Hoodie

• Arc’teryx Norvan Insulated Hoodie

• lululemon Down for It All Jacket

Thermal “base”-layer top

• Arc’teryx Rho Heavyweight Zip-Neck Base Layer Top

• Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Zip-Neck Long Underwear Top

• REI Co-op Heavyweight Merino Base Layer Half-Zip Top *I do not own this as I am allergic to most wools but this is a great option at a slightly lower price point to consider

Sweat wicking tank

• Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Tank Top

• Vuori Energy Long Tank Top

• ON Core Tank Top

Lower

Thermal tights + windbreaker pants.

• REI Swiftland Thermal Running Tights

• lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Thermal Tight 28"

Windbreaker Pants

• Salomon Bonatti Waterproof Pants *I do not own these - if this is necessary its too cold for me

Optional : fleece pant layer

• REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Pants

Socks

Heavy wool socks (potentially two pairs).

• Smartwool Run Cold Weather Targeted Cushion Crew Socks

• Sealskinz Runton Waterproof Cold Weather Mid-Length Socks with Hydrostop

Hands,Head & Accessories

Warm mittens, or mittens with a second pair of liner gloves underneath. A warm hat and baclava. For sure bring eye protection at this temperature.

Extra notes : winter running

If you are doing a hard workout:

Select the clothing choice as if it were 10°C (5°f) warmer than the actual temperature outside (per my little guide above) as you will be working hard and creating more heat than on a more leisurely run. If you are doing an outside warm-up and/or cool down make sure that you have the appropriate clothing for the true temperature (and then take them off as you get warm… or put them on once you start to cool down).

If it is windy:

Aim to dress for a run 10°C (5°f) colder than your actual as the wind will cut through your clothing. Or if you aren’t wearing a wind layer… add one.

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

I found myself with exactly one week to spare - between the Tour d’Erna and crewing a friend for his run of the UTMB - already planning on being in Chamonix, and having completed part of the Tour du Mont Blanc in 2021 (via the Haute Route) I thought that I might as well chip away a little bit more of this world famous hike. And so with very little planning but all of the gear. I set out for one week of (modified) solo hiking of the TMB. I did, one again, opt to stay in huts over camping. And my days were quite long but unlike the Haute Route, my bag was quite light this time!

For everything you should know before hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc check out my intro to the TMB guide below.

And for my full overview of what to pack when setting out on the TMB (mini or otherwise) check out my packing guide.

More Alps Hiking Tips:
Haute Route Packing Guide
The Walkers Haute Route
Haute Route Part 2 (Chamonix to Zermatt)
6 Amazing Swiss Mountain Huts
One Month in Switzerland - Packing Guide + More

My Tour du Mont Blanc

I planned this with the help of The Hiking Club. They create personal custom tours of many of the major hiking routes in the Alps.

Overview:

Difficulty: Medium

Distance: 99.8 km /62 miles

Duration: 7 days

Highest point: 2,526m / 8,287 ft

Total elevation gain: 6,694 meters / 21,962 ft

Number of mountain passes: 11

Before the hike - Chamonix

I would recommend spending at least a few days in Chamonix. Not only because it will help keep jet lag at bay but also it is a really vibey town. There are a ton of great restaurants and coffee shops and if you happened to forget anything at home - outdoor stores galore.

Some highlights of Chamonix:

• Best coffee : Moody Coffee Roasters

• Great outdoor lunch : La Fabrica

• Best burgers : Poco Loco (you have to, its amazing)

• Best pizza : JOIA by Pizzeria Des Moulins (be prepared to wait)

• Where to get trail supplies : Snell Sports. There are many sports stores in Chamonix and all major outdoor brands have stand alone stores. if you forgot anything you will be covered.

• Where to get groceries : I like “Le Petit Casino” but Spar has a much larger selection.

Day one

• starting point : Chamonix (fr)

• distance : 18.99 km /11.8 mi

• elevation gain : 699 m / 2293.31

• elevation loss : 1,211 m / 3973.0971

• transport : Yes - Chamonix Tunnel Bus + Val Ferret Bus Green Line + Checrouit lifts

• daily trail time : 4 h 45 min

• ending point : Refuge Maison Vieille (it)

thoughts

I was confused as to why the Hiking Club had me hiking in the wrong direction just to double back. And in all honesty - I almost needed to skip it after forgetting to reserve a seat on the bus. You can book it here (there is another bus but it is much more expensive and less reliable). Take the very first bus of the day. It will bring you UNDER Mont Blanc and after a casual 30 minutes you will be transported to Italy (Courmayeur to be exact). After the drop off I took the Val Ferret Bus Green Line (make sure you are going in the correct direction - I made this mistake and ended up on the wrong side of the valley and had to hitchhike back…. it wasted a lot of time and tears). This bus is paid for by the town of Courmayeur.

After the bus debacle. You begin the hike. And boy was this backtracking detour worth it. Arguably the very best views the first half of my hiking trip. Unobstructed Mont Blanc in all if its glacial and jagged peak beauty.

Stop at Rifugio Walter Bonatti for lunch. Eat on the patio. Enjoy the sunshine before continuing on. I did also stop at Rifugio Giorgio Bertone for a coffee before my descent back into Courmayeur. I will say that the staff were preeeeety rude. And the coffee mediocre - next time I would get a can of coke.

The descent into Courmayeur is a pain (but made me happy that I had decided to do the trail clockwise (opposite what most hikers do). Into Courmayeur for a quick ice cream and then I took the “DOLONNE CABINLIFT” and the “MAISON VIELLE CHARILIFT” to Refuge Maison Vieille - you can find information about their pricing and hours of operation here.

Refuge Maison Vieille is a vibe. I don’t know how else to explain it. It is all dorm style and I would not say that it is the most comfortable. The door remained open all night and they have donkeys roaming the property. The food is incredible. The owner is someone I would have most certainly proposed marriage to and overall it is was a very fun experience. But on the hotel to hostel scale - it is deeeeep in hostel territory. I also do not eat pork right now (no reason - just not in the mood) and after our pasta first course was given a plate of cheese which is exactly what I like (followed by dessert).

Note : my rule with this hike, after suffering on the Haute Route - and knowing that I had two marathons I was training for. Was that if the lift did not rake away form the views and saved my legs. I was taking it. This lift for instance just went up a ski lift. And most of the hike would have even in the forest. No views missed and over 1,000m of gain saved.

Day two

• starting point : Refuge Maison Vieille (it)

• distance : 20 km / 12.4 mi

• elevation gain : 1,224 m / 4015.748

• elevation loss : 1,390 m / 4560.367

• transport : none

• total hiking time : 6 h 10 min

• ending point : Auberge de la Nova (fr)

thoughts

Leaving Refuge Maison Vieille - the hike is gorgeous and meanders along a small bench that overlooks a glacial valley. I did opt to take the alternative route and honestly…. cannot recommend it. It adds some elevation gain (although I am told that the main trial does come up quite a ways to meet it) and once you gain the ridge line there is a beautiful view. However you quickly tuck into the adjacent valley. And hike along a beautiful meadow filled with small lakes and rolling hills. Which feels very quintessentially Swiss (I know, it is Italy). But I did feel as though I was robbed of my glacier views. So take that for whatever you like. Also, you will not pass any huts along the high route (there are three on the main trail) so your lunch will need to either be very late or packed with you.

After crossing into France (bonjour!) you drop down a series of switchbacks to Refuge des Mottets - which is where I had a light lunch before continuing onto the La ville des Glaciers that, and yes you are reading this correctly, is home to a cheesemaker. I just about died. This is my heaven - a village named glacier that makes cheese. Unfortunately the cheese shop was closed so that the cheesemaker could nap. But I was able to buy some cheese in Chapieux.

From La ville des Glaciers you can either do a few kilometres of walking along the road… or take a short but ride for 4€ (you can guess which I took) to arrive in Chapieux - your home for the night.

Note : I booked into Auberge de la Nova and found the staff to be kind of rude. I arrived at 2:30pm and had I know I would be so early I think I would have pushed on and booked into Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (terrible coffee - great vibes - incredible views).

But that is not the point. Chapieux is a tiny town with no cell phone service and a large camping area. It consists of two hotels/hostels and one store. The store -L´Epicerie des Chapieux - offers 30 minutes of wifi for 3€ if you are in a pinch. I did have an afternoon coffee and half pizza here. 10/10 recommend. I think in retrospect I would skip the half board at Auberge de la Nova and have dinner and breakfast (I don’t think they serve breakfast but they do have cheese and bread and coffee and I don’t know what else you could want) at L´Epicerie des Chapieux. Much much better food, you can pick what you want to eat and a fraction of the price (plus, wifi).

Note : Auberge de la Nova is cash only.

Day three

• starting point : Auberge de la Nova (fr)

• distance : 10.7 km / 6.6 mi

• elevation gain : 968 m / 3175.85

• elevation loss : 809 m / 2654.2

• transport : none

• daily trail time : 4 h 15 min

• ending point : Refuge de la Balme (fr)

thoughts

This is my day of confession. It ended up being really rainy and I could barely see my outstretched arm. I woke up, ate breakfast at Auberge de la Nova - and then packed up my belongings. As there is no internet in the town of Chapieux - I was unable o check the weather or many any plan until I made it up the pass to the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (I stopped ere for coffee - it is cash only and, as mentioned, arguably the worst coffee I have had in my life - but beautiful views). And so that is what I did. After a quick stop at the store for a brick of cheese and a can of paprika Pringles - I hiked up to the pass in this thick fog and intermittent rain. And checked the weather.

It was not letting up and as you can see, it was a relatively short day for me so I decided to combine days three and four. But I want to leave it for this itinerary as planned - because it was a horrifically long day - and had there been any views I would have most certainly kept with the plan.

A note : if you reserve huts the reservation fee is non refundable. I stopped into Refuge de la Balme to let them know I would not be coming. I had already paid 40 euro deposit and asked if I could have a cup of coffee given hat I would not be eating the dinner or having the breakfast that I had paid for. That was a very hard no.

Day four

• starting point : Refuge de la Balme (fr)

• distance : 20.12 km / 12.5 mi

• elevation gain : 1,380 m / 4527.559

• elevation loss : 1,238 m / 4061.6798

• transport : Yes - Bellevue Cable Car + Bus line 1 between Les Houches and Chamonix

• total hiking time : 6 h 60 min

• ending point : Chamonix (fr)

thoughts

From Refuge de la Balme - take the alternative to the bench overlooking Mont Blanc. Although my views were completely obstructed. As I hiked the opposite way to everyone else on the trail I was able to speak with people about their favourite parts of the trail. And this alternate route was definitely one of them.

Update : I ended up going back to France a few weeks after my original trek and hiked this section of the trail. It is absolutely beautiful - and worth the alternate route. After day three of hiking in the forest and more Swiss countryside fews than French glaciers - you are back int he sweet spot. I stayed at Chaltes de Miage - and would recommend stopping here for lunch (or staying the night). Aside from a few spicy refuge staff. The food was delicious (soup followed by a potato omelette and salad, a cheese board and then arguably the best dessert on the hike - a blueberry pie with whipped cream) - the room is a very large shared accommodation but I believe that it is possible to book individual rooms or small chalets if you plan far enough in advance.

Day five

• starting point : Chamonix (fr)

• distance : 8.87 km / 5.5 mi

• elevation gain : 781 m / 2562.34

• elevation loss : 435 m / 1427.17

• transport : yes - Brévent Cable Car

• daily trail time : 3 h 15 min

• ending point : Refuge du Lac Blanc (fr)

thoughts

After a fresh shower in Chamonix, breakfast and a coffee from Moody’s I made my way up the mountain. Of course, taking the Brévent Cable Car. It was sunny in the valley below but as I gained elevation I was in a cloud (the woman at the ticket counter did warn me of this and strongly advised me against going up - I appreciated her looking out for the girlies a lot).

But I had a reservation and made me way up. hiking through the fog. I hear these views are incredible. But it looks like I will have to come back another time.

I made it to Refuge du Lac Blanc early afternoon. There is no wifi but a small amount of cell signal. I was put in a room filled with men which I am generally fine with but do feel that some women would not be comfortable with so I asked about the possibility of being in a room with women. It was another very hard no.

The cabin is cozy - but we were in the fog all evening and I think becuase it is so easily accessible people are a lot less friendly. it felt less like a hut and more like I was seated next to people at a restaurant in the city. I did meet a great group of girls from New Zealand eventually but before that kind of just sat and twirled my thumbs. The only time I felt alone on the trail. Dinner was very… mediocre at best. Again on my no pork train it was sausages - so we were given hard boiled eggs that were extremely overcooked and then cold Dahl. We were also rushed out of the dining room immediately following dinner. And then to bed - a sleeping pill and ear plugs were my best finds this evening.

note: Refuge du Lac Blanc is cash only. And there is no potable water - you must purchase water or bring your filter.

Day six

• starting point : Refuge du Lac Blanc (fr)

• distance : 16.92 km / 10.5 mi

• elevation gain : 1,601 m / 5252.6247

• elevation loss : 1,246 m / 4087.9265

• transport : Yes - Domaine de Balme (Le tour Vallorcine) chairlift/gondola

• daily trail time : 7 h 20 min

• ending point : Refuge Albert 1er (fr)

thoughts

Thank goodness when I woke up the clouds had cleared and I understood why Refuge du Lac Blanc is so popular. It was beautiful - expansive views of the Mont Blanc Massif. Sunrise was incredible. I took photos - filmed part of my packing video - and then went in to breakfast. I think the common thread with Refuge du Lac Blanc is that everything is really skimpy. Dinner was a small portion and you were ushered out. Breakfast was two (no more) pieces of a bread, a small portion of butter and jam. A small cup of coffee and a thimble of orange juice. No water. Once again ushered out before you have a chance to swallow your last bite. Also… it is expensive. I am not saying to NOT book it but I would like you to know what you are getting into with it.

I left the hut and continued along. This day was interesting becuase you have a small ladder section, followed by a gorgeous bench you walk along. And then you drop down to the valley floor before ascending out of the town of Le Tour. I did decide to have lunch in Le Tour at a restaurant called Le Passon - I ordered a bottle of coke and a potato roti with cheese and wild mushrooms. Do this. It is so so good.

And then the ascent. This was day one of the Haute Route - and it is the day that broke me. I climbed half way up this mountainside under the gondola line and cried, I was so hot and tired and weak. So this time… I took the dang gondola! And the chairlift! This is the Domaine de Balme (Le tour Vallorcine) and brings you up to a small pass. It is still another hour or two of hiking (with a substantial gain) to Refuge Albert 1er - but the assist makes it a much happier day.

You might ask why I decided to go to Refuge Albert 1er - when it is a clear detour from my route and also I had been before. The answer is simple - it is my all time favourite hut. it is perched on the edge of a glacier. And it is not really tourists who go as it is a big detour from both the TMB and the Haute Route. Most of the people who visit this hut have climbing objectives. I find this crowd a lot more enjoyable to be around.

Dinner was great - sunset was incredible. And I ended up having a room to myself. It felt like the perfect close to my little solo hut trip.

Day seven

• starting point : Refuge Albert 1er (fr)

• distance : 4,2 km / 2.6 mi

• elevation gain : 41 m / 134.514

• elevation loss : 561 m / 1840.55

• transport : Domaine de Balme (Le tour Vallorcine) chairlift/gondola + Bus from Le Tour to Chamonix

• daily trail time : 0 h 60 min

• ending point : Le Tour / Chamonix (fr)

thoughts

Perfect ending until I accidentally put my camera down the wrong way and shattered its screen. Oh well.

The nice thing about climbing huts is that breakfast is as early as you want it to be (it begins at 3am and runs until 7am - most huts do not even start breakfast until 7/8am which is hard for early starts or sunrises). I woke up before then, took a few astro photos and then ate breakfast and said goodbye to the climbers as they one by one left the hut.

I slowly packed my bag (finished recording this video) and then made my way down. I realized at some point that if I hustled I could make it in time to go for a run with some friends. So I got back on the Domaine de Balme (Le tour Vallorcine) chairlift/gondola combo and then onto a bus that took me right into Chamonix.

fin.

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

Well, that vow did not last. And since 2021 I have near annually gone on a hut hiking trip. So call me a liar. But when I found myself with an extra three weeks in the Alps… and a need to be in Chamonix I did decide to tackle a piece of arguably the most ronound thru hike in the world. The Tour de Mont Blanc.

I had one week and was not looking to kill myself with distance and elevation as I was training for the Berlin Marathon. I also did not need to overlap with days from my 2021 trip along the Haute Route. And so I opt’ed for a solo one week (half) loop of Mont Blanc.

This blog goes over more generally the TMB - booking and picking huts and thing you should know before heading out on a full, half or any section of the TMB. For my personal experience and itinerary - you can find that here. And for everything you should pack (and nothing more) - I have you covered here.

Before I get into this, just a general disclaimer that I did my best to put together all of the information I learned/found to the best of my ability. It is, to my knowledge, accurate as of Summer 2024 when I completed this solo trip.

More Alps Hut Tips:
Haute Route Packing Guide
Haute Route Part 2 (Chamonix to Zermatt)
6 Amazing Swiss Mountain Huts

What is the tour du Mont Blanc?

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is one of the most iconic thru hikes in the world. Over 200,000 people hike, run and bike the TMB annually, it is considered the most popular long-distance hike in Europe. Ir circumnavigates the Mont Blanc massif - crossing through France, Italy and Switzerland.

The TMB is also home to the UTMB (Ultramarathon Tour de Mont Blanc) every year in late August. This is a week + long event in which over 3,000 world class ultra marathon runners race around the 176km trail that is the TMB. It beings and ends in Chamonix, France and is something to be aware of when planing your trip.

As with most multi-day trails in the Alps there is a “main / classic” route and then many  variations, shortcuts and detours for hikers to choose from on the networks of mountain paths.  The main route is:

• Difficulty: Medium-high

• Distance: 166km / 103mi

• Duration: 10 (at Steady pace)

• Highest point: 2,526m / 8,287 ft

• Total elevation gain: 10,000m / 32,700 ft

• Number of mountain passes: 10

When to hike the TMB?

Mid-July to mid-September seems to be the consensus on the best time for the TMB Season. Early to mid-September is an especially enjoyable time to be on the TMB hike since September typically has less rain and a more stable weather pattern than either July or August, but the days are a lot shorter as the season goes on.

Accommodation in huts is often full during July and August so plan to book those in advance. However, by mid September a number of the huts along the route begin to close - but those that were open seemed to be available with a day or two notice (especially during the weekdays).

How long does it take to hike the TMB?

The most common itinerary takes around 10 days to walk the TMB. It can be condensed into fewer or stretched into longer for a more relaxed/enjoyable pace.

For me, on this trip. I was limited to one week. And as I had already hiked the Hate Route which intersects with the TMB (mostly the Swiss section) I opt’ed for a condensed TMB that would cover most of the ground that I had not yet seen and included a few add on’s that I think are more than worth the detours.

There are a million and one traditional TMB blogs out there and I encourage you to find them if that is what you are looking for. But I am here to share my experience. I worked with My Hiking Guide to build my own custom seven day (6 night) half circumnavigation of the Mont Blanc massif.

Is it safe to hike without a guide or as a solo person (male or female)?

One of the main questions about this trail is: can you do the TMB without a guide?

100% yes. Hiking the TMB without a guide is what most people do - I hiked it alone as a woman with no guide. There was not a second on this trip that I felt unsafe and in the summer a mountain guides are not necessary. Most of the trail had cell phone service and there are people everywhere (nothing more demoralizing than 9 hours of extremely difficult hiking to meet up with a family of 5 piling out of a mini van).

The huts were safe and the staff, fellow hikers and alpinists were so friendly; everywhere we went people were offering us stories about their self guided haute route experience, as well as really cool information about the hut, the mountains or the region and even a few glasses of wine and cups of espresso.

Almost all of the trail is marked (red and white for easy trail,  blue and white for more challenging terrain) with signs indicating direction and hiking time to the next point of interest(examples below). We also had a gps map on our phone if we wanted to triple check anything.

As a note, in North America I find those time/distance signs time estimates to be pretty slow - in Western Europe they are accurate for a quite quick hiker.

Where to fly into for the TMB?

Geneva is the nearest airport. From there you can take a bus (around 1h 30) that costs ~20CHF. The bus company I used can be found and booked online here.

How did you decide on a route?

I planned my trip (very) last minute and mostly planned based on a time constraint (I was crewing a friend running in the UTMB) as well as wanting to see parts of the trail I had not yet seen. And in the end tacked on a visit to my personal favourite hut.

I built my route with The Hiking Club - for €79.00 they will help you plan your trip down to the smallest detail. They will provide access to a planning portal from which you will be provided a personalized itinerary,  interactive GPS map (including recommended grocery stores, restaurants, pubs and coffee shops along the route and pricing for different transportation options as well as which stops to get on/off of) and support (if need be) while on the trail.

I simply filled out a questionnaire in the portal regarding how many days I wanted to be on the trail, how far I was anting to hike each day, which mountain huts were important that we saw and if we wanted to take additional transportation (such as gondolas, busses, funiculars and trains) when available. Based on my answers I was given a route with the option to change things or customize based on how I felt. Which I did.

And if the above information isn’t confusing enough, there are 6 major trails in this region (the TMB hike being one of them). Click the map below for a brief overview of all of options. You can combine any of these trails and build your own adventure. There are so many trails (and over 1,300 huts) all across Europe.

Can you camp instead of staying in huts?

Yes. A number of the other TMB hikers that I saw were doing a combination of camping and huts. The Hiking Club can plan your route based on camping vs. huts vs. hotel and even by price.

For example, initially I had planned to stay in the town of Courmayeur, Italy on the first night of this trip. However with the UTMB in town the accommodations were nearly sold out and everything was SO expensive so I last minute checked availability and snuck into Rifugio Maison Vieille - which ended up being such a vibe.

I personally love camping but opted out of it on this trip for two reasons:

1. I wanted to experience the European hut system and;

2. My bag were already very heavy (without camping and cooking gear) and I was race training so I was trying to keep my legs as fresh as possible (foreshadowing all of the gondolas I took here) - so huts it was!

You didn’t hear it from me, but there are technically two ways to camp:

1. Officially: There are campsites all along the TMB. They get a little busy during the summer months but they are cheap (between 10 and 15 CHF per night), and generally offer some (or all) of the following services: WiFi, kitchen, laundry, showers, and plug ins for your electronics. Not your North American campgrounds by any means.

2. Not-so officially: “Wild camping” is not legal, yet is possible in the higher, undeveloped areas. It is more commonly referred to as “Bivouacking” or “camping between dusk and dawn with a non-permanent structure, such as a tent, in a non urban area (above treeline)” - there are a number of areas along the route that this is strictly forbidden. The below button provides a lot more information.

Regardless, stay in at least a few huts. They are worth the splurge for the experience (and food) alone.

What are the mountain huts/refuges like?

Mountain refuges on the TMB walk are nothing like North American hiking huts. They range from high alpine hotels to more dormitory style rustic hostels. Most along the Haute Route are found in remote locations or high altitude that can only be reached by foot or helicopter. I will note that I found the huts along the TMB to be a lot more run down than in other parts of Europe. I assume this is because of the sheer volume of people but I would sat to lower your expectation of the huts (with the exception of Albert 1er) along this trail. They were very much on the hostel side of the spectrum.

The rooms in the huts are large and contain anywhere from 4-16 beds(generally bunk beds stacked two or three high).

You’ll be provided with a mattress, pillow, and blanket, but you will need to bring your own sac à viande (meat bag or sleeping bag liner) and pillowcase. I outline all of this in my packing guide.

Most TMB refuges provide half-pension (also called demi-pension or half board). This includes your bed for the night, as well as dinner and breakfast. Dinner is often a lavish, multi-course affair.

They can typically cater to vegetarians, vegans and those with gluten free diets with a few days notice. Breakfast is very simple and typically consists of cold cereal, bread with butter and jam, and tea/coffee.

Although you can bring your own food, I found the dinner to always be worth the cost  - even if the breakfasts were very basic compared to what I am used to. Plus, it’s a very social time to swap stories with fellow hikers and alpinists alike.

The cost of these huts vary from 60 - 150 euro(or CHF) per night including half-pension.

Notes that apply to some, but not all, of the huts:

• Alcohol and snacks can be purchased a-la-carte.

• A packed lunch can usually be ordered for the next day (around 20 euro/CHF)

• Electronic charging may be an additional fee

• Showers are typically 5 euro/5 minutes

• Most huts have wifi and service - but not all.

• Not all have potable water, I brought a SteriPen for these but bottled water can also be purchased

• Bed bugs have been reported in some huts, call in advance

• Bathrooms are shared

• The huts get really warm, even at low capacity.

• People snore, bring good quality earplugs.

What languages are used along the route?

French, and Italian are the two main languages (French in France and Switzerland and Italian in Italy). I speak French and it was helpful albeit not necessary - the vast majority of people know at least little English.

Just be extra patient and appreciative - remind yourself often that if they are speaking English to you that they are doing you a favour as it is their country in which English is not one of their native tongues. And download a translation app.

What do you eat on the TMB?

On my overnight stays in huts I purchased “half board” - mentioned above.  Fun fact that I learn form hiking the haute Route in 2021 - you can ask for a second helping of dinner - or third which was the case with some pretty hardcore mountaineers we ran into. For lunch I popped into other alpine huts along the way and would buy my lunch and a bottle of coke and enjoy it on the patio. This is not the most cost effective route but it was the experience I was wanting.

At a restaurant or mountain hut:

• Beer: 5 euro

• Coffee: 5 euro

• Pastry : 6 euro

• Packed lunch from mountain hut: 10-15 euro

• Sandwich from a mountain hut: 5-8 euro

• Hot lunch plate (polenta, pasta etc) 15-20 euro

Notes from The Hiking Club about food

What to bring: snacks

• I'm going to leave this to you to decide what to bring. I bring some muesli bars, nuts, chocolate and hydrolite with me as these are my baseline snacks no matter where I'm hiking in the world and pick up other snacks and things for lunch on arrival

Are there snacks on the TMB trail?

• For your bigger snack/lunch restocks, supermarkets/convenience stores are located in the following villages on the trail Les Houches, Argentière, La Forclaz, Trient, Champex, La Fouly, La Palud, Les Chapieux, Les Contamines

Snacks on the trail?

• Nearly all of the alpine huts will have a snack bar and drinks (both alcoholic and non alcoholic) for sale. Bakeries are located in the same small village stops that supermarkets are, however, some places will have small stand alone stores, such as Arolla

What I do for lunch?

• I either plan to stop into a hut for lunch (omelette, soups and rosti are popular items on the menu!) or make my own using things I've picked up from the supermarket/bakery. Huts also sell a packed lunch for hikers to take with them each morning  but I only typically order a packed lunch when I'm out of food/not near huts for lunch

Is there water along the trail?

Yes, unlike in North America, Europeans do not filter their glacial water (unless there is livestock around). There are small “fountains” all along the TMB and streams to fill up with that have potable water - I don’t think I ever needed more than 1L at any given time. Just remember to fill up before heading up a pass.

Some of the huts do not have potable water (as mentioned) so be prepared to purchase bottled water or, like I did, bring a SteriPen or other water filtration for those.  And bring electrolytes with you. They are hard to find in Europe.

Will I need cash?

Yes! I would recommend bringing 150-200 euro per person with you when walking the TMB. Some of the huts did not accept credit cards and likewise with the lunch stops and busses. I just loaded up with cash from an ATM before I left but a few of the bigger towns will also have some just in case. In one of the huts that only accepted cash I ended up lending someone 50 euro and he Venmo’d me for it. People are everywhere and willing to help in a pinch.

Note : USD is not accepted anywhere.

What to do with extra luggage?

This was one of my more stressful and commonly asked questions. I was fortunate that my running coach (who I was UTMB crewing for) was in Chamonix acclimating while I hiked. So I left my extra luggage with him while I hiked. I also crashed on his couch on my one night in Chamonix.

However there is luggage storage available in all of the larger towns if you are doing the entire loop or starting an ending in the same place.

So…how much does it cost to hike ?

This was, of course, the biggest question. And my honest answer - far more than I thought it would. I am not used to paying to hike! But there is the breakdown of my own, personal, experience (and adding in a few ranges from what I found online).

Flights to/from Switzerland

This will of course vary but for me was $2,000 CAD roundtrip.

Bag storage/transportation

Again I left my bags with my coach but this is the pricing in Chamoinx:

• 1 day : 10€ per bag

• 2 days : 14€ per bag

• 3 days : 21€ per bag

• 4 days : 28€ per bag

• 5 days : 35€ per bag

• 6 days : 42€ per bag

• 7 days : 49€ per bag

• 8 days : 56€ per bag

• 9 days : 63€ per bag

• 10 days : 70€ per bag

• Extra days, price is 7€ per bag per extra day

Transportation

I took a more complex route and came from my family in Austria so my train into Chaomix was about 500CHF (which still hurts tow type out even now). But I am going to price this as if I were flying in and out of Geneva:

• Transport Geneva - Chaomix - Geneva : 41CHF

• Bus Chamonix to Courmayeur : 15€

• Bus Courmayeur to Arnouva Val Ferret : Free

• Gondola Courmayeur to MAISON VIEILL : 16€

• Refuge Miason Vieille + half board : 70€

• Bus to Auberge-Refuge de la Nova : 2€

• Auberge-Refuge de la Nova + Half board : 66€

• Refuge de La Balme + Half Board : 60€

• Bus Les Houches to Chamonix : 2€

• Airbnb Chamonix : ~150CAD

• Gondola Brevent Chamonix to Lac Blanc : 18€

• Refuge Lac Blanc + Half Board : 80€

• Gondola / Chairlift LE TOUR-VALLORCI (roundtrip) : 38€

• Refuge Albert 1er + half board : 78€

• Misc expenses (additional meals, snacks, coffee, transit) : ~

Meals and Accommodation on the TMB

I would around 100€ per person per day if you plan on staying in mountain huts (and airbnbs) - this includes half fare at the huts and purchasing lunch - or supplies for lunches at the grocery stores.

Other

• There are a lot of inexpensive airbnbs Chamonix and the surrounding villages. I would recommend staying there for a few days before or after the hike.

• Phone plans : you can purchase an esim - I have no allegiance to any but sometimes will use Airalo - if you live in the USA and like to travel a lot I would recommend looking into GoogleFi (you can sign up with my link and we each get a $20 plan credit). The plan I have includes unlimited world wide data and it does work all across Europe.

• Travel Insurance: I have travel insurance through my car insurance provider and it is ~350CAD/year.

Breakdown

• $2,000 CAD - Flights

• $350 CAD - travel insurance

• 199€ - The Hiking Club pre trip planning

• 41 CHF - Transport Geneva - Chamonix - Geneva

• 91€ - Misc transportation

• 150 € - Misc food/lunches

• 354 € - Huts and half board for 5 nights

• 150 CAD - Airbnb in Chamonix

• (~300 CAD for an additional 2 nights in an airbnb before and/or after the hike)

Total for my solo 7 day/6 night modified TMB

~ $4,000 CAD* / $3,000 USD* including flights, insurance and accounting for an airbnb on either end of the hike and planning

~ $1,050 CAD* / $775 USD* trail cost

I will note that some of these costs would have been split or less (namely the airbnbs/hotels in town) however as I did this trip alone these were my costs.

*these are approximate currency conversions as of September 2024

The Hiking Club also has a cost calculator via the button below.

Packing

For my full mini TMB packing list Click here.

My mini TMB

And if you want to hear my. personal, firsthand journey on the trail including my exact route. You can see every step here.

Also! My full GPS tracks are available by following me on Strava.

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

Like this post? Pin it for later and share it with others!

What to pack for 7 days / 6 nights of hut to hut hiking around the Mont Blanc Massif.

Come back soon for the information about the exact route I took - prep, planning and execution.

My general packing list with the exact item I brought with me linked below.

Gear

25-35L Daypack

• Osprey Tempest 34 Pack (I bought this in a S/XS and I think it is too small in the torso - reminder to aways test your gear and get it properly fitted)

Smartwatch

• Garmin Fēnix

Headlamp

Hiking Boots or Trail Runners (this time I did go with trail runners)

Hat - any hat you love will work. I like to pick mine up at the local section when Ia m visiting REI.

Sunglasses

Medical Kit

Garmin InReach Mini

Compression Packing Pods

Clothing

Rain Jacket

• Arc’teryx Beta AR Rain Jacket

Down Jacket

• Patagonia Fitz Roy Jacket OR Patagonia down sweater

Fleece

• Patagonia Retro Pile Marsupial Fleece

Sun Hoody

• REI Co-op Sahara Sun Hoody

Tank top

• Active Pursuits Ribbed Tank Top - Women's

Hiking Shorts

• Patagonia Barely Baggies

Hiking Pants

• REI Co-op Trailmade Pants

Leggings

• REI Co-op Take Your Time

Socks (one pair per day)

• Smartwool Hiking Socks

Panties (one pair per day) + bras

camp kitchen & food

Nalgene 32 oz (you really only need 1L - there is so much to fill up with along the trail)

Electrolytes

• Nuun Tablets

SteriPen - optional, you can opt to purchase water when potable water is not available.

toiletries & misc

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Ursa Major face wipes

Deodorant

Shampoo and Conditioner (from home in these tubes)

Body wash

Vasalene Lip chap (I live and die by these)

Tinted Moisturizer with SPF

Travel Towel

electronics

AirPod Pros / headphones

External Battery pack

Charge Cables + adaptor

Camera

if staying in huts

Sleeping bag liner

• Cocoon Travel Sheet

Ear Plugs

Eye cover

Pyjamas - it will be warmer than you think in the huts. A set of clean, thin, lightweight clothing is perfect.

• Vuori Shorts

• T-shirt REI

Sandals or Slippers

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

Tis year (August 2024) following a cancelled Eras Tour in Vienna we spent six days hiking and sleeping in huts in the Italian Dolomites. With the partnership of Dolomiti Superski (which now I am set on the idea of going back in the winter to experience) and the regions of Alta Badia, Val Gardena, Alpe di Siusi and Val di Fassa I was able to take Erna on her very own route which I have aptly named, the Tour d’Erna.

This route, without any help from the Dolomiti Supersummer card would be 110.7km (68.8mi) with 8,475m (27,805ft) of elevation gain and loss (it is a loop after all) in six days.

Before I get into this, just a general disclaimer that I did my best to put together all of the information I cold find to the best of my ability. It is, to my knowledge, accurate as of Summer 2024. I am not a professional guide - just a girl who wants to see more people get out and do cool things!

More European Hiking Tips and Trips:
Haute Route Packing Guide
Haute Route Part 2 (Chamonix to Zermatt)
6 Amazing Swiss Mountain Huts
One Month in Switzerland - Packing Guide + More

What is the Tour d’Erna?

This hike is not official. It was something that I (along with Dolomiti Superski) were able to put together last minute during the busiest week in the high season of Italian Summer. It is a

• Difficulty: Medium-high

• Distance: 100km(ish) / 60miles (ish)

• Duration: 6 days

• Highest point: Piz Boè summit - 3,152 metres / 10,341 ft

• Total elevation gain: 6,362 m / 20,873 ft

• Average day: 3.5-7 hours

When to hike the tour d’Erna?

Mid-July to mid-September seems to be the consensus on the best time for hiking in the Alps. Early to mid-September is an especially enjoyable time to hike since September typically has less rain and a more stable weather pattern than either July or August, but the days are a lot shorter as the season goes on.

Accommodation in huts is often full during July and August so plan to book those in advance. However, by mid September a number of the huts along the route begin to close - but those that were open seemed to be available with a day or two notice (especially during the weekdays).

We started our hike August 10, 2024 and had overall really great (but hot) weather.

Is it safe to hike without a guide or as a solo person (male or female)?

One of the main questions from North Americans about hiking in the Alps is : can you do this without a guide?

100% yes. There was not a second on this trip that my mom or I felt unsafe or lost unsafe on the trail. Most of the trail had cell phone service and there are people everywhere (nothing more demoralizing than 9 hours of hiking to meet up with a family of 5 piling out of a mini van).

Almost all of the trail is marked (red and white for easy trail,  blue and white for more challenging terrain) with signs indicating direction and hiking time to the next point of interest(examples below). We also had a gps map on our phone if we wanted to triple check anything.

As a note, in North America I find those time/distance signs time estimates to be pretty slow - in Western Europe they are accurate for a quite quick hiker.

Where to fly into for the Tour D’Erna?

This information and map are from the Val Gardena tourism website and can be found in their original form here. I find it to be the most accurate information to anywhere in the Dolomites. The easiest international airport to fly into is Munich. I do find the train systems very was to navigate (even as someone who does not use public transportation ever - I grew up in the country and most places I go are not like Italy and therefore not accessible by transit). But arriving by

By Car

• The easiest way to reach Val Gardena is via the Brenner motorway (A22). To avoid congestion and to get to Val Gardena safely, stay up-to-date with the latest traffic conditions in South Tyrol.

Exit Chiusa/Val Gardena

• From the north via Innsbruck-Brennero-Chiusa, from the south via Verona-Bolzano-Chiusa. 

• From there, you’ll arrive in Ortisei after about 20 minutes on the well-marked mountain roads. A few kilometres further, you’ll reach S. Cristina and Selva.

Exit Bolzano Nord

• From the north via Innsbruck-Brennero-Bolzano, from the south via Verona-Bolzano.

• Exit the motorway at Bolzano-Nord, follow the main road toward Brennero until the Ponte Gardena exit, then take the SS242 to Val Gardena. After about 20 minutes, you’ll reach Ortisei and a few kilometres further, S. Cristina and Selva.

By Train

• When travelling by train, you can leave your car at home. Instead, you’ll arrive at your destination quickly, safely and stress-free by avoiding traffic, tolls, refuelling or poor weather conditions.

• Travel times, costs and ticket information can be found online. The closest train stations are Ponte Gardena, Chiusa, Bressanone and Bolzano. From there, you can travel by bus or taxi.

Search for a Connection

• Italy: Trenitalia

• Germany: Deutsche Bahn

• Austria: ÖBB

• Switzerland: SBB

• Trainline

By Bus

• Val Gardena can be reached comfortably and affordably by bus. Whether you want to plan your entire journey by bus or are only looking for transport to Val Gardena from an airport or train station, there are many options available. There are also convenient bus connections with frequent departure times for getting around Val Gardena later on.

Search for a Connection

• Südtirol Transfer (shared transfer to Val Gardena)

• Südtirol Mobil (public transport, South Tyrol and Val Gardena)

Can you camp instead of staying in huts?

Kind of… but it is more of a legal grey area in Italy.

Erna and I love camping but opted out of it on this trip for two reasons:

1. We wanted to experience the European hut system and;

2. We did not want to carry heavy packs given the distances we would be covering every day.

You didn’t hear it from me, but you can not-so officially: “Wild camping” is not legal, yet is possible in the higher, undeveloped areas. It is more commonly referred to as “Bivouacking” or “camping between dusk and dawn with a non-permanent structure, such as a tent, in a non urban area (above treeline)” - there are a number of areas along the route that this is strictly forbidden.

Regardless, stay in at least a few huts. They are worth the splurge for the experience (and food) alone.

What are the mountain huts/refuges like?

Mountain refuges in Europe are nothing like North American hiking huts. They range from high alpine hotels to more dormitory style rustic hostels.

The rooms in the huts are large and contain anywhere from 4-16 beds(generally bunk beds stacked two or three high) or you can opt for a private room for a little bit more money (you will need to book in advance to secure these).

You’ll be provided with a mattress, pillow, and blanket, but you will need to bring your own sac à viande (meat bag or sleeping bag liner) and pillowcase. I outline all of this in my packing guide.

Most refuges provide half-pension (also called demi-pension or half board). This includes your bed for the night, as well as dinner and breakfast. Dinner is often a lavish, multi-course affair.

They can typically cater to vegetarians, vegans and those with gluten free diets with a few days notice. Breakfast is very simple and typically consists of cold cereal, bread with butter and jam, and tea/coffee. Some will have eggs though which is a true luxury.

Although you can bring your own food, I found the dinner to always be worth the cost  - even if the breakfasts were very basic compared to what I am used to. Plus, it’s a very social time to swap stories with fellow hikers and alpinists alike.

The cost of these huts vary from 60 - 150 euro per night including  half-pension.

Notes that apply to some, but not all, of the huts:

• Alcohol and snacks can be purchased a-la-carte.

• A packed lunch can usually be ordered for the next day (around 15 euro)

• Electronic charging may be an additional fee

• Showers are typically 1 euro/minute but I did outline the fees at our huts below

• Some huts will have wifi but I would not rely on it

• Not all have potable water, you can bring a water filter like a SteriPen for when it is not avail but bottled water can also be purchased

• Bed bugs have been reported in some huts, call in advance

• Bathrooms are shared

• The huts get really warm overnight, even at low capacity.

• People snore, bring good quality earplugs.

What languages are used along the route?

This is the fun part - since the Dolomites (South Tirol) were part of Austria until the end of the First World War - most of the trail speaks German. However it depends valley to valley and Italian is also commonly spoken as well as Ladin. Nearly everyone spoke English with us - and on the trail you greet one another in Italian with a quick “ciao” or “buongiorno”

Just be extra patient and appreciative - remind yourself often that if they are speaking English to you that they are doing you a favour as it is their country in which English is not one of their native tongues. And download a translation app.

What do you eat on the Tour D’Erna?

On our overnight stays in huts we had “half board”.  And for lunch we would stop at a mountain hut on the way and have lunch, Erna’s drink of choice was a radler and I would splurge on my guilty please of an ice cold coca-cola.

At a restaurant or mountain hut:

• Beer: 5 euro

• Coffee: 5 euro

• Pastry: 6 euro

• Packed lunch from mountain hut: 10-15 euro

• Lunch from a mountain hut: 15-30 euro

Is there water along the trail?

Yes, unlike in North America, Europeans do not filter their glacial water (unless there is livestock around). There are small “fountains” all along the trail and streams to fill up with that have potable water - I don’t think I ever needed more than 1L at any given time. Just remember to fill up before heading up a pass. And bring electrolytes with you. They are hard to find in Europe.

Will I need cash?

Not really - everyone accepted cards. But I would recommend bringing 150-200 euros per person with you just in case.

Note: USD is not accepted anywhere.

So…how much does it cost to hike the Tour d’Erna?

This was, of course, the biggest question. And while staying in mountain huts is a little bit more rustic… given the remote nature it really isn’t saving you a ton of money (unless you are traveling alone) in comparison to staying in hotels.

The cost for the huts is per person per night and you have a lot of variety when it comes to this. If you are comfortable sleeping in a larger shared dormitory style room and bring your own meals this will be a lot more affordable than staying in private rooms with half board (I would personally not recommend full board - the lunches are very basic and heavy… and you pass huts every day that will have better food for almost the same price)

Flights to/from Europe

This varies depending on where you are flying from and how far advance you book (or if there is a sale). The nearest airports to the Dolomites are with Munich or Milan (most locals recommend flying into Munich)

Transportation

We rented a car and drove from Vienna but I think that using the train system from wherever you fly into will make the most sense. This can be slightly confusing at first but every country has their own train system (and corresponding app) - and the trains typically do not need to be booked in advance. But having the app makes it easier to plan your route. You can also buy tickets at the train platforms - or what I did was plan my train and then purchase the ticket as soon as I got on (just in case I missed the train I was hoping for)

• South Tirol

• Austria

• Switzerland

• Germany

For the lifts we partnered with Dolomiti Superski and had a one week unlimited pass (called the Dolomiti Supersummer card) which you can purchase online and gives you access to all of the lifts across the 15 regions that Dolomiti Superski covers. This is crucial to accomplishing this route in the 6 day timeframe.

Meals and Accommodation on the Tour d’Erna

Budget around 125 euro per person per day if you plan on staying in mountain huts - this includes half fare at the huts and purchasing lunch.

Other

• Phone plans : I have googleFi which includes international data (if you are thinking about it - click here to use my link to sign up). Otherwise any eSim works. Most of the huts do also have free wifi.

• Travel Insurance: I purchased via TD as it is who I have my car instance with so it bundles and gives me a discount - it was $300CAD/year (you can only be out of Canada 30 consecutive days). But previously have used Manulife

Packing

For my full Tour d’Erna Packing Guide - click here.

Tour D’Erna Route

Note that the distances and elevation gain/loss are numbers given by the organizers of this hike and do not include the distance/elevation that would be required if you chose to not use any of the lifts that we did. I do not believe that this route would be enjoyable without the assists of the lifts/gondolas in this timeframe for anyone except an elite ultra marathon runner. I planned this to be able to cover the most distance possible and show Erna some of the most beautiful parts of the Dolomites in the timeframe that we had.

Map

Click the below map for all of our stops and a few alternate suggestions.

Day one

• starting point : Corvara (you park just adjacent to the golf course)

• distance : 2km

• elevation gain : 266m

• elevation loss : 0m

• transport : n/a

• daily trail time : 40 minutes

• ending point : Ütia Crep de Munt

thoughts

This was more of a warm up to the trail and Ütia Crep de Munt is more of a luxury hotel than a mountain hut. It is absolutely beautiful. We had our own private room and bathroom - there is even a sauna. If you wanted this to be even easier. You could begin in Corvara and take the Boè chair lift up and then descend 2km to the hut. If you wanted a little bit more a a hut experience I would recommend instead of Ütia Crep de Munt - staying at the Rifugio Franz Kostner al Vallon. It is 3.4km and 589m ascent from Ütia Crep de Munt but if you are using the Dolomiti Supersummer card you can access it via two lifts and a short 15 minute walk.

Notes:

Day two

• starting point : Ütia Crep de Munt

• distance : 15.7km (including side quest to Rifugio Franz Kostner al Vallon for morning coffee)

• elevation gain : 1,444m

• elevation loss : 678m

• transport : Up the Vallon chairlift to Rifugio Kostner (lift starts operating at 8.45am) down the Vallon chairlift. Down Boè gondola, then the Borest gondola from Corvara to the Colfosco gondola which you take up to your hike starting point.

• daily trail time : 7h30

• lunch : Rifugio Puez

• ending point : Rifugio Firenze/Regensburgerhütte

thoughts

We had planned on hiking to Rifugio Franz Kostner al Vallon for sunrise but Erna did not sleep well so we decided to sleep in, have breakfast at Ütia Crep de Munt and then take a leisurely morning leaving the hut around 8:30am and heading up the mountain once the lifts had opened to have a leisurely coffee in the morning light. I even ran into one of my guides from Patagonia along this trail. Talk about small world! From there we took the two lifts down into Corvara where Erna decided to purchase hiking poles and I dropped a few things off in our luggage. This pop into town is nice after one night when you have a better feeling for if you over or under packed at all.

The Borest gondola is a more lateral transport and then Colfosco helps you gain some elevation. But not all, it is still over 900m to go up through a very beautiful valley before having lunch at a very crowded Rifugio Puez. I ordered a pasta dish and we sat in the sun - it felt vey Italian Summer. This day was long - we made our way to Rifugio Firenze and arrived just before dinner in time to have a quick shower. We had a three bed room to ourselves. This hut was more rustic but the staff were so incredibly friendly and accommodating (such as me asking for hot water to make coffee at 4am when we went on out sunrise hike the following morning)

Notes: in 2016 I stayed at the Rifugio Fermeda Hütte which is higher in the same valley and it would add more distance/elevation to this day but would put you in a better position for watching sunrise the following morning. There was no availability this year but it is something that I would recommend looking into as an alternative to the Rifugio Firenze/Regensburgerhütte - depending on your preferences.

Showers are available for 3 euro and towels are available to rent. There is wifi but it is on the slower side.

Day three

• starting point : Rifugio Firenze/Regensburgerhütte

• distance : 14km

• elevation gain : 1,178m

• elevation loss : 689m

• transport : Fermedacharilift up (lift starts operating at 9.30am) to Seceda viewpoint followed by Furnes Seceda gondola (down) to Ortisei village (short walk cross the valley) to the Ortisei – Alpe di Siusi gondola up.

• daily trail time :

• lunch : 6h15

• ending point : Rifugio Tierser Alpl

thoughts

We woke up around 4am and began hiking at 4:30 for sunrise from the Seceda viewpoint (10km with ~400m ascent/descent roundtrip). Unfortunately for me the sun was rising directly behind Seceda which is not the photos I wanted. In mid October the sun is further south and provides a much nicer side light at sun rise. We ended up taking photos toward Langkofel Mountain instead.

After sunrise we made our way back down to Rifugio Firenze for breakfast. Packed up and Erna took the gondolas per the itinerary (and number above)and I decided to go for a 12km trail run as part of my marathon training plan(as seen on my strava). I do not recommend this. We then met up in Ortisei Village and ate at the top of the Ortisei – Alpe di Siusi gondola. I would probably not recommend eating here. It is extremely expensive, the staff were quite ruse and the food was probably the worst we had the entire trip. There are plenty of smaller huts just a short walk along the trail that I think would be better.

The hike from the Ortisei – Alpe di Siusi gondola to Rifugio Tierser Alpl is not easy (especially in the heat). We ended up taking a small detour into Compatsch to use their restroom and fill up with water. Which extended our hike slightly. At the end there is a large pass to climb - but the Rifugio Tierser Alpl was my favourite accommodation along the trail. Not only is there an extremely beautiful sunset spot 15 minutes form the hut - the food was incredible, the hut its self was really beautiful and the staff were extremely accommodating. We shared a 7 person room with 4 men - don’t forget your ear plugs!.

Notes: Showers at Rifugio Tierser Alpl are 5 euro for 3 minutes of hot water and towels are available to rent. There is also wifi available.

Day four

• starting point : Rifugio Tierser Alpl

• distance : 16.5km (not including short 15 minute sunrise hike)

• elevation gain : 529m

• elevation loss : 785m

• transport : You essentially cross one valley by taking the Pradel-Salei gondola down and thenPian Frataces-Gherdecia gondola up the other side. And then the Passo Pordoi – Sass Pordoi tram which saved a lot of elevation gain up to our hut.

• daily trail time : 5h15

• lunch : Rifugio Friedrich August

• ending point : Rifugio Boè/Bambergerhütte

thoughts

We woke up at 5am and left Rifugio Tierser Alpl at 5:30 for a 6am sunrise at the small hill beside Rifugio Tierser Alpl - we then made it back before breakfast started. So we packed up before breakfast ate and began our hike. It turns out that this was an Italian National Holiday and so this trail was PACKED. We stopped for lunch at Rifugio Friedrich August - which was good but very busy and quite expensive for what we ate. It does have very beautiful views and I do not regret this stop. But if you are on a budget it may be one to swap out.

Small detour: We veered off of our path by about 15 minutes to ride the COFFIN LIFT (Forcella Sassolungo). This was more of a novelty and you can find my video on instagram here. It is about 20 minutes up and 20 minutes down. We ended up ending to ride it twice as we were unaware that filming is not allowed without first speaking with the person int he ticket booth. If we were not short on time due to the double lift we would have likely had a coffee at the cafe at the top before riding it town. If you do purchase the Dolomiti Supersummer card I would absolutely take this gondola as a novelty - there are also ways that you could incorporate it into your hiking trail and not as a detour.

After our detour we headed down the Pradel-Salei gondola and then up the Pian Frataces-Gherdecia. Hiked for 30 minutes or so and then made it to the Passo Pordoi – Sass Pordoi tram. This tram felt nostalgic for me as I took it for a sunset hike (photo below) in 2016 with my friends Hayden and Kelsey and we met the boys from the Swiss photography group The Alpinists who have since become some great friends. At the top of this tram we hiked a small ridge line to our home for the night - Rifugio Boè/Bambergerhütte. This is a very cool looking hut and a great place to spend some time. They also make a great cappuccino. The dinner is a set menu with a few choices that you choose from at check in - if you have the option for the polenta with cheese - get that. It is what Erna had, I went for the white steak (which ended up being pork which I do not typically eat) and plain polenta and it was… fine at best.

The rooms are quite modern and we shared a room with two women from Germany - whom Erna woke ups t 3:30am when she spilled the contents of her backpack on the floor when leaving the rom to go and read. This is when she got a lecture form me about having everything ready the night before when sharing a room in a hut.

Notes: Showers at the Rifugio Boè/Bambergerhütte are available for 1 euro per minute and towels are NOT available. There is wifi but it is extremely slow and there is very little cell phone service. The water is not potable and can be purchase for 1euro/litre. This hut is more remote and all services have to be helicoptered in. The experience does reflect this.

Day five

• starting point : Rifugio Boè/Bambergerhütte

• distance : 12.9km (including sunrise and sunset hikes)

• elevation gain : 823m

• elevation loss : 850m

• transport : n/a

• daily hike time : 4h30

• lunch : Rifugio Pisciadù

• ending point : Rifugio Pisciadù

thoughts

I initially asked to swap Rifugio Boè for Rifugio Capanna Piz Fassa di Bernard Guido as it is located right at our sunrise location - Piz Boè, one of the most accessible 3,000m mountains in the Italian Alps. However it was only a 22 minute hike up in the morning so I should truly not complain. Sunrise from Piz Boè is 100% worth the hike up. And Erna even conned the hut into selling her a cup of coffee (for me) at 6:30am upon thanking her for the coffee her reply was, and I quote “ you are a lot more enjoyable to be a round one you’ve had a cup of coffee”. I do not disagree and will try my best to appreciate Erna and her lack of fear when asking questions even when she knows the answer is likely no.

After sunrise we sprinted down to make it in time for breakfast at Rifugio Boè - which I will say was very disappointing. There is no ordering specialty coffee (most will do this for an additional charge) and the breakfast was a buffet of cheese and meat as well as granola and yogurt but you are only allowed one piece of bread and one small bun. Typically there is no limit on carbs.

From breakfast we packed but knew that this day was exceptionally short so were in no rush. We left Rifugio Boè in the later afternoon and did our 3.7km hike to Rifugio Pisciadù still making it before lunch. This trail is mostly easy as it wraps along a broad plateau but there is a small section wherein the trail is quite washed out and steep. I would be careful when crossing this section it is just as you drop into the basin for Rifugio Pisciadù.

We ate lunch at Rifugio Pisciadù (I had the mushroom polenta and added cheese - do this it is 10/10 incredible and Erna had their signature pasta which was also good). There is a lake that people were swimming in but by the time I got around the ring down it was quite windy so I opt’ed to not get in (and slightly regret it).

Erna and I were to hike up Piz Piscadù for sunrise but decided to try our luck at sunset instead and it was beautiful. We left the hut at 7pm and arrived at ~7:45pm, 30 minutes before sunset and were treated to a spectacular show. We even got down before dark and Rifugio Pisciadù saved our dessert for our return (dinner was at 6:30 so we only had our first 2 courses before we had to leave).

Notes: Showers are not always available. It sounded like some days they open the showers at 3pm some days there are no showers. If there are showers they are 1euro/minute. No towels are available. The wifi here is pretty weak but there is cell phone service.

Day six

• starting point : Rifugio Pisciadù

• distance : 7.1km

• elevation gain : 9m

• elevation loss : 1,350m

• transport : Borest to Corvara town and Boé up (followed by a short hike back down to your car)

• daily hike time : 2h30

• ending point : Corvara (you park just adjacent to the golf course)

thoughts

Our final day. I feel if you have made it this far you will notice that this trip was structured with three really long hard days and three very casual days but it was a loop that ended us right where we started and that was the plan. This was all downhill (RIP to your knees) - we took photos at sunrise from the hut and then packed up. Breakfast was good (salami, cheese and bread with optional preserves) but the coffee was terrible - I ended up asking for hot water and quietly made a Starbucks via.

And then we hiked out. It was mostly uneventful. A few sections that had iron ropes in place for added support. But just a very downhill downhill into town where we met the Borest gondola that took us to Corvara. We ended up meeting with a friend who works at Alta Badia tourism for a coffee at Berghotel Ladinia (which was the very first inn in Alta Badia). It has amazing coffee and a beautiful ambiance. I would highly recoemdn stopping by on your way out of town. We were given a ride to our car but had we not, we would have taken the Boè gondola up and had a short 30 minute hike back down to our car and starting point.

Notes:

Also! My full GPS tracks are available by following me on Strava (you can find each day by looking at August 10-16, 2024). But I did try to build a map of what this hike would look like without supports on strava. You can find it via the button below.

*Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission on any purchase made - at no additional cost to you. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Thank you for your support!

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