Our final day on the Alta Via, it’s all downhill from here, literally! Today we descended 3200 ft down the mountain back to civilization in Cortina mostly in the rain. The trail ran along Croda da Lago and then led thru quiet spruce forests. After a slight unintentional detour, we climbed up a steep ridge to discover remnants of an old stone building perched on top of this limestone pinnacle at 6100 ft elevation with steep cliffs on all sides…Becco d’Ajal. The vistas were spectacular although shrouded a bit by the cloud cover, but provided amazing view of Cortina tucked below the majestic Cristallo mountain range. Rainstorms were building so continued our journey quickly down the mountain passing beautiful mountain streams along the way. Enjoyed a rest stop at the tranquil Lago d’Ajal before sliding our way down the soggy and muddy trails to the bottom. The wooded trail ended near a small village and continued along minor roads and pathways until reaching Cortina. Finished off the day and weeklong hike with a visit to the local spa.
In the end, it was hard to believe we had climbed and descended over 14,000 ft and trekked 50 miles thru the Dolomites. It was exhilarating and challenging at times, but so rewarding to spend a week amongst the enchanting Dolomite peaks! Can’t wait to return!
