2 Days in Italy at the well known tre cime, the UNICEF world heritage side.
Hour start point was the lovely small town Misurina on Lago de Misurina. It is a tiny town with only a few hotels, some restaurants and a small shop. From here you can reach the tre cime in just 20 min with a bus shuttle. We have decided against the car because some friends have told us, that the car park will be really stuffed.
INFO: the bus shuttle is not running all year around and there are different times between summer-season and winter-season.
The perfect start was a small fountain at the bus stop. Clear, fresh water to fill up all the bottles we have had and to be ready for the climb.
The bus was driving through forest, some small villages and step by step got us higher into the mountains.
We started pretty late, yes its holidays so sleeping a bit longer must be ;), but at 10am we arrived at the peak. (Jep, look at the bus stop which timetable you need, we have learned our lessons) From here you already have a stunning view over the hole area. Mountains, lakes and villages and the clouds are hanging around in the valleys. The regular hiking way was pretty full and for our luck we have searched beforehand after a nice via ferrata. They always start with a nice easy walk and then a climbing part, where you need some gear and then back on a hiking route.
We used the route over the Paternkofel, a mountain next to the tre cimes.
For me it was my first time to do such a via ferrata and I must say, I am just a bit scared of heights and that’s what I have REALISED. The air also got fast thinner as higher we climbed. The breathing was harder, and we needed more time to recover as well as more breaks.
The beginning was really easy. Climbing from rock to rock underneath us the hikers on the trail. We have seen a horses and foals getting moved back to the stables and a small hut in the distance. Behind us the perfect in sunshine covered tre cimes, the mountains of history.
We hike the first half around the mountain to arrive at a plateau where you can see the two sides of the them. The forest and green side and the rough mountain side. It looks dark on one side and friendly, nice on the other. The tre cimes are staying between two worlds.
That was the easy part of our hiking and climbing way. Only around 50m up the next mountain, and we are staying on a small rock arc. The entry of the climbing part.
A small break and let’s go! The helmet, a flash light and a harness for our safety, that’s our new best friends for the next hours. I already ask myself why the heck do I do that but I want to try everything so let’s go!
We see many people coming out of the arc without harness or helmet and my first thought of scarness starts to fade. If they can do it, I can do it too!!
The entry is a small tunnel what was used also in the Second World War for protection. These holes across the hole mountain range have been big battle fields and you can see and read about the history everywhere you go.
Behind the tunnel a small walking way starts. On the rock there are no safety steal lines where you can hang your security lines on. Till now noooo problem.
Fast the way is switching between hiking and climbing. For me every hour we need to climb it starts to get harder and harder.
The feeling of losing energy, thinking too much in which way you can die here and not looking complete stupid are coming up. (Yes I was sometimes really feeling like: I am a 5 year old girl who doesn’t know how to walk)
But I get through it. There are climbing parts where it goes easily 60m down (not measured, just a feeling from me). Some other areas you need to change lines and only have a 5cm peace of stone under your feeds.
But in this case photos are telling more than words, so let them tell you how it was.
On one bridge my fear was coming through. I was nearly on the point to give up. The bottom of the bridge was hanging down and falling apart. It was rotting away over a 70m ground. Yes, I have had in my study static so I know a bit of what can work and what is not working. That thing was a no go!!!
But never lose your faith. Fight your fears and get stronger!
After a few minutes of thinking if I really want to die I got some smart help to get over it.
More climbing to go till we nearly reached the peak. Finally, a small area to sit down relax and see the rest of the way. Here we could decide what to do. Go further to the peak and the same way back or just move on.
My energy was pretty low that’s why I have offered that the rest from us goes further, and I am just waiting there ( I know a total full from me ). That was just a wall! Climbing again on a wall, looking at the deep black bottom at the mountain. (Ok that’s a bit over dramatic but you understand what I want to tell you)
We still don’t know how long the climbing part is going and the rest of our group also decide to move on. (What was a smart idea because otherwise we wouldn’t get our bus in the end)
Till here we are already climbing for 4 hours (hiking not included) another hour a small leather later and s straight gravel wall later we have normal ground under our feet’s. The way back!
A nice hiking way what shows again the clouds around the mountains, the sunlight on the top and the rough surroundings.
I think the last part was still another hour back to the tre cimes, over to the small hut and the normal easy way to the bus stop. After a hole day hiking and climbing we have made our first real stop to drink a hot tee eat some self-made energy balls and relax. Oure back is still sweaty, our legs are tired and our brain is free. Free from thinking, free from worrying. We catch the last bus at 5.30pm to our small village.
First now we realize how exhausted we are.
After a nice warm shower, we got a perfect pizza at the restaurant Edelweiss next to our hotel.
Info:
-For your safety please don’t do this via ferrata without safety gear! It’s your health!
-Use layers of clothes for this hike we have had perfect sunshine and it was hot but later in the day the first snow was falling.
– No paid advertisement, only my own recommendations. 10.2019. –
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