Corvara 2015
September 5, 2015 – Travel from San Lorenzo/St. Lorenzen to Corvara - and a rainy day in Corvara.
September 6, 2015 – Lift from Corvara to hike east side of Sella Massif. Lift down and up to hike east side of Campolongo Pass. Lift down. Walk to Corvara.
September 7, 2015 – Lift from Passo Pordoi to Sass Pordoi. Hike to Rif. Boe and back. Lift down. Hike up to walk Viel del Pan to Porta Vescovo. Lift to Arabba.
Travel from San Lorenzo/St. Lorenzen to Corvara - and a rainy day in Corvara.
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The bus platform in San Lorenzo/St. Lorenzen.
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I arrived in Corvara on a gloomy day punctuated by frequent rain showers and drizzle.
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The BMW in its glass cocoon was a novelty. Despite its immobility, I noticed that the headlights and taillights turned on, and stayed on, at night.
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Jen and I had admired this raised-relief diorama in front of the tourist office when we passed through Corvara in 2012.
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My room at Chalet Madrisa in Corvara was austere but charmingly decorated.
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2015:09:05 17:49:47September 6, 2015 – Lift from Corvara to hike east side of Sella Massif. Lift down and up to hike east side of Campolongo Pass. Lift down. Walk to Corvara.
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The next morning dawned sunny and I took the lower lift up from Corvara to the lift midstation, which afforded fine views of Sassongher, on the right, and the Puez upland.
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I appreciated the reference to Piz Boe, the highpoint of the Sella Massif, to which I would try to hike the following day.
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From the midstation, I lifted up to Vallon at 2,550 meters to start a hike.
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The majestic Marmolada, with its spectacular glaciers, loomed imposingly to the south.
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Hiking across this barren landscape, I was surprised to encounter a plastic garbage can.
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It contained a combination of trash and snow.
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It's rare to find such a colorful cairn.
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Like most of the huts, the Kostner Hut was surrounded by magnificent vistas.
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My sometimes-steep descent traversed a few 'assisted' stretches.
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When I reached Rifugio Bec de Roces, from which I would lift down to Camplongo Pass, I indulged myself in a slice of chocolate cake...
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The top of the Porta Vescovo lift, with the Marmolada in the background. The following day, I would ride this lift down to Arabba.
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From Campolongo Pass, I took this lift up to Rif. Cherz.
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My hike from Rif. Cherz led across fields, through some woods and more fields/pastures to reach Rif. Incisa.
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According to my map, the route I wanted passes across this yard/playground to reach the lift visible at the upper left. It did not look like a hiking trail, so I made the mistake of cutting right and walking up the graveled road.
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I realized that my route was taking me away from the lift that was my destination. I set off on a thorny, sometimes swampy, overgrown bushwhack to the lift.
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I did, eventually, reach the lift that I sought.
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Nice view northwest toward Passo Gardena.
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I rode the lift down. The chairlift was a 6-seater!
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From the bottom of the lift, I walked the mud-and-roots trail through the woods to Corvara.
2015:09:06 16:33:27September 7, 2015 – Lift from Passo Pordoi. Hike to Rif. Boe and back. Lift down. Hike up to walk Viel del Pan to Porta Vescovo. Lift down to Arabba.
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Sassongher looms over Corvara.
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I bused from Corvara to Passo Pordoi and took the lift up to Sass Pordoi.
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We ascended with this full 55-gallon drum.
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The sign forecast 1 hour to Rif. Boe. I made it in 57:30.
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I took care not to wobble the outhouse when I was inside it.
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The 'assisted' portions of the route were few, and not particularly threatening. I did encounter several patches of black ice.
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Rif. Boe.
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I'd intended to continue on to the summit, but reconsidered, based on the snow and ice that appeared to mantle the route.
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I saw a couple of people start up toward the summit, but they stopped and seemed to be re-evaluating the practicality of the attempt...
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I chose to retrace my path back to the lift.
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I rode the gondola down, then walked up to the crest of the green ridge, near the buildings at the right edge of the photo. Then I walked along the far side of the ridge toward the far end, where I caught the Porta Vescovo lift down.
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Looking north at the Sella massif across Passo Pordoi. Before walking up to here, I just rode the gondola down from the building atop the leftmost peak.
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I reached the crest of the ridge and started east. My trail bears right to slab along the south side of the ridge.
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For much of the route, the view was dominated by the majestic Marmolada massif and its glaciers.
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There were goats and sheep, but this creature seemed to be in a class by himself.
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I'd seen a helicopter, coincidentally, near this location, in 2013 during my previous traverse of this magnificent route.(http://reluctantdragon.com/Europe2013/Canazei.html#Sep14) In 2013, its presence seemed related to a race that was taking place. Now, it appeared that there was some kind of medical emergency, at least that was the consensus of the hikers who were looking-on with curiosity..
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The chopper hovered near the ground and some people got off. Then it flew off, to return a few minutes later to hover again and deposit a few more people.
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After twice depositing people (and equipment?) on the ground, the helicopter retreated to this perch on a nearby promontory.
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The route I just traversed ran, roughly horizontally, along this ridge. The top station of the gondola, from which I descended to begin this portion of the hike, is visible atop the grey bedrock (Sella Massif) ridge on the right.
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Nice view of the Lago di Fedaia.
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At a poorly-marked trail junction a few minutes before, I had made the mistake of taking this descending trail, instead of maintaining my elevation to slab across to the Porta Vescovo lift station.
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So I had to re-ascend to regain the ridgeline and the lift station. I find that the trails here are well-marked, except where they are not...
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The Porta Vescovo lift deposited me in Arabba, where I caught a bus back to Corvara. I assembled my belongings and waited for a 6 PM bus to Cortina.
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I appreciated the sentiment.
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The bus stopped for a few minutes in Falzarego Pass, which my friend Jen and I had lifted down to from Laguzoi Hut in 2012. I took a few pictures of the tourist trap that still dominated the pass.
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Nice view of the pillars of the Cinque Torri, on the left, which I would visit later in the week...
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