Seeing as Brian and I were sharing a splitting a bunk bed in a room that slept eight people, I felt a slight bit of remorse as my alarm broke the silence of the early morning. That guilt subsided almost immediately after I peered out the little window and saw perfect sunrise conditions in the sky. I leapt to action, put on some shoes, shook Brian and ran out the bunk room as quietly as possible. As I emerged from the stairs leading up to door to the large deck, my excitement nearly boiled over as my suspicions of a nearly perfect sunrise sky were confirmed and we had not missed it. Seconds later, Brian appeared and we quickly made our way up the zig zagging path that brought us to the highest lookout point with 360 degree views. Snapping pictures along the way. Within minutes of leaving the deck, the sky to the north caught fire, brilliant cloudy ripples of orange fluff.

 

Fiery skies behind the mountains to the northeast.

  

The skies to the west bright pink. We didn't know which direction to shoot. Down below there were rivers of fog. It was breathtaking.

   

The view west.

 

We ran around for twenty minutes, snapping away and then just like that, the sky started becoming overcast. We knew what we had just witnessed was quite lucky.

  

Brian makes his way back towards Rifugio Lagazuoi in the distance.

    

Colors fading to gray.

 

We went back, had some breakfast and packed our bags. During our breakfast, with a decent drive to Lake Como ahead of us, we decided to forego the optional hike for the day, beeline it to the bus station down below and catch an earlier bus back to Cortina D'Ampezzo. The hike would still be several miles and we'd still be able to catch some morning scenery.

  

Rifugio Lagazuoi.

  

By the time we left, the sky was full of clouds. The way down to the bus stop had us descending back down the snowy route we had climbed less than 24 hours earlier, but instead of going straight at the sign halfway down, we'd go right and go clockwise around the mountain the rifugio was perched on.

   

Going back down the way we came.

   

This was all well and good for about thirty minutes until the path we had wanted to take down had a big DO NOT HIKE sign presumably due to winter damage. We hiked down a little bit and sure enough the trail was gone. We decided better of it and to find another way. Luckily, we were smart and had a map.

 

Heading our new way as we leave the damaged trail below.

  

The detour had us skipping a canyon down that would have brought us right to the bus station and brought us to the adjacent canyon where we'd turn around and hike back through a grassy valley. While it added several miles to the hike, almost all of it was scenic. As we hiked through our detour, the highlight, at least for me, was crossing through an epic expansive valley, dodging trickling rivers caused by the melting drifts of snow.  

  

It's hard to have a bad view in the Dolomites.

  

We were descending at a rapid pace. The clouds began to dissipate, the temperature began to rise and clothing slowly removed. Soon enough we were in the valley and a mile or two of hiking along a river, we were at the bus station. Hiking shoes and socks were promptly removed and replaced by sandals and just like that our hiking adventure through the Dolomites came to an end.

  

If you read this and would like to visit the Dolomites, I would 100% insist you consider spending a night at Rifugio Lagazuoi. If you are turned off by the effort it takes to hike up, good news, you're in luck! There's a tram you can take from the bus station. 

   

The tram up to Rifugio Lagazuoi.