Day 3: From Rifugio Città di Fiume to Rifugio Vazzoler
4 ago 2015
“Driiiiiiing”… the alarm clock goes off early again and, after a large breakfast, we hoist our backpacks onto our shoulders and set off.
The sun isn’t up yet and we breath in the pure, cool air as the clanging of the cow bells keeps us company.
We walk around the stunning Mount Pelmo and reach the Venezia Refuge where we sit down and admire the view.
View from Rifugio Venezia
We spend the rest of the day walking along paths we know like the back of our hands and cross Mount Civetta, defined by the writer Dino Buzzati as “the most beautiful rock wall in the Alps”.
In mid-July this place is the venue for the Transcivetta, a running race for pairs which has become famous worldwide.
We start the climb to the Rifugio Coldai with the sun beating down on us – it’s one in the afternoon – and it’s tough!
When we get to the top, all our efforts are rewarded by the spectacle that opens up in front of us: Lake Coldai and the huge north-west face of Civetta.
We’ve seen it thousands of times before but it’s as if it were the very first time.
Lake Coldai
North-West side of Monte Civetta
Rifugio Tissi
We could stay here for hours but the sky is beginning to cloud over so we get a move on to reach the Rifugio Tissi, where we have decided to spend the night. However, when we get there, we contemplate the long walk ahead of us the next day and decide to push on to the next refuge. We start our descent to the Rifugio Vazzoler as quickly as we can, as the sky gets darker and darker.
“Come on! Run, the heavens are going to open!”… and just as we push open the door of the refuge, all hell is let loose outside.
We enjoy a bowl of hot soup and after a game of cards we retire to our beds, satisfied with our day.
