Altavia 1 - day 5 from Refuge Pian de Fontana to Belluno

Day 5: From Rifugio Pian de Fontana to Belluno

6 ago 2015

After a night of snoring from our roommates, 12 of them, we set off, still not sure which way to go.
We could finish the Altavia 1 here, by heading for the Rifugio Bianchet through Val Vachera. This route is recommended for walkers who, like us, are not equipped or do not want to do any ferratas.
We don’t know whether to end our adventure here or follow the advice of the refuge owners at Pian de Fontana where we stayed the night and take an alternative route: path 527.
This would allow us to cross Mount Pelf and reach Ponte Mariano by the Col Torond and Tanzon passes, getting to Belluno under our own steam.

Rifugio Pian de Fontana

We get to the fork, sit down and consider our options, but our desire to go all the way wins out.
We take the path we have been told about and at first it all looks very easy. After a while, however, things start to get more complicated as the trail is not well signposted. We start climbing up a rather unsafe ridge of rock and scrub.
Some stretches are equipped with ropes and wooden steps… but it’s best not to look down!

Path nr. 527

We begin to wonder how far it is to Forcella Col Torond, the trail is getting more and more challenging due to the tiredness we have accumulated over the past days, the hot August sun and the 10 kg on our backs.
The path is hard to find and our worry starts to affect our mood, we are quiet and begin to wonder if we’ll be able keep going.
We get to the top and Dani tries to cross a gravelly section, but it gives way under her, she turns back and sits down, demoralised.
At times like this, it’s best to try not to become overwhelmed by fear and give each other a helping hand.

So Marti sets off like a bloodhound in search of the trail higher up which is practically non-existent but, after numerous attempts, finally spots a red sign lower down, good job!!!
Our courage comes back to us and we set off again for the next peak.

Towards Forcella Col Torond

Finally, we sit down at Forcella Tanzon and admire the scenery which has become so familiar to us: we’ve nearly made it.
As we begin the endless descent down, we relive moments that will stay with us forever, a smile on our faces.