I have to confess that I am writing this second part of the Dolomites blog while staring at the North Face of The Eiger. It is hard work keeping up with writing these blogs, but writing them I must, otherwise I will forget every special detail of this holiday of a lifetime. I have the help and support of my friends (the sparrows) who are keeping me company out here on the veranda waiting for me to leave so they can check out any arvo tea crumbs that might have made the floor.

Dolomites Day 5 Friday 5th September, 2025

Today was Mont Seuc day. We headed off on Path 6A and it was an easy walk staring across Alpe di Siusi and towards Schlern and Punta Santner.

A nice easy hike 6A for the day

It was yet another glorious day and we enjoyed the easy pace of a relatively flat path most of the way around. We stopped for hot chocolates again at Schwaige-Malga Contrin Rifugio – it really is pointless testing any more decaf coffees as the taste is terrible, so it is hot chocolates for the rest of the trip!

Alpe di Siusi and Schlern and Punto Santner off in the distance

Schwaige-Malga Contrin Rifugio quite the scenic Rifugio Bob was happy

We had a deadline of 12.30pm to be back for the chairlift back up from the low point to the high point, to then to catch the main gondola back down. Make a note that Sonne chairlift is closed for lunch from 12.30pm to 1.30pm. We caught the Mont Seuc gondola back down and then crossed the elevated walkway across the main highway into Ortisei and had a walk through the centre which was packed with tourists.

Ortisei and Rasciesa – revisiting more old friends

We have a pattern here that we do love going back to some places. I’ve proved that with Venice and now with Ortisei and Rasciesa. The familiarity is comforting when travelling overseas. Sad to think there will be no more Dolomites <insert lots of weeping emojis>. We walked through town, found the escalators to avoid the endless ‘heartbreak hill’ and we then went back to one of our very favourite Refugios – catching the funicular up to Rasciesa Rifugio and having lunch.

Ortisei town centre – doesn’t look as packed in that photo but it was busy

There’s a massive set of escalators with a sign to Seceda and Rasciesa to look out for, to save walking up a ‘heart attack material’ hill to get to the funicular.

We shared a goulash and dumplings lunch – these are two of the local dishes of the area and our newly loved non-alcoholic drink Sambuca with soda (Elderflower cordial)

Yes it snowed for us in The Dolomites

We drove back to our accommodation and quite a vigorous storm hit, the temperature dived and we were plunged into a complete whiteout. About an hour later, the clouds parted and we realized there was fresh snow on the mountains – a delightful and completely unexpected treat.

Snow was not what we were expecting but it made for a gorgeous sunset

Dolomites Day 6 Saturday 6th September, 2025

The next morning we also experienced our first iced up windscreen as we rugged up to head off to Marmolada (a one hour drive from Santa Cristina), also known as The Queen of the Dolomites, the highest mountain in the Dolomites. It lies between the borders of Trentino and Veneto. In 2009 the Marmolada massif was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Marmolada Glacier is the largest glacier in the Dolomites (see the photo below).

We drove through Passo Fedaia Marmolada and stopped at Lake Fedaia for a quick look vowing we would return for some food on the way home, which we did. It was a lovely setting with a fantastic view of the glacier. We chatted to the waitress asking about the tiny house we thought someone was building, but it was in fact an architect grandfather building a gorgeous cubby house for his grand daughter’s 4th birthday. The waitress told him that Bob was an architect also and they waved to each other – grandfather architects from opposite sides of the world – incredible!. There is some pressure on Bob to do something similar methinks.

The wonderful view from the Rifugio of Marmolada and the glacier

The grandfather architect building a rather spectacular cubby house and Lake Fadaia (which is really a dam)

Marmolada

There are three stages to get to the top of Marmolada and is truly another engineering feat. Up at the top the view was magnificent in all directions as evidenced by the photos.

On top of the world at Marmolada

There was a paraglider who learnt an important lesson on that day about making sure your sail is secured to the harness when setting up your gear for a jump, as he lost his sail onto the glacier. There was a large crowd of visitors and quite a few officials from the gondola at the top of Marmolada watching his antics as he attempted to retrieve it across the face of the glacier (which is not allowed). It is a dangerous activity as eleven climbers died tragically and another eight injured when part of the glacier collapsed on 3rd July, 2022. High temperatures had been recorded in the days before, with much less precipitation than usual the previous winter. Glaciologist Christoph Mayer has linked it to climate change. (1)

The sail to the left of the picture and the paraglider to the right scooting across the glacier in a vain attempt to retrieve his sail.

Sottoguda

We next headed off to Sottoguda a short distance from Marmolada. It is a spectacular gorge with a two kilometre walk which has been recently restored following a torrential storm in 2018 which wiped out the previous infrastructure. It costs only 5 euros each to enter and it is compulsory to wear a helmet on the walk. It is a beautiful walk and the restoration has been done well. You can only enter via the Sottoguda side as the restoration is not yet complete at the Malga Ciapela end.

On the Sottoguda walk. Helmets compulsory

It’s off to Riva del Garda tomorrow and while it is sad to say this is the end of the Dolomites, we have been blessed with amazing weather and have achieved everything on our bucket list and more!

References:

(1) Wikipedia article on Marmolada serac collapse

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