September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024

I finally slept through the night. I was either exhausted or over the jet-lag or both. Aimee and I woke early at Schlernhaus. After breakfast we packed up and hiked along the mountain ridge strewn with white Dolomite rocks that give this Alpine region its name. The weather is gorgeous, sunny, and warm. We feel lucky. We also get a great view of our last accommodation in the distance. Although our route is a gentle uphill, I am dragging behind Aimee. The 8000-foot altitude must be affecting me more.

When we reach the end of the ridge we get spectacular views to the south, with jagged cliffs and a valley far below. In the distance at the top of the next saddle, we spy another mountain hut. Along the way we pass a herd of sheep all with bells. A shepherd and his dog are bringing them uphill to the hut.

Aimee is feeling her inner hobbit and wants a second breakfast even though it is only 10:30 am. She orders hummus, and it is surprisingly tasty and I gladly help her eat it. She also orders an Elderflower tea that she raves about. I broke down and had a Radler Beer. I have seen it on every menu. It is half beer, half lemonade. It turns out to be tasty and perfect for quenching my thirst during a hike. Radler is German for Cyclist. They were the first to drink it.

On the descent from our lunch break, we ran into lots of bikers riding up the steep gravel access road. I have to believe they are getting an assist from their e-bikes. Otherwise it would be a killer. We have great views in every direction.

We had a long conversation with a German couple. She identified this Alpine flower called Silver Thistle for us. Apparently its roots helped with alleviating the Plague.

She also told us we had crossed from German South Tirol into Italian Trentino. Mussolini had combined these two provinces to ensure that Italian speakers dominated the regional government. That lingering tension means confusing signage because every town, building, and geographical feature has both a German and Italian name. I see parallels with Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The last part of our hike is an ascent to our next accommodation at the base of looming Sassolungo. It is a distinctive Dolomite monolith. We are too early to check-in so we have drinks on the patio while enjoying the sun and scenery. We can see Schlern Mountain in the distance. We can’t believe we hiked all the way here. But the scenery today was awesome. No wonder the Dolomite region is a World Heritage Site.

We checked in at 3 pm and were happy to find this mountain hut is much newer and modern, with more bathrooms and showers. We even have great views from our corner room. One is toward Marmolada, tallest peak in the Dolomites. Dinner was great too.