Pale de San Martino

At the end of August, 13 JAC members spent a three-day hiking weekend in the Pale di San Martino in Dolomites, with two nights at Rifugio Pradidali at 2,278 m. Thanks to car sharing, we reached Val Canali early and started the demanding ascent to the hut, with around 1,100 m of elevation gain. The route led us from forests to alpine grasslands and finally into the impressive rocky landscape of the Dolomites, A few exposed sections equipped with cables already gave us a taste of the terrain ahead. After more than 3 hours of climbing, the refuge suddenly appeared from behind the rocks, almost at the very last moment.

The second day was a 7–8 hour loop through the Pale di San Martino massif, reaching around 2,700 m.  Soon after leaving the refuge, we tackled the main cabled section of the route, rewarded by an extraordinary view over the valley towards San Martino di Castrozza — a beautiful start that gave us confidence for the rest of the day. After a lunch stop at Rifugio Rosetta, the afternoon continued through an almost lunar mineral landscape, where some incredible European globeflower emerged from a crack in the rocks.

On the third day, we descended by the same route, which looked surprisingly different in the opposite direction and offered new perspectives on the landscape — including the chance to admire some beautiful edelweiss along the way.  

The weekend combined demanding but beautiful mountain hikes, spectacular Dolomites scenery and a very friendly group atmosphere. A few participants with via ferrata experience also took advantage of this ideal setting to complete some nearby ferrata.  

The weekend was organised by Christiane, with the invaluable support of Karin, and benefited from the generous contribution of JAC. Duilio, the manager of Rifugio Pradidali was also a great help during the preparation, always available with practical advice. It was also a good example of how JAC activities can work: careful preparation, shared transport, flexibility according to weather and trail conditions – fortunately we had good weather – and mutual support throughout the hike.  Organising such a trip requires energy and coordination, but seeing everyone enjoy the experience makes it very rewarding!

Author: Christiane