Next morning, we were off, back on our Alta Via 1 trek, to Rifugio Averau, a relatively short distance on the AV1. We’d decided to shorten even more by taking the gondola to Passo Falzarego. It’s the journey, not the destination.

But not to get ahead of ourselves, we first enjoyed an amazing sunrise and morning at Rifugio Lagazuoi – the clouds offering far more color and richness to the sky – than a cloudless sky.

Soon enough, we were packed and ready to take off. True to form, we were in and out of the clouds – making for a slightly eerie experience on the cable car. Cables to no where didn’t seem like a great idea, but then, it was a quick ride down.

and after a short stop at Passo Falzarego for an espresso and a look around the gift shop, we were off. Looking back at Lagazuoi, it was quite the site to see the mountain and the Rifugio completely in the clouds!

From Falzarego, the path (lower left in the above) rose gradually at first, easy terrain and beautiful vistas:

gradually giving way to the scree fields we’d become accustomed to, this one around Averau – the highest mountain in the Nuvolau group of mountains in the Dolomites.

Circling around the base of Averau on route 441, it was a relatively easy walk to the the Rifugio itself – with Nuvolau off to our right.

Rifugio Averau had a wonderful covered porch/patio area – perfect for enjoying an afternoon spritz – for us, our Campari and soda.

The rifugio itself was not very crowded – though there were a lot of people out and about. The chair lift just outside the building, and the gravel trax leading toward Passo Giao made it a favorite for day-trippers, the mountain bike tours, and the occasional helicopter!

The rifugio accommodations were very comfortable, despite having a bunk bed. The en suite bathroom was a treat, hot showers after a hike are always a pleasure!

After getting settled, and because the day’s walk on the AV1 was relatively short, we decided on a quick walk to Rifugio Nuvolau – close by – maybe 1km, but the weather didn’t cooperate. The clouds finally gave way to a bit of rain – making the rocky ascent to Nuvolau a bit dicey. We abandon that idea, and headed back to the rifugio for the late afternoon.

Dinner was delicious – more what we’d find in the front country – than in a mountain hut.

All of this was a wonderful reminder of the special adventure that continued to unfold for us on the AV1. While this had been a short day – with only about 3 miles of hiking, and just over 1,100 ft of elevation gain, it had been amazing – starting with sunrise at Lagazuoi and ending with a very comfortable overnight at Averau.