This was it – our first day on the Alta Via 1. It had been a long time in planning and anticipation, and thus far, the trip had been going smoothly, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of strapping on the boots and heading to the trail.

We’d been able to secure a car/taxi to bring us from our accommodations in San Vito to the trailhead – nearly an hour drive. There might have been public transportation – which is our preference – it definitely wasn’t simple and would have cost us many hours on the trail, especially since today’s trek was long – a shade over 11 miles, with an elevation gain of 3,200′.

It was a relief to be dropped at the trailhead – beginning at Lago de Braies and the Hotel Pragser Wildsee.

As it happens, the hotel and the lake, sees roughly 17,000 tourists a day during the high season – partly the result of a movie many years back. Somewhat reminiscent of Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies – busloads with cameras.

We were quick to skirt the hotel and anxious to get on the trail, but not before a kind soul snapped our picture – all smiles and ready to go!

The walk around the lake itself was easy enough, a wide trail, and not many people as it was still early in the day. Heading southward at the far end of the lake, we got our first taste of things to come. A bit sketchy, I might say, but good to get going.

And, as we began to appreciate, not only looking forward, but remembering to look from where we came, Lago de Braies in the far distance is really a beautiful setting among the majestic mountains!

After the initial elevation gain, we quickly settled in to a pace over undulating hills and wide-open ‘pastures’. After a few hours, we came to Rifugio Biella – seemingly out in the middle of nowhere!

For us and our trip today, it was perfectly situated for a lunch break. As we had seen in our trek through some of the Swiss Alps, these rifugios and berghauses have some amazing food offerings – or maybe it’s just that we’re super hungry from the trekking itself!

Either way, we enjoyed some goulash, cornbread, and squash soup!

Soon enough, back on the trail. Leaving behind the moonscape-like barreness surrounding Rifugio Biella, we began to pick up more forestation as we began to approach Refugio Pederu.

As we began to emerge from the trees, and with a glimpse of the ??? valley, it was a welcome sight to see the Rifigio Pederu (or the Pederü Berggasthaus – Alpine guesthouse – remember, this is the southern tyrolian mountains with heavy germanic influence).

Dropping our gear and settling in, we got another reminder of why we love trekking in Europe – because there are well-eqiupped mountain hotels, berghauses, rifugios – places to stay and recharge!