Dolomites with Run the Alps
- Allison Slater
- Jul 9, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
I dreamt of running the Italian Dolomites for years. I had hiked my way through six different European countries in the Alps, but the Dolomites stood out as an unparalleled land of limestone mountain tops and spectacular valleys. Its beauty is truly exceptional. Throughout my six-day trek with Run the Alps, we would often ask our guides, "This must be the most breathtaking day - the views couldn't possibly get any better than this, could they?!" And yet, day after day, they did.
"[The Dolomites] offers soft light falling through larch forests, cold beer served with a warm smile at high-mountain huts called rifugios that are more akin to hotels, and a lullaby of cowbells each evening as you bunk down in one of those huts. Not that you’ll have much trouble falling asleep after a long day running." -New York Times
The Dolomites are well traversed and designed to support trekkers of all levels. Alta Via 1 and Alta Via 2 are the most common routes with substantial documentation, but I decided I didn't have the energy to plan out my own trip, so I booked a group tour with Run the Alps.
Run the Alps doesn't follow a particular route but ping pongs between different sections of the Dolomites and upscale Alpine villages, using gondolas and lift systems to knit together the most sensational parts of the Dolomites.
Fitness
The Dolomites are undoubtedly challenging. Like most of the Alps, each day you'll ascend and descend several thousand feet. No matter the route you take, the elevation gain is demanding and the terrain fairly technical. Several sections require via ferratas, or cables that assist hikers or runners on particularly steep climbs. No matter your fitness, the Dolomites will test your mettle.
Highlights
I started my trip by spending a few days in Bolzano in northern Italy. Although best known for its Christmas markets and its display of a Neolithic mummy called Ötzi, Bolzano is a ridiculously charming town on the edge of the Tyrolian Alps with cobblestone streets and a fascinating and complex history where both Italian and German are the primary languages spoken. I was lucky enough to get a solo tour from Claudia, owner of Bolzano Street Food Tour, where she introduced me to the most fabulous bruschetta at Karner Osteria and the classic Tyrollean summer apertif, the Hugo.
Charming streets, gorgeous views, and excellent eats in Bolzano
Our rifugio stay at Plattkofelhütte (also called Rifugio Sasso Piatto) fulfilled my rifugio dreams of gorgeous views, cold, crisp beer, a delicious dinner, and a harmony of chatty goats outside our window. A more updated rifugio, dorm rooms were limited to 4 people and showers were clean and hot. I would have stayed another week!
Every day we stopped for cappuccinos and apfelstrudels along our run. A particularly memorable stop was atop Langkofelhütte (or Rifugio Vicenza). Perched high over Alpe di Siusi, the internet describes it as "easy to access" but I remember our hike to Langkofelhütte as particularly long and steep, making the apfelstrudel we ate on top while taking in the meadow views particularly fabulous.
Langkofelhütte perched high above the Alpe di Sius and the Apfelstrudel reward at the top
Food and Accommodations
Rifugios, or huts, are the epitome of the Italian Alps experience. Located in stunning, secluded mountain settings, rifugios are the traditional choice for hikers exploring the Alps. Each hut has their own charm, unique appeal, dormitory style beds, shared bathrooms, and simple but delicious local cuisine.
I was admittedly disappointed that we only got to spend one night of our trip in a mountain rifugio. The other nights were spent in beautiful hotels in the small towns dotted across the Italian Alps. While I was certainly grateful for the privacy of my own room and wouldn't dare complain about the luxury each town offered at the end of a hard day of running, I longed for the special evenings and crisp, quiet mornings of the alpine huts.
Regardless of where we stayed, the food was always exceptional. Every morning I'd pocket croissants from the breakfast bar to munch along the trail. Every day included multiple stops for cappuccinos, always with a view, and dinner often surprisingly lavish. Because Tyrol is immersed in both German and Italian culture, meals were always a delightful combination of both cuisines. Vegetarians may have a more difficult time navigating the very pork-centered menus.
Unbeatable views from the trail and unlimited stops for cappuccinos
Run the Alps Group Leaders and Dynamics
Our guides, Mike and Cam, were excellent leaders. They knew the trail system like the back of their hands, were remarkably responsive to group dynamics, adapted our itinerary as we went, and always made us feel comfortable and safe. Some of the trails on the Dolomites are particularly technical and steep, but our Run the Alps guides were always attentive, caring, and helpful. They were immensely supportive of all paces and levels of running and made sure no one was left behind.
Generally, I seek out travel as an opportunity to connect with like-minded people seeking to reset their relationship to themselves and the earth, to reflect, to see new places and cultures. In contrast to other group trips I participated in, like Aire Libre, Hut Run Hut, or Wilder, which were intentionally designed to challenge personal limits while fostering connections with nature and the community, Run the Alps had a distinctly different vibe.
Run the Alps is based in Chamonix, France, arguably the center of the ultramarathon and trail racing world, and Run the Alps founder, Doug Mayer, is a prominent figure in the trail racing community. Perhaps because of Run the Alps' connection to such elite level running, the trip attracted some participants that seemed more interested in using the trip as a training camp of sorts. Dinner discussions revolved around past and future races, one-upmanship about running achievements, and annual mileage. While everyone certainly brings different intentions and goals to their travels, I personally found this competitive mentality that played out both and off the trail fairly off-putting.
Overall, Run the Alps is extraordinarily well organized with great guides. Even as a traveler who enjoys a nice bougie hotel, I felt we missed out on the rustic magic that makes the Alps so special, and I disliked that Run the Alps is entrenched in a racing world about which I'm not so passionate. While I'm sure many people will have a fantastic experience with them, when I inevitably return to the Dolomites, it'll be on a self-guided adventure.
