the German is given preference as that is the region’s dominant language.
There is an Italian–German–English glossary of topographic and other useful terms in Appendix B.
Dos and don’ts
It is better to arrive early and dry, than late and wet.
Find time to get in good shape before setting out on your holiday, as it will maximise your enjoyment. You will appreciate the wonderful scenery more if you are not exhausted, and you will react better in an emergency.
Do not be overly ambitious – choose itineraries suited to your capabilities. Read the walk description carefully before setting out.
Always leave word at your hotel of your planned route, or sign the hut register if staying in a rifugio, as this may come in helpful for rescuers.
Do not set out late and always have extra time up your sleeve to allow for detours due to missing bridges or signposts, and wrong turns. Plan on getting to your destination early in hot weather as afternoon storms are not uncommon. As a general rule, start out early morning to give yourself plenty of daylight.
Stick with your companions and do not lose sight of them. Remember that the progress of groups matches that of the slowest member.
Avoid walking in brand new footwear, or you will get blisters; but leave old worn-out boots in the shed as they may prove unsafe on slippery terrain. Choose your footwear carefully.
Do not overload your rucksack.
Carry extra protective clothing as well as energy foods for emergency situations. Remember that the temperature drops an average of 6°C for every 1000m you climb.
Check the weather forecast if possible – tourist offices and hut guardians are always in the know. For the Südtirol see www.suedtirol.information, Trentino has www.meteotrentino.it and Lombardia http://ita.arpalombardia.it. Never set out on a long route in adverse conditions. Even a broad, level track can become treacherous in bad weather, and high-altitude terrain enveloped in thick mist makes orientation difficult. An altimeter is useful – when a known altitude (such as that of the refuge) goes up, this means the atmospheric pressure has dropped and the weather could change for the worse.
Do carry your rubbish back to the valley where it can be disposed of correctly; do not expect hut or park staff to deal with it. Even organic waste such as apple cores and orange peel is best not left lying around as it upsets the diet of animals and birds.
Be considerate when making a toilet stop. Keep away from watercourses, do not leave unsightly paper lying around and remember that abandoned huts and rock overhangs could serve as life-saving shelter for someone else.
Collecting flowers, insects or minerals is strictly forbidden, as are fires.
Learn the international call for help, described in the following section. DO NOT rely on your mobile phone as many alpine valleys have no signal. Refuges have landlines and experienced staff can always be relied on in an emergency. In electrical storms, do not shelter under trees or rock overhangs and keep away from metallic fixtures.
Lastly, do not leave your common sense at home.
The path draws close to Lago di Pian Palù (Walk 15)
Emergencies
For medical matters EU residents need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Holders are entitled to free or subsidised emergency treatment in Italy, which has an excellent national health service. UK residents can apply online at www.dh.gov.uk. Australia similarly has a reciprocal agreement – see www.medicareaustralia.gov.au. Other nationalities should take out suitable insurance. In any case travel insurance for a walking holiday is strongly recommended as costs in the case of rescue and repatriation can be hefty. Members of alpine clubs are usually covered, but do check before you depart.
The following services may be of help should problems arise:
Polizia (police) Tel 113
Health-related urgencies including ambulanza (ambulance) and soccorso alpino (mountain rescue) Tel 118
‘Help!’ in Italian is Aiuto!, pronounced ‘eye-you-tow’, and Zu Hilfe! in German.
Should help be needed, use the following internationally recognised rescue signals: six signals per minute either visual (waving a handkerchief or flashing a torch) or audible (shouting or whistling), repeated after a pause of one minute. The answer is three visual or audible signals per minute, to be repeated after a one-minute pause. Anyone who sees or hears a call for help must contact the nearest mountain hut or police station, as quickly as possible.
The hand-signals in the following diagram could be useful for communicating at a distance or with a helicopter.
In Lombardia if you call out Mountain Rescue, let them know your location by referring to the numerical code found on the back of all path signposts.
The path above Zufallhütte (Walk 33)
Using this guide
The 38 walks in this guide have been selected for their suitability for a wide range of active holidaymakers. There is something for everyone, from easy strolls to strenuous climbs to panoramic peaks for experienced walkers. As each walk has been designed to fit into a single day this means carrying a small rucksack and being able to return to comfortable hotel accommodation at day’s end. That said, many walks become even more enjoyable if stretched out over two days, with an overnight stay in a rifugio.
Each walk description is preceded by an information box containing the following essential data:
Start
Finish
Distance – given in both kilometres (km) and miles.
Ascent/Descent – this is important information, as height loss and gain rather than distance indicate the effort required and an ascent/descent factor should be summed to difficulty when planning a day out. A walker of average fitness will usually cover 300m (about 1000ft) in ascent in one hour (100m=328ft).
Difficulty
Grade 1 – an easy route on clear tracks and paths, suitable for beginners.
Grade 2 – paths across typical mountain terrain, often rocky and with significant ups and downs, where a reasonable level of fitness is preferable.
Grade 3 – strenuous, often entailing narrow exposed stretches and drawn-out climbs. Experience and extra care are recommended.
It
