The world round Colle Santa Lucia is certainly one of my favourite components of the heart of the Dolomites. From large mountains to wild adventures, it has all of it.
Perched excessive above the 2 valleys Val Fiorentina and Val Cordevole beneath, and surrounded by the enduring mountains of the world, Civetta, Pelmo and Marmolada, Colle Santa Lucia is the right base for individuals who wish to play in Italy.
It’s additionally the gateway to the Giau Cross, and should you’re fortunate you would possibly even hear the locals round right here chatting in Ladin, their very own dialect.
This can be a critically epic a part of Italy, made much more so on a powder day in winter!
Throughout my time within the Dolomites, I spent a good period of time having adventures round Colle Santa Lucia and the Passo Giau.
The highest of the Passo Giau, which connects Cortina d’Ampezzo with Colle Santa Lucia and Selva di Cadore, is beautiful.
On my second day I woke as much as a layer of contemporary snow on the mountains, with moody clouds drifting forwards and backwards throughout their peaks, creating an environment of thriller and wonder. Name me an Instagrammer, however I do love moody climate, which the Dolomites has in spades.
In the present day we have been going snowshoeing with domestically based mostly operator TravelSport who runs guided adventures across the Passo Giau.
As we wound our manner up in direction of the mountains, the clouds started to raise a bit, revealing a monochrome world with a bit of contemporary snowfall.
One in every of my favourite issues about touring within the Dolomites (and within the mountains of Europe usually) is how individuals have settled for hundreds of years excessive up within the mountains, and you’ll drive in between all of them.
The roads may be terrifying, and don’t be like me, be sure you get a automobile rent with winter snow tires on a visit to the Dolomites in winter. In any other case you’ll be caught placing on chains which is SERIOUSLY the worst!
Additionally, please notice that not less than in Venice, they’re now requiring all foreigners to have a world drivers license to rent a automobile (I’ve by no means wanted it earlier than, what a ache within the ass!)
I used to be in a position to get one expedited over nevertheless it actually made the start of the journey a ache. On high of being American, the place I nonetheless don’t know the right way to drive handbook (most rent vehicles are handbook in Italy), it means hiring vehicles are fairly limiting.
Anywho, the place was I?
Right here chocolate field cities dot the mountainsides, and on the best way as much as the Passo Giau you’ll move by means of many a quaint and charming village.
And should you’re a passenger within the automobile of a neighborhood, you could be like me, and yell “cease the automobile” each jiffy to take a photograph.
Shameless.
However critically, the sunshine after a snowfall ends within the mountains is normally magnificent. The world is quiet and nonetheless and peaceable and also you usually get loopy beams and rays of lights because the solar begins to peak by means of the snow clouds.
And if the snow sparkles on the bottom? Properly, I’ve simply died and gone to Instagram heaven.
Ultimately we made it to our vacation spot within the Passo Giau to go snowshoeing, proper because the clouds started to pack in once more.
A totally silent world of white, nonetheless and chilly, noiseless apart from the crunching snow beneath our snowshoes, we made our manner into the clouds.
Man, there may be nothing I like greater than contemporary snow.
Aside from perhaps Jon Snow. BOOM.
Occasionally the encircling mountains would peak by means of the clouds, exhibiting their faces for a couple of minutes earlier than disappearing into whiteness once more.
So tantalizing, it was killing me!
After all as soon as we made our manner again down for lunch at one of many chalets (present me the polenta) the clouds started to raise once more.
I’d be again!
In a while, all by myself on the finish of the day, I made my manner again up the Passo Giau for sundown. Chilly from a day trip within the snow, I used to be bundled up and sure, I used to be sporting my favourite onesie for heat. No judgements please.
There are dozens of hairpin switchbacks on the best way up the mountain in direction of the highest, and usually I’m okay oh loopy mountain roads – I dwell in New Zealand in spite of everything – and I used to be decidedly lazy and actually wish to get to the highest with out placing the chains on.
Significantly if somebody can educate me the right way to placed on tire chains with out my fingers freezing off and getting coated in soiled snow, I’d love a lesson.
Sliding in nearly sideways I made it to the highest in 2WD with summer time tires, wahoo! Champion!
And man was it lovely.
The clouds moved forwards and backwards over the peaks across the Giau Cross, and I popped on my snowboots and adopted among the trails by means of the snow til it began to get darkish.
If I didn’t love the Dolomites earlier than, I do now.
Have you ever been to the Dolomites earlier than? Are you a fan of contemporary snow as a lot as me? Spill!
