Alta via n. 1
186 species documented on iNaturalist, over 317 observations. You see a lot when you’re in the mountains for 12 days. Especially when you walk slow. Or vice versa.
Scroll through for vistas and highlights, or click “All observations” to see all iNaturalist posts for that day. Thanks to Alison for additional notes.
August 6th: Lago di Braies to Rifugio Biella
Notes
Lake Instagram. An introduction to gravel. Rock shelters in the rain. Thunderstorms and snail time. Ibex on the ridge. Wet lads, adrift in fog. Transcontinental caterpillar livestream.
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August 7th: …to Rifugio Fodara Vedla
Notes
Sheep crossing. A hiddenvery visible cave. Shelter in a thunderstorm as a drawing becomes worse and worse and worse and… better?
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August 8th: …to Rifugio Lavarella
Notes
Intermediate gravel. Dippers: the smallest waterfowl. A visit to the Marmot Parliament. Fissures in the rocks and each one with a tiny perfect garden inside. “I hiked to the highest craft brewery in Europe and all I got was this New England IPA.” Frogless in Fanes. Baby marmot sunset rainbow… too much.
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August 9th: …to Rifugio Lagazuoi
Notes
Logan sees his dream horse. A nice pass. Fish that nibble your feet. Family picnic. So many people. We finally learn how to say “Chough.” Running out on dinner for a sunset. Dry eyes. Dry throat.
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August 10th: …to Rifugio Averau
Notes
Screaming marmots and the ruins of World War 1 trenches. People disappear inside Tofana until goats distract.

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August 11th: …to Rifugio Passo Staulanza
Notes
The longest day planned. The trails full of school groups. Desperation. Outrunning the children. Mi scusi. Permeso. Zooming in on plantains with the hand lens. Plantago — worth a second look! Finally, offtrail and into the paleolithic. A hutkeeper gathers dock leaves in the late afternoon sun. Shower and laundry.
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August 12th: …to Rifugio Coldai
Notes
Dinosaur footprints. Friends at the footprints! Cappucinos in the rain at the ski lift parking lot. A salamander! Bless the rain! And a devil’s claw. An afternoon of chess at the rifugio.
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August 13th: …to Rifugio Vazzoler
Notes
Becoming the marmot ambassador. Slowing and down and zooming in, but more. Also, more smoked ricotta. Alaska the cat. A great botanic garden. Crocs at sunset.
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August 14th: …to Rifugio Carestiato
Notes
A wild goose chase, and eventually, a wild goose. And also, even more devil’s claw. Advanced Italian, precocious child edition. Art restoration. High stakes gaming.
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August 15th: …to Rifugio Pramperet
Notes
Alison sees her dream horse, circa 1998. Cheese. A wild goose chase but no goose. Some stumbling. Hot dogs for dinner. The tables are cleaned with grappa here.
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August 16th: …to Rifugio Pian de Fontana
Notes
One last shot at the wild goose. Coffee is nothing but trouble. The departure of our friends. No goose, but found a silent cuckoo. Horizontal grass and expert excursionists. A dinnertime introduction to Wales.
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August 17th: …to Venice (via La Pissa)
Notes
Swallows off-land. Off-soil. Off-shore but from a the edge of a mountain, into free air. Coffee is nothing but trouble! Saying sorry with spleenworts. Frogs at last. A taste of worm-life. A magical pool of salamanders.
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Route map

The approximate location of every photograph I took
A quick visualization of where photos were captured. Color indicates time of day.