Incliment Weather in Dolomites, What to do for Hiker?

Posted by automaton25 on 11/01/23 05:50 PM

Hello Everyone,

My wife and I are in the Dolomites (currently near Bolzano but are supposed to head to Cortina d'Ampezzo tomorrow. Our plan was to hike and do several vi ferratas for the duration of our trip. Since we landed in Venice on the 29th, the weather has continued to degrade with Western Europe getting hit with a cyclone and another one forecast before we leave. The mountains have already received over a foot of snow in areas and another 2' is forecast over the next 48 hours. We have a car, but don't have much of a desire to have a spa day or go to a million museums. Does anyone have any suggestions to stay active without just hiking in the snow where you can't see anything?

Thanks!

Posted by balso

Paris

11/01/23 07:27 PM

7312 posts

Sorry that you are having bad luck! It is not that unusual at this time of the year, alas.

In Bolzano, the Ötzi museum is really worthwhile. You can drive right up to Lake Braies on the way to Cortina. No hiking needed, and you will avoid any high mountain passes.

Once in Cortina however... I don't know what one does on a rainy day in November. A radical option would be to change your trip and stay in Verona or Padua, alternatively, or perhaps Treviso.

Posted by Tinac

North Italy

11/01/23 07:33 PM

395 posts

Hi, you've been unlucky with the weather. I live in the Alps further west and we haven't had such a bad end of October-start to November for years. I don't know Cortina but general advice for bead weather in the mountains is to take one day at a time. For example looking at the weather forecast for Cortina, tomorrow afternoon and Friday morning will be really bad, while Friday afternoon and Saturday morning you should be able to get out for a walk, certainly not vie ferrate but at least a hike. Check with your hotel for safe routes considering the weather. Hopefully half a day hiking should be possible.
For the rest of the day, in Cortina there's an indoor climbing gym which also offers lessons https://cortina360.it/en/palestra-di-arrampicata/
Not a million museums, but Cortina has a Museo Etnografico. These are more about traditions and way of life, agriculture etc and are interesting, not just artefacts.
"hiking in the snow where you can't see anything" I don't like the snow myself, but if you don't come from a place where you see a lot of it anyway, it's nice to walk in the snow (somewhere appropriate and safe) to see the snow, the flakes, how it lies on branches etc.

Posted by automaton25 OP

11/02/23 07:24 AM

2 posts

I think we'll go see Otzi today and maybe a prosecco tour....visibility is about 200' in Kastelruth this morning, which is an improvement from earlier. Haha!

Thanks for the suggestions!