Italian Dolomites with Team Egg, Speck, and Potatoes

This September’s Run the Alps tour in the Dolomites was led by Cam Bevan and Astrid Renet, and our group consisted of eight experienced guests. The tour began in the Val Gardena, a beautiful valley in the western Dolomites with many wonderful opportunities for trail running. Our team was based in the villages of Selva and Ortisei for two nights each, as well as the delightful mountain hotel Plattkofelhütte/Rifugio Sasso Piatto. Our final two nights were spent in Hotel Kabis in the Val di Funes. The weather was excellent, with blue skies on five out of six days, and a bit of rain kept things fresh on the final day.

Highlight on the trail

I think the journey through Sassolungo was a great moment. We’d just stopped for a great coffee at Rifugio Toni Demetz, and we were descending through a moonscape between towering limestone peaks. The running was good, the company was excellent, and the views were outstanding. It all added up to a great couple of hours. 

Low Point

The fifth day – already a big day – saw a few extra challenges. First, the bus to our trailhead arrived late, which set us back a bit. Then on the trail, we encountered a landslide on our usual route. The trail was closed and the diversion required a good amount of extra up and down. The day wound on, and as it was getting later, these setbacks kept  us running into the later afternoon. At four, we were on a vehicle track into the Val di Funes, feeling like we would never get to the hotel.

It is always darkest before dawn however, and just a couple of minutes down the road was the final trail into San Pietro: perfect single track through beautiful Italian villages, with views of our day’s scenery stretching out behind us. Suddenly the struggle paid off!  

Best meal of the tour

While it’s a tough call, I think the best meal was at the Puez Hut on the first day. The group unexpectedly ordered mostly the same dishes, and from that point were split into two teams: the dubiously named Team Beef Cheek and Team Egg, Speck, and Potatoes (my favorite). I think this meal was special because it set the tone for the wonderfully high quality of refuge lunches available throughout the Dolomites.  

Unexpected or otherwise memorable moment

One of our guests, Jen, had her birthday on the final night of the tour. To celebrate, I asked Konrad at Hotel Kabis  if they could prepare a cake for her. As dinner came to a close, Konrad turned the lights off in the dining room, joking that they had an electrical issue. I hadn’t expected the hotel to pull out all the stops: a magnificent cake arrived that Konrad’s team had baked that morning, with a lively sparkler firing in the middle. He also selected a wonderful local Prosecco to pair with the cake, telling us all about the local vineyards of the Val d’Isarco as he poured glasses for us. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Jen’s birthday, as well as the perfect way to finish the tour.

Favorite overnight stop

The night at Plattkofelhütte always takes the prize. There is something wonderful about evenings spent up high, and to do so in the disarming comfort that this particular refuge provides is a real pleasure. Once we finished our delicious dinner, many of us took to the terrace outside to watch the horizon glow. The peaks we would run beside the following day silhouetted against the fiery orange. A few of us sat around the fire talking, and watching as the world grew dark around us.

Want to run with us in the Italian Dolomites? This tour is already booking for next season! Get all the details here.