Alta Via del Granito: From Hut to Hut in the Lagorai

The Alta Via del Granito (Granite High Route) is a 3- or 4-day circular traverse of the unique granite area of the Cima d'Asta - Cime di Rava group in the Northern Italian Lagorai chain, geographically still part of the Dolomites. The Alta Via follows a network of ancient paths and former military roads, dating back to the First World War, connecting the only two refuges in the group. Three days of pleasant trekking amidst stupendous natural landscapes, stark reminders of the Great War, mountain huts and alpine pastures, good evidence of man's ancient pact with nature. In short: The Alta Via del Granito is pretty epic.

On this Alta Via, you can't really mention the Dolomites. Yes, geographically it is part of the Dolomites, but you won't find any dolomite here. Dolomite is the name of the mineral found in the Dolomites by Deodat de Dolomieu, back in 1791. He would not have found this in the Lagorai chain or, more specifically, on the trails of the Alta Via del Granito. Why? Simple, this whole area is granite.

The trek starts and ends at Malga Sorgazza, locally a well-known restaurant at a dead-end road about an hour's drive from the town of Trento. Trento lies in between Bolzano, known for the Alta Via 2 and access point to the peaks of that side of the Dolomites, and Verona, close to Lago di Garda. Malga Sargazzo is also only a 2 hours drive from Venice, which is much shorter than some hikes in the northern Dolomites. This allows you to combine the mountains with the sea and hiking with sightseeing. Surf and turf the Italian Way!

Do you like mountains? Are you looking for an epic hiking adventure off the beaten track? Of course, the Alta Via del Granito is for you! If you came here to get that questions answered, we have to have a very good chat. We can imagine you are looking for something different than the outrageously popular Alta Vias further up North. Maybe you came here because they are fully booked. Let's be clear that the Alta Via del Granito is not just an alternative to other treks in this part of the world. This is an epic adventure that is very popular with Italians but hasn't really made it to the mainstream long-distance hiking world yet. That, our friend, allows you to enjoy an unspoilt local rifugio experience.

There you have it, we have spilt the beans. But, if you think that this is just a walk in the park, you are very wrong. Sure, it's only three days and two night, but it is still very much an Alta Via and that means you are constantly at an altitude of around 2,000 metres and you are tackling more than 2,000 vertical metres in those 3 days. The trails are not super technical, but granite is quite a rough mineral, hence it can be pretty gnarly from time to time. Is it worth it? Oh yes.

The season runs from the 20th June to the 20th September, fairly in line with other hut-to-hut treks in the Alps and Dolomites. Although the traverse can be carried out until late September-October. In that case, it will be necessary to carry a tent and sleeping bag or rely on the winter shelters of the huts. At the beginning of summer, depending on how the winter has been, snow may still be found on the trails, especially towards the Cima d'Asta, in which case gaiters are useful. In the height of the summer season, it is essential to book well in advance, and as a simple matter of respect and delicacy towards the needs of others, it is recommended that any non-attendance be cancelled promptly - where possible.

Austria and Germany have the Alpenverein, South Africa has the Mountain Club of South Africa and the UK has British Mountaineering Council and the list goes on. Italy also has its own association and it has been going under the name Club Alpino Italiano, CAI for short, since 1863.

The CAI is hugely active in marking and maintaining mountain trails, protecting the Italian Alps and Dolomites, organising climbing competitions and, of course, operating mountain huts. The CAI has 433 fully equipped mountain huts, 224 bivouacs and 106 smaller huts under its care. Together, these accommodations account for more than 23,500 beds. Hikers are required to spend the night in mountain huts, rifugios in Italian. The good thing about spending the night in huts is that you don't need to bring a tent, cooking kit and the food for your multi-day hike. The rifugios vary in size and accommodation options, but all offer a shower, a good night's sleep including half-board with tasty local dishes. Believe us, the food is really good compared to some neighbouring countries :)

Ilse Boersma from the Netherlands walked the Alta Via del Granito in the summer of 2022. How did it go? "It's pretty granito," Ilse says, referring to the granite surroundings and hiking trails. "So there' s a lot of rock, scree, and also big stones. Also on the hiking trails, so by all means, if you ask me, hiking poles are therefore a good idea. High hiking boots are also definitely recommended."

Physically, Ilse did not need to prepare for this hut trek. "I exercise four times a week and found this hike doable. You are ascending and descending a lot and of course you are going to feel that, but good fitness makes it manageable. We also had a pretty calm trek."

We just mentioned it, you can also spend the night at Rifugio Consèria, a very nice hut according to Ilse: "Here we had a hot shower, got good coffee and the food was top notch. In that respect, slightly better organised than Rifugio Caldenave, which is typically piddly Italian. Cima d'Asta was a bit basic but in return you got beautiful views."

And what about that 'pretty calm trek'? "Yes, although most walk the Alta Via del Granito in 3 days, we did the trek in 4 days. You are then naturally much faster to the next hut. Your afternoon thus gets a bit longer, but that was also super relaxed with reading a book!"

The best starting point for your Alta Via del Granito adventure is Malga Sorgazza, an old rifugio turned restaurant about 1 hour from Trento. As is so often the case with mountain adventures, it takes some time and effort to get to them.

By plane:

If you want to do the Alta Via del Granito, it is easiest to fly to Venice. From here, you would want to rent a car and drive in about two hours to the starting point.

By bus:

You won't get there by bus. A car or taxi is the way to go.

By car:

There is a large free parking space at Malga Sorgazza. Here hikers leave their cars overnight. Seeing this is a relatively short hike, you will (unfortunately) be back at your car before you know it.