The Sentieri Astaldi 22 July 2018
When we arrive at Rifugio Dibona it is very busy being a hot Sunday lunchtime and we join families out on the terrace for lunch. Its always fun to be staying the night at a hut rather than passing through and having to leave. Slowly the crowds depart and there is peace and the mountains.
We decide to go for an evening stroll and wander gradually towards the striped Sentiero Astaldi path that I had refused to even go near many times in the past. Then something odd happens – I suggested we walk along it – no harnesses, no helmets; it suddenly just seems OK even though it is extremely exposed and there is a lot of rock moving about.
The Sentiero Astaldi follows the narrow ledges that stretch out above the Rifugio Dibona and is very interesting from a geologic point of view for its stratified, multicolour rock of green white and red.
At the foot of the big walls of Tofanas, above the Dibona Mountain Hut, there are thin clayey strata, clearly red and alternating with brown rock walls. This is the Raibl formation which is 220 million years old, caused by lagoon sedimentation, formed by low and salty waters alternating with wooded areas where ancient species of resinous plants used to grow.
I went first enjoying it – not feeling afraid of the sloping path and the rather large drop down onto the Dibona Hut – there is a thin rather mangled wire to hold onto so it felt fine. Our only other companions were mountain goats who rattled stones down the hill, fortunately from below our path.
not at home 