Alta Via 5 Gallery | Baxter Nature

01. Looking back on the climb up to Passo Fiscalino with Rifugio Comici out of sight just beyond the grassy slopes and Monte Popera across the valley

02. Looking west from near Passo Fiscalino over Lago de Cengia and on towards the Tre Cimes de Lavaredo which is seen end on and not in its full glory

03. The small red shed is the Bivacco Toni which sits at nearly 2600m in a saddle on the south side of the Croda dei Toni massif.

04. The view from the door of Bivacco Toni at looking down the impassable and hostile valley Val Gravasecca. The route from here goes across the cliffs to the left on the Via Feratta San Casara skirting the south face of Croda dei Toni

05. The rock face on the south of Croda dei Toni massif where the Via Feratta San Casara goes. Just above the mist in the centre of the photo is a rare section of path with two tiny climbers on it.

06. The most difficult section of the Via Feratta San Casara where the roof over the ledge protrudes forcing one out over the void below

07. Even in the most inhospitable crevices on the vertical dolomite rock faces the delightful Bellflower, called Campanula morettiana, manages to find a niche

08. At the end of the Via Feratta San Casara is the saddle of Forcella Maria. This is looking from that saddle north towards the large pass of Forcella Giralba and the white Rifugio Carducci beneath it on the right.

09. On the long descent from Rifugio Carducci down the steep valley of Val Giralba the conifers give way to the beech woods at around 1300 meters

10. The Albergo Cacciatori at Ligonto in the main valley of Val D’Ansiei is near the Ponte da Rin bridge and is well placed and good value for money

11. My rucksack posing on a Lamborghini in the Val da Rin en route to the La Primula ristorante 3 km up the valley

12. The climb up out of the Val da Rin valley towards the Rifugio Ciareido was initially easy through the beech woods but became steeper towards the rocky top

13. Looking back north from the top to the climb up from Val da Rin towards the Toni and Popera massif I was in for the last two days. Bivacco Toni is hidden in the saddle tp the left of the highest peak which is Croda die Toni

14. Rifugio Baion is an old Malga, or alpine dairy, where the hayloft has been converted to simple mountain lodging. The enclosed buildings still serve as a stable for cows. In the distance is the Spalti di Toro massif.

15. Rifugio Chiggiato is a converted summer dairy farm which has a great location on a alpine knoll overlooking the Oten Valley. In the background is a side ridge of the Marmorole massif.

16. The view from near Rifugio Chiggiato across the Val d’Oten valley towards Monte Antelao, the second highest mountain in the Dolomites.

17. At the top of the scramble up to the pass of Forcella Giau de la Tana. The last bit from here to the pass was the most exposed and lacked wire cables.

18. Looking back down the I just scrambled up to get to the pass Forcella Giau de la Tana. The valley far below id Val dOten with the Spalti di Toro massif in the background

19. An Alpine Ibex, Capra ibex, on the karst type terrain near the Bivacco Tiziano hut. The larger males can reach a metre high at the shoulders and weight 100kg and they are extremely sure footed and nimble

20. There are many saxifrages in the Dolomites. Here is one of the most spectacular Livelong Saxifrage, Saxifraga paniculata, which likes rocky screes.

21. The unuque karst type landscape in the area around Bivacco Tizian and the high valley of Val Longa. The route after the Bivacco Tizian shelter goes up the ridge on the right to the centre peaks.

22. The small red Bivacco Tizian is overshadowed by the historic Rifugio Tizian which is locked and owned by the Alpine Club of Italy (CAI)

23. The view from the Bivacco Musetti shelter north across the arterial valley of Val D’Ansiei. The left and centre left mountains are the Cadini di Misurina, the centre right are the Tre Cimes de Lavaredo and far right Monte Paterno

24. The climb up to the pass of Forcella de Mescol from Bivacco Musatti is up across steep grass.

25. Looking back down to the small red shelter of Bivacco Musatti (photo centre) from the climb up to Forcella de Mescol which is just behind me.

26. The series of 6 broken and twisted ladders up the gully en route to the exposed saddle of Forcella Croda Rotta. Note the large stones wedged between the ladders and the rockface.

27. The view west from the top of the exposed saddle of Forcella Crodo Rotta. In the distance is the high mountain of Sorapiss. In the centre is the huge buttress of Corno del Doge with the via ferrata route traversing the ledge in the shade.

28. Looking over the main Marmorole massif ridge from Cresta Vanedel into the arterial valley of Val d’Oten and the Lago de Centro Cadore shimmering in the distance before the Splati di Toro range

29. The descent down the Cresta Vanedel weaves it way down this face to reach the crags at the bottom. Here wire cables aid the way to the slot like pass of Forcello Vanedel

30. The huge buttress of Corno del Doge is nearly 1000 metres high. The Via Feratta Cengia del Doge cuts across it on the obvious ledge from the left to centre right of the photo.

31. The short via feratta section across the cliffs here leads one into the pastoral Val de Mezzo in which the Bivacco Voltolina shelter is found at the treeline ahead.

32. Looking across the Val de Mezzo valley to the short via feratta section to traverse the rockface from left to right. In the distance is the Forcella Croda Rotta pass, where I was 4 hours previously

33. The sensational ledge across the huge buttress of Corno del Doge. The ledge is nearly a kilometre long and 2-5 metres wide with a nearly vertical 400 metre drop on the north side.

34. After the exposed ledge has rounded the Corno del Doge buttress the route descends across screes into the forested Val de San Vido valley where the difficulties for the day are over.

35. The Via Feratta Forcella del Ghiacciaio goes up the middle of the rock face above climbing some 300 metres to the crest. It looks challenging from this forshortened view but it is only 45 degrees

36. At the top of the Via Ferrata Forcella del Ghiacciaio there is a small crest to follow westwards towards the glaciers and cliffs on the looming bulk of Monte Antelao for 200 metres.

37. After the meadows of Ciampestrin the path climbs to the pastoral saddle of Forcella Piria and then contours to the south of Crode de San Piero seen here.

38. Harebells, Campanula rotundifolia, beside the path in the woods between Crode de San Piero and Rifugio Antelao. Even in September they are spectacular.

39. Rifugio Antelao is a delightful place even in the drizzle. From here it is just 2.5 hours to the end of the AV5 walk at Pieve di Cadore

40. The Fire Salamander, Salamandra salamandra, can live for a few decades and protects itself from predation by secreting toxins. I spotted this one just above Pozzale in conifer woods.

41. The market aquare in the center of the small town of Pieve di Cadore is the end of the AV4 and the AV5. From here is is necessary to continue a km to Tai di Cadore to get a bus.

42. Once of the canals in through the island of Murano just to the north of the island of Venice

43. One of the canals in the colourful island of Burano half an hours boat bus journey from the Island of Venice

44. The crowning glory of Venice is the Campanile di San Marco in Piazza San Marco, or St Marks Square.

45. The Grande Canal in Venice cuts the island in half and is the pulsing artery through the middle of the city.

46. One of hundreds of smaller canals in Venice. In a city without roads canals are the means of transport and everything from ambulances to rubbish collections use them in various watercraft.

47. The Rialto Bridge is the oldest and most important of the 4 bridges spanning the Grand Canal in the heart of Venice. It is nearly 450 years old now and replaced an earlier bridge.

Alta Via 5 / Gallery