Quiet

Alta Via 5

Alta Via 5 hut-to-hut: a quiet 90 km traverse from Sesto to Pieve di Cadore through the Comelico and Cadore, Titian's country.

Open in planner

Opens the variant without via ferrata: the same huts, about 7 km longer between Rifugio Galassi and Rifugio Antelao.

Distance
90 km
Days
7–9
Ascent
5,700 m
Max altitude
2,522 m

Alta Via 5, the 'Via Tiziano', honours Titian, born in Pieve di Cadore at the southern end of the route. It crosses the eastern Dolomites and the Comelico area: wild, forested, low-traffic country between the Tre Cime and the Cadore valley.

Difficulty is moderate on most days, but the traverse from Rifugio Galassi to Rifugio Antelao crosses about a kilometre of cabled path at 2,500 m (via ferrata grade B in OpenStreetMap), and the Sentiero degli Alpini has protected sections too, so bring a ferrata set. The trade-off is logistics: public transport at the trailheads is sparse and you'll often be the only walker at the rifugi.

Highlights

  • Croda Rossa di Sesto north walls
  • Val Visdende, the wildest valley of the Comelico
  • Marmarole ridge from Rifugio Baion
  • Pieve di Cadore, Titian's birthplace and museum

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day 1: Sesto → Rifugio Carducci (via Rif. Comici)

    4.5 h
    10 km800 m200 m

    Paths SS52/102/103; from Sesto walk or bus 4 km to Val Fiscalina parking first.

  2. Day 2: Rifugio Carducci → Albergo Erika (Auronzo di Cadore)

    3 h
    10 km300 m1300 m

    Long descent via Forcella Giralba; overnight in valley B&B/hotel.

  3. Day 3: Auronzo valley → Rifugio Baion (via Rif. Ciareido)

    5 h
    14 km1100 m300 m

    Paths 273/272; enters Marmarole group. Ciareido = transit lunch.

  4. Same huts, your days: open this route in the planner and tune the pace.Open in planner

  5. Day 4: Rifugio Baion → Col di Vallonga (Bivacco Toso, beside Rifugio Tiziano)

    6.5 h
    16 km1200 m850 m

    Paths 262/260/Sentiero degli Alpini; max 2,644 m; demanding ferrata sections. Nobody is on duty at Col di Vallonga: the stone Rifugio Tiziano is reserved for CAI members with keys from the valley, and the open shelter is the 9-bunk Bivacco Toso, which cannot be booked. Carry a sleeping bag and all your food, or take the Chiggiato variant our planner uses.

  6. Day 5: Col di Vallonga → Rifugio Pietro Galassi (via bivacchi Musatti & Voltolina)

    13–14 h
    30 km1900 m1500 m

    Marmarole interior crossing. Two emergency bivouacs en route (Musatti, Voltolina); many parties split into 3 self-supported bivouac days. Plan accordingly; this is not a normal hut day. Our planner does not send anyone across it: it routes the lower Chiggiato line to Galassi, staffed and bookable at both ends.

  7. Day 6: Rifugio Galassi → Pieve di Cadore (via Rif. Antelao)

    7.5 h
    16 km400 m1500 m

    Paths 250/258/253; Antelao = transit/lunch; long final descent.

Walking this route next season?

Booking for next summer opens in winter. Leave your email and we will send the opening dates for this route's huts.

Rifugi on this route

  • Rifugio Carducci
  • Rifugio Baion
  • Rifugio Chiggiato
  • Rifugio Galassi
  • Rifugio Antelao

Logistics

Getting there
Train via Brennero to San Candido, then bus to Sesto / Moso (20 min).
Getting back
From Pieve di Cadore, bus to Calalzo train station, train to Venice Mestre.
Permits
No permit required.
Booking
Book by April. AV5 huts are small but rarely fully booked outside August; 4 weeks ahead is often enough for July or September.

Season & difficulty

Best season
Mid-June to late September
Difficulty
Moderate
Start
Sesto / Sexten (BZ)
End
Pieve di Cadore (BL)

What to pack

  • B-rated approach boots, and a via ferrata set (lanyard, harness, helmet) for the Galassi to Antelao traverse and the Sentiero degli Alpini
  • Long-trousers + gaiters (some forest sections are scratchy)
  • Sleeping-bag liner
  • Waterproof shell
  • Head-torch
  • Cash

FAQ

Is Alta Via 5 a good first hut-to-hut?

For walkers who already know cables, yes: moderate days and small friendly huts, but two stages carry cabled sections where a ferrata set belongs (Galassi to Antelao, the Sentiero degli Alpini). The catch is logistics: the trailheads have limited bus service and you should plan transfers carefully.

How quiet is Alta Via 5?

Very. Outside the Sesto entry, you'll often share the rifugio with 5–10 other walkers, even in August.

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