Alta Via 1 stage 8: Rifugio Pian de Fontana - bus stop La Pissa

1300 meters: that's how much it goes down in the last stage of the Alta Via 1. That doesn't mean that no altimeters are made, because in the beginning there are still a few slopes that have to be conquered. Through mainly forest it goes to the last rifugio, Rifugio Bianchet, where the path continues downwards through long hairpin bends over gravel roads to the end of Alta Via 1.

The last leg starts gently with a steady descent through forest. Here I resume my daily battle with the eroded forest paths and every time I don't fall, I celebrate it as a glorious victory! Still, at some moments I have to wait to celebrate, because with shaky legs I descend the sometimes steep forest paths. After barely seven hundred meters there is a first obstacle with a crossing of a stream and from here it goes up for about 250 meters. The short passage through the forest gives way to the last open plains of the entire trail after one kilometer.

Not very exciting, but when the route leads me to a small mountain path right next to a mountain flank with a deep abyss next to it, it suddenly becomes exciting. How two hikers (from the opposite direction) with a bulky backpack cross each other here, I wouldn't know. Fortunately, it's not an issue I need to worry about, since I'm alone on this path. First there is a grass path and then forest paths towards Rifugio Bianchet. Sometimes it can go down steeply, but you have to watch out for the loose leaves not to slide out in the forest.

At about kilometer six, I'm almost Rifugio Bianchet, but then I'm confronted again with a wonderful piece of Italian genius in signaling. Of course I don't see any markings, but my common sense says that the huge tube lying here must be followed. The tube goes to the left, so I turn left as well and indeed ... there I see the rifugio. It's the last time I'm nervous about (the lack of) route markings. At the rifugio I took a short drink break and then it's time for the last two hours of my Dolomites adventure.

I've said several times that some gravel roads seem endless, but here that's more the than ever before. Why? Very simple, because this descent takes a lot longer than previous descents. It goes down no less than five kilometers via these gravel roads and that can only be labeled as boring. Occasionally they are graced with a passage over a
bridge or a small waterfall is sitting in an inconspicuous corner waiting to be discovered. Occasionally you can cut off pieces at these hairpin bends by doing a steep descent in the forest, but given my past with these paths I wisely decide not to do that.

When there is a 'Fermata Autobus' sign on a side path, I know that I have to turn left here to get to the final stop of the Alta Via 1, the bus stop of La Pissa. The last kilometer is again the Alta Via 1 at its best, because sometimes it goes down hard with (more) difficult obstacles such as rocks and soil. Several times I literally sit down because jumping nearly a meter down with an overloaded backpack is no longer a goal for me at this point of the trail. It takes some effort, but in the end I reach the final stop unscathed! Or so I think, but I don't see the La Pissa bus stop anywhere. It turns out that I have to walk four hundred meters to the right and the bus stop is on the other side of the road. When I'm about to I arrive to the bus stop I see the bus drive by. Then I have just to wait an hour for the next one.

I've done several trekkings and usually the last stage is a (minor) setback. The Alta Via 1 upholds that tradition, because this route is rather boring, especially in the second half. The five kilometers on gravel roads cannot count on my enthusiasm. Fortunately, the first half is quite nice with an exciting passage along a mountain flank and some beautiful grass paths. The toughest part is in the end with a dangerous descent in the last kilometer that requires some attention.