TWO years ago I hiked section 1 of the GR10, and on that trip I met Björn and his wife. Björn and I hit it off right away, and we ended up hiking the last 2 days together. Some months ago it struck me that it would be cool to get together again for a hike somewhere in Europe, and I floated the idea in such a way that he could have easily passed. Luckily, he jumped right on it, proposing plans for hiking in Italy for a week, as this was on his radar for a May vacation anyway. Soon he provided a detailed itinerary for hiking 3 days on the E5 in Italy (The E5 spans 3,200 km across Europe, from France to Italy), then making our way to Toblach/Dobbiaco for 4 days of day hiking. Convinced he was serious, I (actually my wife) immediately planned transportation to and from Milan. From Milan trains would do the trick.

Why Toblach/Dobbiaco? People from South Tyrol are Italian citizens legally, but culturally and ethnically they are predominantly German-speakers with an Austrian history. Because the region was annexed by Italy from Austria after World War I, most residents possess a unique, dual binational identity. You will see dual names in this region, one German and another Italian. Björn got a kick out of our Monte Specie hike because the German name is Strudelkopf.

We planned on meeting the afternoon of May 22nd in Bolzano (Bolzen) where we had accommodations, and our arrival times by train were close enough to meet at the train station. After check in, we roamed the town, very vibrant with many eateries and bars with outdoor seating. The atmosphere was cool and young. Our plan was to set off from Bolzano around 8 the next morning for our first day of hiking (and my first day of hiking this year) with an ambitious day of 15 miles with 6,500’ of climb (1981 meters).

*My 20 lb pack legal carry on for a 10 day trip*

But first, let’s talk about packing. In 2024 I did two back to back events, the first one biking across the Pyrenees, the second hiking section 1 of the GR10. Despite the two disciplines, packing for that was easy; one suitcase and one backpack. During the bike portion our luggage was transported to each night’s lodging, and for the hike I hired Respyrenees. Not only did they provide all the hiking details, with maps and phone GPS for a self guided tour, they also transported my rollaboard to each night’s accommodation. A simple day pack did the trick whilst on foot. Not so for this hike: I needed to carry everything with me for the entire trip. 3 days on E5, then multiple trains to get to Dobbiaco, where we stayed for 4 nights to day hike, then trains back to Milan for my flight home. I wanted a legal airline carry on sized pack (40L) which would be comfortable enough to hike all day and also have organizational compartments akin to a dedicated travel pack. A Nemo pack ticked off all the boxes. It even had a separate shoe compartment, as my wife suggested I should not be wearing gross, smelly hiking shoes on the airplane(s). My final result: the Nemo pack came in at just under 20 pounds, including a 4.7 ounce day pack, rolled up nicely inside, which was good for the day hikes out of Dobbiaco.

E5 DAY 1: Bolzano to Madonna di Pietralba We started off (Saturday, May 23rd) with concerns of heat that morning, but it never got too bad for us, especially considering the huge climb at the beginning (4,000’/1200 meters). The day had a mix of forest and road walking, actually quite pleasant. Cricket sound reminded me of growing up in New England, and Cuckoo calls fit right in for my Austrian buddy. Speaking of Björn, his multilingual chops were very handy. German? good; Italian? fine; French? he got by. English? probably better than mine. Also, what really clicked, we were simpatico with pace, breaks, coffee stops etc. Neither one of us had to speed up or slow down to accommodate the other. No one grumbled or got testy. This was true for every day. But this Day 1 had us arriving at our hotel close to 9 PM, something I am intimately acquainted with but not the usual thing for Björn. No matter, he never complained and our arrival with low sun hitting the mountains beyond was sublime. We were happy we had eaten dinner in one of the towns a few hours earlier, though, so all we had to attend to was cleaning up and getting some shuteye. STATS: 15 miles (24 kilometers) with 6,500’ (1980 meters) of climbing.

E5 DAY 2: Madonna di Pietralba to Redagno di Sopra (May 24th) This was to be a relaxed day, with a later start and an earlier finish with just 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) and 1,300’ (400 meters) of climb. Probably the highlight of the day was traveling through the Bletterbach natural monument, a deep gorge where day hikers were all wearing helmets checked out from the visitors’ center. We stopped for coffee and strudel whenever an establishment was spotted and just enjoyed the stroll. Chirping crickets and birdsong were a constant background in the afternoon hours, and the meal at Thomaserhof was outstanding. Also spotted: horses, donkeys and a giant anthill.

E5 DAY 3: Oberradein to Gfrill This last hike was not especially hard, but we had planned to catch a bus at Gfrill to take us to that night’s lodging. We still had to climb over 3,200’ (975 meters) over 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) so the morning hours were spent with this in mind, not hurrying but eyeing what was ahead. By midafternoon we relaxed in the final hours, knowing we had plenty of time to catch that last bus. More woods, cows, churches, ponds and coffee stops awaited us along with trail and road, beautiful weather and some far reaching vistas. Bus secured, we overnighted at Salorno. The next day we took multiple trains to finally end up in Dobbiaco. The trains and busses we used (care of a Südtirol pass) were included with our lodging, and a day didn’t go by without us on one or the other.

DOBBIACO: Monte Specie/Strudelkopf Once we arrived at Dobbiaco we spent the afternoon wandering the village and shopping for food as our suite had a kitchen. With no real prior plan, we had a sit down to determine where to hike the next day. We decided on tagging this peak, hoping for views, and continuing around to drop back to the valley, making for a horseshoe shaped hike. Off we set on the morning of May 27th, boarding the 7:06 bus to our drop off point. At first we were accompanied by the sound of traffic and distant gun shots(?), echoing off the cliff walls from the valley below. But then the views starting coming, and before we knew it we were yodeling through a tunnel and hugging a sheer cliff track, concentrating on not stumbling but also pretty secure with a hand line along this section. When we reached the plateau of Strudelkopf, we were blown away by the 360 degree views to rocky crags and magnificent mountains. We were also surprised at the number of people up there, hinting that there was an easier way; dogs, infants in backpacks, kids and seemingly unfit people adorning the slopes kinda gave us that impression. However, there was plenty of space for everyone and we found a nice mound to get our snack and coffee on (thanks to Björn for packing a thermos of hot water, which we enjoyed on every hike). We also finally determined where the Tre Cime peaks were, a bit off in the distance but impressive nonetheless. The Dolomites live up to the hype! We finally set off to the other side of the mountain, stopping for coffee and a cold drink along the way. This stretch was mostly on dirt road but still quite pleasant. This was a good day indeed, as rain had been in the forecast for the afternoon but never appeared. STATS: 9 miles (14.5 kilometers)/3,800’ (1160 meters) of climb.

*Junction sign in the Piccola Croda del Becco alpine*

DOBBIACO: Piccola Croda del Becco Circumnavigation Today (May 28th) we decided on a loop hike, starting at Pragser Wildsee (lake and resort) and climbing to the alpine in a clockwise direction. Both the climb and descent on either side of the mount were interesting, with cabled handlines in the morn and slippery scree/rock in the afternoon. The refuge near the high point was not yet open (what, no coffee!), but we still had an ambling trek over the alpine area, again with far reaching mountainous views. Björn had a sharp eye in spotting some ibex on the slopes above, along with the occasional marmot. Prior to the descent, we once again perched on a knoll and snacked on biscuits, sausage, cheese and coffee, having to secure items from the brisk wind. Then it was down the scree and through the lower meadow to finish the loop on the other side of the lake. We made it just in time to catch the next bus back to Dobbiaco. Today’s hike: 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) with 4,100’ (1250 meters) of climb.

THE END For our last day in Dobbiaco, we decided to play the tourist and caught a bus to Cortina, spending the day looking in shops, having snack on a rooftop bar, checking out the local attractions, having lunch on a quiet patio and just gawking. The next day would have me leaving first via train to Milan, and Björn leaving a few hours later for his home in Austria. Here’s what I texted his wife after we parted: “…just wanted you to know that Björn was a great hiking partner, both physically and in spirit. He may tell you otherwise, but two guys who barely know each other in close quarters for a week is a big risk, and I thoroughly enjoyed his company the whole time. He claims to be grumpy but he is a fine, thoughtful person so I know better. Thanks for lending him out for the week!”