It’s 2 in the afternoon on another beautiful cloudless Corvara day. I am sitting in my room with the window wide open and my shoes and socks off to let my sore feet air out. Dad and I just got back from hiking down the mountain from the Franz Kostner Hutte on the Piz Boe. I wanted to make sure and write a blog post in the afternoon as I am thrilled to say my dear friend Mckenzie Lewis got in touch with Amanda last night and told her to let me know he is driving up from Rome with his recently married bride Carlyn to come for a one night visit. I know we will likely do some adult socializing this evening and chances are I may not get to writing.
I woke to a text from Amanda letting me know Mac was coming and after breakfast I gave him a call and he told me he hoped to arrive about 3pm and for us to do whatever we had planned to do. Dad and I decided to take the Boe gondola up the mountain and have a hike as, although the motorcycling has been more than excellent, people around here take hiking very seriously and it would be a shame if we did not share in the experience while we were here.
After breakfast I went outside to get some video of the Sellaronda Bike Day that was happening all throughout this area. From 8:30am to 3:30pm they were closing all the major passes out of Corvara to motorized traffic for bicyclists to enjoy a car, bus and motorcycle free day. Dirk had told us that some 10,000 or so cyclists would descend upon the area and he was not kidding. It was amazing. By 8:30 when we were leaving to hike I had already seen 1000’s of cyclists ride past on the way up to the Passo Campolongo and as we got higher up on the mountain we could begin to grasp the sheer numbers. It is now 2:30 and there is still and hour left and throngs of cyclists are still passing by the La Fontana. One of the best parts of the day is that it is so quiet in town and especially up on the mountain. Only the sound of the breeze and birds to be heard. I am sure if the motorcyclists were out we’d be able to hear their engines way up on the hill so it was the most perfect day to pick for a hike.
At the top of the gondola we paused briefly for some views before getting on the double Vallon lift which took us about midway up the Piz Boe. The Piz Boe is a typical Dolomite mountain in that it is simply massive and rises alone out of the valley floor. From the top of the lift most hiking would require crampons in the snow or technical climbing gear and skills. The area was similar to the boulder field yesterday only flatter where we were and easier to move around in. It was a complete moonscape surrounded by snow, giant boulders and high peaks with views that seemed to stretch forever. I felt very small. The next time my mother says “get up in the airplane” to remind me how insignificant my problems can be I will translate that to say “get up on the Piz Boe.” As Dad said, it was a religious experience being there.
We hiked to the small Franz Kostner Hutte and signed the guestbook and took a couple of silly pictures. There were a number of other hikers there of all different ages and nationalities. I saw a large jutting knoll about 10 minutes away and we made the hike over to it for dramatic views. This was where I would build a rock cairn in memory of my brother. It was a very nice moment.
Dad and I did not take the easy or trail oriented route down. This area was so exposed you could sort of make your own way down and that is just what we did, climbing up and down boulders and rock outcroppings, all the while enjoying the miraculous views and pausing ever so often to admire the high mountain wildflowers. When we got to the ski run under the lift things got steeper and the only footing was over loose shale. We clung to the safety netting for part of the way down, and then shale schussed the rest of the way. It was thrilling.
The area we chose for lunch may have been the best yet. It was a beautiful pond in the bottom of a large cirque with crystal clear deep blue water and thick ice still in the middle. We sat on a grassy ridge just above the pond and made sandwiches with the bread, meat and cheese we bought in town before the gondola ride. It was incredibly relaxing and peaceful.
Although Dad had purchased round trip tickets on the gondola (not knowing what it would be like up there) we decided to hike down the mountain into town. My feet were already hurting as I only had my low hiking boots with me and the shale schussing had done a number on my feet, but it was only an hour walk down about 800 vertical feet along what seemed to be the most wonderful ski trail. I’ve said it before, I must come back here and ski. It simply has to be amazing. 
Below the Gondola, you drop back into the tree line and the walk down was green and filled with yellow and purple wild flowers. I took a risk and filled my water bottle from a mountain stream but the water was so cold and clear I just couldn’t resist. When we hit the bottom we were only a very short walk back to the La Fontana and here I now sit, writing this and thinking about a nap before Mac arrives. It is still extremely quiet out my window with only the sound of bicycle gears shifting and wheels spinning. What a perfect day.
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