Translagorai: The Wild Traverse of the Lagorai Range

A few dozen kilometres from the most famous Dolomites, where cable cars carry thousands of people before the pink walls, there is a mountain that has chosen to remain wild. The Lagorai range, in eastern Trentino, is made of dark porphyry rather than pale dolomite, and this very geological difference has spared it intensive tourist development. No big ski resorts on the main ridges, very few equipped refuges, long stretches without water or dense signposting: the Translagorai is the traverse that crosses all this, and it's one of the most authentic experiences in the eastern Alpine arc.

The route

The itinerary runs along the spine of the range, keeping high on the ridges for several days of walking. It unfolds in the heart of the Lagorai, between eastern Trentino and the borders of the Valsugana and the Fiemme and Fassa valleys. The route touches some of the group's iconic places: the Passo Manghen, an important pass that cuts across the range and serves as a logistical support point, the areas of the numerous alpine lakes set among the porphyry rocks, and the still-visible traces of the Great War, with trenches, gun positions, and communication paths that crossed these ridges a century ago. It's a succession of ups and downs over saddles and passes, with panoramas stretching as far as the Dolomiti di Fiemme and the Lagorai massif itself.

The feature that defines this traverse is the almost total absence of facilities. Unlike the Dolomites, where each evening you reach a refuge with a kitchen and beds, here you rely largely on unmanaged bivouacs and a few alpine huts, and along many stretches you must be self-sufficient. This radically changes the approach: it takes experience, navigation skills, gear for sleeping and for handling bad weather, and an honest assessment of your own strength. It's precisely this natural selection that keeps the Lagorai silent: those seeking comfort go elsewhere, and on the ridges remain the walkers accustomed to the bare mountains.

How to get there

To reach the area, the main support points are the towns of the Valsugana and the Fiemme valleys, accessible from the Trentino valley floor. The Passo Manghen is a convenient reference because you can reach it by road, and it lets you break up the traverse, arrange a return, or resupply. Once at altitude, though, you move only on your own legs: there are no lifts to shorten the days, and the connections between one side and the other are long. Planning water resupply points and any descents back to the valley in advance is an essential part of the journey.

When to go

The suitable period is high summer and early autumn, from July to September, when the passes are free of snow and the bivouacs can be reached safely. Even in these months the Lagorai stays little frequented compared to the nearby Dolomite groups: the absence of comfortable refuges and lifts keeps the big numbers away. September, with days still fairly long and clear air, is perhaps the finest moment, but you need to keep an eye on the first temperature drops at altitude and the shortening daylight.

Traces of the Great War

There is also a historical dimension that accompanies every step. During the First World War these ridges were a front line, and even today you come across trenches carved into the porphyry, ruins of barracks, and communication paths that resurface among the mountain pines. To proceed along the spine of the Lagorai means to cross a landscape bearing the scars of the past, made even more powerful by the silence that envelops it.

A practical and necessary tip: don't improvise. This is a traverse for experienced hikers, so set out with proper maps, check the weather forecast carefully because storms on the ridge are dangerous and there are no quick shelters, and always plan escape routes to the valley in case of need. Carry a supply of water and know where to refill it, because along the porphyry ridges springs are not everywhere. Approached with respect, the Lagorai gives back something that has become rare in the crowded Dolomites: the absolute silence of the mountains.

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