Alps Hiking

A Hidden Valley It isn’t easy getting into Livigno Italy. And for most of the 18th and 19th centuries it was sealed off from the rest of the world and accessible only in the summer …

Continue reading “Summer and Winter: Smuggle Yourself into Livigno”

The third article in a Summer and Winter blog series of four. The single best hiking day on my 220-mile trek along the Via Alpina during the summer of 2019 was the traverse of the …

Continue reading “Summer and Winter: High on Melchsee-Frutt”

The second article in a Summer and Winter blog series of four. I’m on Google Maps right now and can see that our lodge in the remote Val Roseg is just five kilometers from St. …

Continue reading “Summer and Winter: Val Roseg, Escape in the Engadin”

First article in a Summer and Winter blog series of four. I had no idea what to expect on my first visit to the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park, set in the Dolomites in South Tirol, Italy. …

Continue reading “Summer and Winter: Prato Piazza. The Perfect Alpine Retreat”

14 Items You DON’T Need to Bring on a Trek in the Alps This will not be easy. But to make your trek more fun, you may want to pack light and leave some stuff …

Continue reading “What Not to Pack”

  I’ve heard it before. As soon I tell people that I’m going to Slovenia or hiking in Slovenia there’s a bit of a pause. Where exactly is Slovenia? Is it safe? Can you get …

Continue reading “10 Surprising Things About Traveling and Hiking in Slovenia”

Highlights on the Via Alpina There are so many highlights I can’t possibly do justice to them in one blog post. Here are my standout moments and undiscovered gems. I’m sure yours will be different: …

Continue reading “The Via Alpina 1 in Retrospect”

L’Etivaz to Montreux The final two stages, (Stage 18 and 19) of the Via Alpina pose some logistical challenges for most hikers. The designated route leaves something to be desired, and there are no accommodations …

Continue reading “Stage 18 & 19 – L’Etivaz to Montreux”