Classic Italian Dolomites with Yassine Diboun
The Dolomites are one of our favorite areas for trail running. Trails here are flowy and accessible, and the scenery includes impressive towering mountains, quiet villages and beautiful meadows where cows and horses graze.
We’re delighted to have Portland, Oregon’s Yassine Diboun joining this tour. As a top trail runner, and one of our community’s most wonderful and supportive people, Yassine inspires others to overcome challenges and set goals, as he has himself. With business partner Wille McBride, he created Wy’East Wolfpack, a fitness and trail running community in the Pacific Northwest. Yassine’s warm energy and enthusiasm is absolutely infectious.
Our point-to-point tour takes us through the Gardena and Funes valleys in the western Dolomites. Here, the Italian, Austrian, and ancient Ladin cultures intermingle in the small, scattered villages that dot this mountainous corner of Italy. We’ll trail run with light vests, as our bags are moved for us from village to village. One night at a high mountain lodge will require a slightly larger “fast packing” pack.
Our tour begins in the town of Ortisei, nestled in Val Gardena, in the heart of the UNESCO Dolomites World Heritage Area. There’s miles of great running radiating in every direction. For the first full day, we’ll warm up with a run above town, on alpine trails with incredible panoramic views. On this Level 2-3 tour, there are sometimes options for different route distances, and if you want to take it easy, we’ll have two optional rest days. Most days finish mid-afternoon, giving time to wash up, relax, and just gaze upon the panorama from your room’s balcony. Later, we’ll enjoy dinner together at our hotel restaurants. These are multi-course affairs, often featuring delicious local Austrian and Italian specialties.
Header photos: Mark Brightwell, Martina Valmassoi
