Day 1: Plose Bergstation-Plosehütte
Today starts the Dolomites Alta Via 2 which will bring me through the western dolomites from north to south covering some distance between 150 and 200km. I’ll expecting to include some detours due to the massive snowfall during the winter (which is reported as the strongest of the past 20 years in the Dolomites) and to include some personal highlights on the route. I’ll carry a full packed 60l backpack with tent, sleeping bag, cooking set, camera equipment and mountaineering equipment (crampons, ice-axe, via ferrata kit) which sums up to a weight over 20kg. To climatize my body to the physical requirements of the next 3 weeks I spent 4 warm-up days in the Catinaccio group and alpe di Siusi (adding another 25km to the itinerary). I am looking forward to some epic adventures during my time in the western Dolomites. 
When leaving Compatsch in Alpe Siusi for my transfer towards the starting point of the Alta Via 2 blue sky and perfect outdoor weather marks the setting. Different public buses take me from Alpe Siusi to Kastelruth, Brixen and finally to the Cable-Car to get up to the startingpoint on 2000m. Visitors to the Plose mountain are welcomed by a picture perfect panorama of the Odle group (Geislerspitzen) one of the touristic waypoints of Alto Adige (Südtirol). The walk from the Plose station to the Plosehütte is short but constantly uphill. The sun is burning without mercy and no clouds are spending shade to hikers. I am happy to arrive at the Plosehütte after a little bit more than 1h of walking time for the close to 3km distance and the altitude difference of 400m. The walk itself leads trough a popular ski area so no beauty contest winner is to expect. I’ll be the only overnight guest as this mountain house mainly hosts Alta Via 2 hikers and the season will not start before july this year. So I am unlikely to meet any fellow alta via 2 hikers but you’ll never know or walk alone.
Day 2: Plosehütte-Peitlerscharte-Schlütterhütte-Gampenalm
The day starts early at around 4:30 to catch the first twilight and sunrays to the Odles group through the viewfinder of my cameras. I am carrying two cameras, 4 lenses and one tripod. Non-Photography Addicts won’t understand as a smartphone serves the purpose, too and this equipment easily adds 6kg to the carrying weight which will be felt every single step for the days and weeks to come. To my self defence I want to point out that the temptation yo carry a analog film camera could be resisted by the narrator.
Afterwards a tasty breakfast was served and I leave the Plosehütte behind walking towards the Peitlerscharte which can already be seen in the distance and is still covered in snow. A circumstance which worried me at first sight but later the day I’ll be learning that even families with children make it over it so completely doable for anyone. The first 6km bring me downhill into the Kreuztal valley which leads up to the Kreuzjoch. Having reached the lowest point on an altitude of 1850m I walk uphill 2km uphill on the pass road before the walking trail splits towards the Peitlerscharte. It goes steep uphill next to the river Schartenbach. The last 200m of altitude difference are crossed over a big snowfield until the highest point on 2350m is reached. A 6-year old girl from the german east sea runs up in front of me and marks the reference. Once on top the path continues keeping the altitude to the Schlütterhütte (Rifugio Genova) and descends again to the Gamperalm on 2050m. The official Alta Via 2 route stops on the Schlütterhütte but it is still closed and I want to visit one my favourite places in the Dolomites which is located down the valley. On the