Dolomites Spring 2025

It is my longest visit to the Dolomites, yet. The excitement about what to discover with more time than ever, new equipment and full health was of the charts. It's a time in my life where once everythings seems to be fine and sorted out.
I changed job and I have about a month in between, which I used for a vacation with my kids and this 2 week-long photography and outdoor adventure to the Friulan Dolomites. I got a new vehicle with 4 wheel drive that is capable of bringing me to places haven't been bale to go before. My health, especially my knee is at least temporarily fine, which enables me to hike little bit more. I also bought a used drone. Initially I bought it for my son so that he can join me on some of my photography trips. But as I'm on a solo trip right now, I will use it instead. We first tried it together in Denmark but I was very curious what the drone will allow me to see in the mountains. Of course it is extra weight and it takes up place in the backpack. But after the trial I was aware of how much more I could capture when I take the drone with me. I also liked the idea to capture video footage and release a video  about my trip to the Dolomites afterwards.  I also wanted to shoot some products that I got send from the outdoor brand Alpin Loacker. I had several books with me and I wanted to do this journal for my blog.

With so much potential and excitement it is important not to get carried away as it can lead to disappoinment in the end.
I'm starting this journal today. It's Sunday, May 3rd and it's my 5th day in the Dolomites. As always my home base is Cimolais, my families hometown in the Friulan Dolomites. Last year I started to focus on the Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane which is only accessible through Cimolais. It's a lesser known part of the Dolomites, breathtakingly beautiful but with much less tourists.

The first-day-funk really hit hard this time. I was tired because I drove all night, had no sleep and again I was thinking of this huge opportunity with 2 weeks off and so much potential to shoot. I wasn't confident that I would be able to make the best out of this trip. It took a good night sleep for my mood to change.
My families home is old, but for the exact same reason it is also full of childhood memories. Everytime I get into the kitchen and have my first breakfast with salami and formaggio I feel happy. It  really does not take much more. For the first day I had plans to visit 2 locations in the park and to try out the drone.
My first real adventure was planned for the following day. I was a national holiday and so I had to avoid the easily accessible locations as they would be packed with people.
So I chose to hike deeper into the park and to the Val dell Inferno.
I found a composition and subject on my last years hike through the valley but I had only limited time to dial in the settings and refine my composition as I was hiking with a nice couple that I met on my way up to the valley the day before. This time I came back with an intend to shoot the location with the  time and focus that was needed. I planned for  a 24 hour shooting. So I packed all my photography and camping gear and went for a hike. I arrived at noon. The weather did not look promissing  and so I had time to look for the perfect camping spot. I set up camp and then I made myself comfortable at the photo location and waited for the sunset.  To make a long story short: I enjoyed the hell out of the camping  and photography side of things although the conditions could have been much better. Same counts for the morning shoot. It's the problem that most photographers and maybe only photographers have. The weather was too good. No signs of clouds anywhere :-)
The drone was perfect for the times between shootings. Especially in this location I could fly the drone 1-2 kilometers down the valley to look behind the corner (in this case a massive mountain) and shoot this as well. It's like being able to be at two places at the same time.

Inbetween shoots I set up camp. I fell in love with this place so much that I returned 2 more times in the next days. I also liked the idea of being persistent and to come back to locations several times to be able to capture the best moments in different conditions.


The second location was the Campanile di val Montanaia. I would say that this may be my favourite place in the world. On my way up the mountain always feel a little anxious as with every hiker that overtakes me the chnace of getting a free bed in the bivacco gets smaller. Luckily i always get a bed in the bivacco. This time I I shared our accomodation with 4 other people. As always I'm blown away by the opportunity to meet new people that are like-minded in terms of hiking and outdoor enthusiasm. But other than that we are completely different. Nevertheless we always enjoy each others company. The one's who have red another one of my blogs probably know already that I seek solitude on my hikes, but i never regretted once meeting people on my hikes. 
I was looking forward to letting the drone fly and for the first time being able to see whats behind the mountain ridges that circle the Campanile. 
I wasn't let down. I experienced an amazing sunset and sunrise and some of my best images I got because of the drone.

Another micro-adventure I had in mind was to sleep in my car at the Passo Giau. Normally I sleep in my car on the way into the Dolomites or on my last night on my way out. This time I wanted to try out my new set up in my new car. I managed to get a comfortable sleeping arey  of 130 x 170 cm.  I also brought my tent with me as an alternative but the wetaher was so brutal that this wasn't an option. When I arrived at Passo Giau I was all on my own.  This must have been a result of the terrible weather as this place is one of the most famouse locations in the Dolomites.
So in the middle of a rain-snow storm I parked my car and got comfortable for the night. I hoped for less fog and clouds in the morning and I wasn't disappointed at all. Still, I was on all on my own and the clouds cleared enough for me to able to take some shots.

The rest of the vacation was characterized by rain. I made the best out of it and was greatful for the intense and fresh green colours of the spring foliage. With the rain also came hundrets of waterfalls all around the Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane.