On July 26, 2026, Manuel Agreiter turned sixty. To celebrate, he completed 60° Musicafe on Pala delle Guide, above the Franz Kostner Hut, together with his son Matteo. He had started opening the route several years earlier. The new route is called 60° Musicafe. The number naturally marks Manuel’s sixtieth birthday, while the second part …
A long-term perspective from a mountain guide who has spent four decades working in the Dolomites The Dolomites are not worse than they were. They are not “ruined.” But they are not the same. Over the past forty years, after thousands of days spent guiding on these mountains, I have slowly come to see how …
Few people today know the true story of Rifugio Popena and of Lino Conti, the man who conceived and built this Dolomites mountain refuge with his own hands. I must admit I didn’t know it either—until an unexpected phone call piqued my curiosity. A kind-voiced woman introduced herself as Mirella Conti and asked whether I …
At the top of Val Popena: a breathtaking panorama Destroyed by a fire and never rebuilt, the former Rifugio Popena is now reduced to a few ruins. Yet it still stands on a panoramic viewpoint above Val Popena, a place rich in history and unspoiled nature. This hidden corner of the Dolomites offers a great …
Best hikes in Misurina and surroundings There are many possible walks and hikes around Misurina, but if you’re looking for an unforgettable way to see the Dolomites, you can’t miss the climb to the ruins of the Popena refuge. Certainly, the one I am about to describe is one of the most beautiful hikes you …