The “Incontri d’Alt(r)a Quota” festival of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation returns to World Heritage mountain huts

Since summer 2017, the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation has organised the cultural festival “Incontri d’Alt(r)a Quota” [High-Altitude Encounters of Another Kind], exploring the World Heritage Site from multiple perspectives, and generating connections between the different professional figures working in and around the mountains.

The festival is organised by the Foundation in close collaboration with managers of the mountain huts that host it. Events involves a trek in the area around the mountain hut. Participants will be led by an Alpine Guide or Medium Mountain Guide and an excellent guide to discuss the main theme of the day.

2017 edition

Philosopher Vito Mancuso, mountaineers Nives Meroi and Romano Benet and climber Maurizio Zanolla (Manolo) were featured in 2017, at the Rifugio Roda di Vaèl, Rifugio Pordenone and Rifugio Città di Fiume, respectively.

2018 edition

In 2018, Rifugio Galassi hosted an event with writers Alan and Susan Boyle, and Rifugio Dal Piaz, at Vette Feltrine, hosted a taste experience offered by chef Alessandro Gilmozzi and World Heritage Site Quality Producers.

2019 edition

In summer 2019, the wild herbs of the Dolomites took centre stage in a culinary workshop with chef Alessandro Gilmozzi at Rifugio Berti and great photographer Moreno Geremetta led a two-day photo-trek in the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, with stopover at Rifugio Pian De Fontana. Summer 2019 ended with a literary hike on the Pale di San Martino plateau, with writer Matteo Melchiorre and musician Nelso Salton offering an engaging presentation at Rifugio Pradidali.

2020 edition

Due to the pandemic, in 2020 only one event was held, focused on geology. This featured geotrekking to Rifugio Cava Buscada with geologists from MUSE and the Dolomiti Friulane Natural Park.

2021 edition

The following summer saw events with writer Matteo Righetto, offering a writing workshop along trails leading to Rifugio Città di Fiume, with chef Alessandro Gilmozzi, offering a cookery workshop at Rifugio Pordenone, and with Silvia De Bastiani, who gave a painting demonstration at Rifugio Antermoia.

2022 edition

In summer 2022, writer Matteo Righetto was at Rifugio Falier for a literary trek and collective reflection on the Marmolada tragedy that happed on 3 July that year. The geotrekking to discover the Val d’Ambiez and leading to Rifugio Agostini was cancelled due to bad weather. The festival ended in September with a Photography workshop between the Sciliar and Catinaccio massifs, hosted at Rifugio Alpe di Tires with photographer Moreno Geremetta.

2023 edition

The events initially featured the Brenta Dolomites on 1 September with a geotrekking excursion in Val d’Ambiez, toward the Rifugio Agostini (Trento). The participants, with the support of the new World Heritage geology portal and the Dolomites World Heritage Geotrail, immersed themselves in the geological history of the Dolomites accompanied by geologists from the Adamello Brenta Natural Global Geopark and the MUSE – Trento Science Museum. The second event, “On the Trails of Mountaineers in the Pale di San Martino”, took place 2,571 metres above sea level at Rifugio Mulaz (Belluno) on 8 September. In partnership with the G. Angelini Foundation and Alpine Guide Luca Vallata, we presented the “People and Mountains” project, implemented in collaboration with the Library of the SAT (Tridentine Mountaineering Society) and with the support of the Caritro Foundation.

This activity is part of the project “Promotion of the region through integrated management and communication actions of the UNESCO Dolomites WHS”, established with the support of Fondo Comuni Confinanti.