The Drei Zinnen in autumn

The Drei Zinnen are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a magnet for tourists, hikers, climbers or photographers from all over the world. Therefore, don’t expect solitude. You can drive to the Auronzo Hut at 2,300 metres above sea level and can also stay overnight there by bus, camper van or similar. A stop at Lago Antorno is worthwhile. A toll or parking fee of EUR 30 (car, van, bus) to EUR 45 (motorhomes) per day is charged; for overnight stays and arrival before 7 pm, two days are counted – that’s quite a hefty price. Nevertheless, on fine days, the large car park is overflowing. If you move a little away from the main paths and choose less frequented times, you can still experience quiet and magical moments. The charisma and grandeur of the famous rock towers remain despite all the hustle and bustle.

In autumn, the sun’s path is so far south that the famous north faces no longer receive direct sunlight. This makes them appear even more forbidding and threatening in the shade. You can experience this on a hike over the Paternsattel to the Drei Zinnen Hut or on the entire circuit of the Drei Zinnen. In contrast, the southern flanks of the striking rock towers with their characteristic rock bands glow in the morning and evening twilight.

In the clear night, with the towering walls of the Westliche Zinne at my back, I look from my overnight parking spot above the Auronzo Hut in the bright moonlight at an impressive panorama of the neighbouring peaks and mountain groups with promising names. Besides the Sesto Dolomites, there’s the Cristallo Massif, Marmarole, the Pragser Dolomites with the Hohe Gaisl, and especially the steep rock pinnacles of the Cadini group directly to the south.