Page 29 - 2013 AMA Spring

Exercise
CoCkney AlTA viA
15 – 26 Sept 2012
By Major Paul Green
The Dolomites may not be the largest mountain range in Europe and nor are their mountains massive when compared to the giants of neighbouring Austria and Switzerland but they have a beauty, variety and uniqueness that is almost unrivalled. So it was on the evening of Friday 14 September, that the group assembled at a TA Centre in Kingston Upon Thames where kit was issued and briefings were delivered before the group retired to the bar with talk of the great adventure that was to follow the next day.
256 (City of London) Field Hospital (Volunteers) annual summer mountaineering expedition was to trek along the Alta Via Route 1 with an aim of completing the route in nine days as opposed to the usual eleven, carrying all kit and equipment and staying overnight in mountain refuges (Rifugio). AV1 is a linear 150km high level foot- path running north to south through the Eastern Dolomites, set in some of the most stunning and spectacular scenery in the world. It is a particularly challenging route as it is at altitude, largely above 2000m. It is also famous as it is a region of several Via Ferrates (Iron Way Routes) from WWI and much evidence of that conflict could be seen.
The team consisted of 13 members of 256 Field Hospital and an extra Mountain Leader, Maj Ian Helmrich from 3 Medical Regt; ranging in rank from LCpl to Major and ages from mid-twenties to late fifties. The team had a varied breadth of mountaineering experience and in their civilian lives covered all aspects of NHS
healthcare with medics, a nurse, physiotherapist, environmental health officers, radiographer and doctors.
By lunchtime on Saturday 15th September, we had arrived at Innsbruck courtesy of Easyjet and took a privately hired coach for the two hour drive to a drop off point just short of our first nights’ accommodation at Rifugio Vallandro, in the Dolomites which, shares the same site with a WW1 Austrian fort. SSgt Kev Rob- inson who, in the winter, is a ski guide and resort manager in St Anton, organised the transport through a deal with a private coach firm which saved a considerable amount of time over public trans- port and from leaving the TA Centre in the morning it was almost a seamless and effortless travel experience.
All were surprised by the affect of altitude; travelling from almost sea level that morning to 2040m in the evening had everyone puff- ing after a little physical exertion during a short stroll to Rif Val- landro, from the coach drop off point. The Rifugio lived up to its reputation of being one of the best privately run rifugio with its good accommodation and food in this heavily German influenced part of the Dolomites. The views to be seen that evening were incredible.
The start point from Rif Vallandro was the only deviation from the official AV1 route which traditionally starts at a hotel by the lake of Lago di Braise, near the town of Dobbiaco. Starting from Rif Val- lando, located on another long distance footpath route AV3, made
Monte Pelmo
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 27