Rifugio Baion

Rifugio Baion (full name Rifugio Baion – Elio Boni, German: Baion-Hütte) is a mountain hut owned and operated by the Domegge di Cadore section of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), Italy's national alpine club. It sits at 1,826 metres above sea level on the wide alpine pastures of Col de San Pietro, within the municipality of Domegge di Cadore in the Province of Belluno, Veneto. The hut lies in the heart of the Marmarole group, part of the Cadorine Dolomites, and is a traditional stop on the Dolomites High Route No. 5 (Alta Via delle Dolomiti n. 5). The building began life as a Sennalm (alpine dairy hut) built between 1892 and 1893 and farmed until 1962. The CAI section converted the former working building into a mountain hut, which opened in 1971; the original stables also survive. The hut was modernised in 1990 and is dedicated to Elio Boni, a former alpinist and mayor of Domegge di Cadore. It typically opens from June to the end of October and offers 24 beds plus a winter room with 10 places. As a commercial hospitality brand, Rifugio Baion sells accommodation, traditional mountain food and drink, and information/services for hikers and climbers. Its website promotes rooms, Cadorina cuisine, excursions, climbing and the surrounding Dolomites, and it hosts cultural events such as art exhibitions. Access is on foot from several trailheads in the Cadore valley, including Domegge di Cadore (hamlets of Grea and Deppo), Calalzo di Cadore, Lozzo di Cadore and Auronzo di Cadore, and it is also reachable by a historic road built before World War I by Italian engineer troops. Neighbouring huts include Rifugio Ciaréido and Rifugio Chiggiato. The hut remains an active, seasonal alpine hospitality business under CAI ownership, serving hikers on the Marmarole trails and the Alta Via 5.

The building that now houses Rifugio Baion was originally a Sennalm, an alpine dairy hut, constructed between 1892 and 1893 on the Col de San Pietro pastures. It was operated as a working alpine farm until 1962. The site lies in the municipality of Domegge di Cadore, in the Province of Belluno, within the Marmarole group of the Cadorine Dolomites. After the dairy ceased operation, the Domegge di Cadore section of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) converted the former working building into a mountain hut. Rifugio Baion opened in 1971. The original stables beside the main building were preserved. The hut was modernised in 1990 and was dedicated to Elio Boni, a former alpinist and mayor of Domegge di Cadore; its full name is Rifugio Baion – Elio Boni. Access to the hut has historical significance: a road leading to it from Lozzo di Cadore was built before World War I by Italian engineer troops (Genietruppen), serving among other purposes as an armouring road for the Forte Col Vidal fortification of the Cadore defensive group. Today the hut is a stop on the Dolomites High Route No. 5 and is reached mainly on foot from several trailheads in the Cadore valley. The hut typically opens from June to the end of October and has 24 beds plus a winter room with 10 places. It continues to operate as a seasonal alpine hospitality business under CAI ownership, offering accommodation, traditional Cadorina cuisine and services for hikers and climbers, and hosting cultural events such as art exhibitions.

• 1990

  The hut is modernised and dedicated to Elio Boni.

• 1971

  Rifugio Baion opens after CAI Section Domegge di Cadore converts the former Sennalm into a mountain hut.

• 1962

  The Sennalm ceases dairy operations.

• 1893

  The Sennalm is completed and begins operation.

• 1892

  Construction of the Sennalm (alpine dairy hut) on Col de San Pietro begins.

A traditional, family-run CAI mountain hut in the Marmarole Dolomites, positioned for hikers, climbers and nature lovers seeking authentic Cadorina hospitality and access to high alpine trails.

• Mountain hut accommodation (24 beds)

• Winter room (10 places)

• Traditional Cadorina cuisine

• Hiking and climbing information/services

1. 1Rifugio Baion - Marmarole (official website)rifugiobaion.it
2. 2Rifugio Baion - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Rifugio Baion - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org