The Golden Gate Hiking Group

Shenandoah NP is large National Park in Virginia.
We'll stay in Luray town that is gateway to Shenandoah.
Commute is simple: Fly to Washington Dulles airport ( direct Unites flight from SFO arrives around 4PM ) , rent car , drive 1,5 hour to Luray. It is probably better to buy Air tickets between Jan and March.
Luray lodging is easy, so far I see big selection of Airbnb rentals and hotels , but I recommend to book it now. It is very popular place.
Please let me know if you want to be carpool driver. I want to limit our group by 3 cars ( 12 people).
Everybody goes on waiting list first. To get RSVP you need present your lodging reservation and have history of hikes with me.
If you never hiked with me then join my Sunday hikes or get recommendations from hikers that I know well.
Everybody must arrive in Luray on Wednesday May 20 and we meet for dinner and orientation in Il Vesuvio Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (402 W Main St, Luray, VA 22835) at 7pm.
Our hikes ( I have a book that describes 50 hikes in Shenandoah, it was hard to pick the best and I may change my mind ) :
Thu. Hike 1: Central District: Start point: Fishers' gap outlook ( 45min drive) . Length 11.5 miles, 2650 ft elev. gain . Most interesting points: Appalachian trail, Hawksbill mountain, Rose River Falls
Fri. Hike 2: South District: Start point : BigRun Overlook (1h 10min drive) 10.5 miles, 2710 ft elev. gain . Most interesting points: Big Run loop South and North, new section of Appalachian trail, Jone Run falls, Lower and Upper Doyles River falls
Sat. Hiker 3: Central District: Start point: Dark Hollow Parking area ( 50min drive) 8.5 miles, 2303 t elev. gain . Most interesting points: Dark Hollow Falls, Rose River Falls, Fishers Gap Overlook, new section of Appalachian trail, Lewis Spring Falls.
Sun. Hike 4: North District: Start Point: Thompson Hollow parking area ( 20min drive) 8 miles, 2000 ft elev. gain Interesting points: Stream waterfalls, Beecher Ridge trail, Overall Run falls, Rock Formations.

Short trip idea:
3 hikes in Val Gardena area, 1 day Bolzano tour, 3 hikes Misurina - Cortina area, 1.5 day Venice tour ( optional)
Our transportation will be rent cars ( ideally 4 travelers per car), so if you decide to join this trip let me know if you open to be carpool driver. Remember you'll need to drive on narrow mountain roads.
For now I have 2 people that will be carpool drivers, so we can cover extra 6 people. But your accommodations must be close to driver's accommodations plus your flight schedule must match.
If you decide to join then you have to book accommodations . Only after I'll give you RSVP. If you never hiked with me you have to join my one of my Sunday hike .
The easiest and maybe the cheapest commute is fly to Venice and rent car there. It is 3.5 hour drive to our first destination.
Our start point will be town/village Siusi ( Seis am Schlern in German), it is a place of largest alpine meadow in Europe. We all must be there Aug 21 before 7pm. We'll stay there 5 nights.
I booked hotel Garni (Hauenstein ( Via Kohlstatt 2, 39100 Siusi, Italy ) through booking.com.
Day 1 Hike 1 ( Sat Aug 22): from Orticelli ( Ladin village) The Rasciesa Ridge, 9.5 miles 750 ft elev. gain . Alternative is start from Seceda mt - 11 miles , 2550 ft elev. gain
Day2 : ( Sun Aug23) Hike 2 from Siusu 8.2 miles 3068 ft elev.gain Alpe di Siusi Circuit
Day 3 ( Mon Aug24): Rest day - Bolzano tour
Day 4 ( Tue 25) . Dolomites Latemar Labyrinth 7.7 miles elev. gain 1975ft
Day 5 ( Wed 26) Rest day and drive to Misurina . I booked room in Grand Hotel Misurina.
Day 6 ( Thu 27) Hike from Misurina. Val Popena 7.1 miles, 2871 ft elev.gain
Day 7 ( Fri 28 ) Hike from Rifugio Auronzo ( 7km from Misurina) Three Peaks ( The tre Cimeof Lavaredo Loop ) 7.9 miles, 2100 elev. gain
Day 8 ( Sat 29) Hike from Cortina , The Cinque Torri 7.3 miles, 2630 ft elev. gain. Cortina exploration after hike
Day 9 (Sun 30) early morning drive to Venice. Afternoon tour of Venice
day 10 ( Mon 31) Venice morning tour. Late evening flight back to SFO
feel free send message and call me if you have any questions . I will appreciate your suggestion how this trip can be improved or better hiking ideas, but I reserve my right not accept your suggestions.