History

On 19th October 1913, it was established the military shelter for alpine troops drills, built around 1903/1905 along the Yellow Line, named after Pietro Galassi, lieutenant of the 8th Alpini Regiment who died from disease in Lybia in May 1913. The barracks which hosted 250 men and 10 beasts of burden along with a wooden observation point holding 16 men remained active until 1928, year in which it was dismissed and abandoned.

In the 30s “Pietro Galassi” shelter is managed by the Pieve di Cadore section of CAI and from 1933, although not consecutively, by the couple Marco Moretti “Moro” and Celina Zugliani from Calalzo. In 1938 it was given back to the military.

In 1950 the shelter was entrusted to CAI associates from Mestre, who inaugurated it the very same year and managed the now mountain inn consecutively until the 60s. It was refurbished in 1967 and in 1973.

Since 1970 the Rifugio is a pride to the CAI section of Mestre, particularly thanks to the great display of volunteering and altruism which happens every year. Around 100 associates alternate with each other for weekly shifts without any kind of salary, giving their time to manage the structure all summer long. A special board in the section is dedicated to the management of ordinary and extraordinary maintenance, economic and administrative issues and shifts planning. The Rifugio is opened from the beginning of June until late September and can host up to 100 people.

It is interesting to note that in the guide “The Eastern Alps” by Karl Baedeker, published in London in 1895, the “inn” was already mentioned, being reachable from San Vito di Cadore with a three hours walk. Despite this, in the local publishing “L’Alpigiano” (n. 17, 18/05/1895) it is written that the San Vito community rejected the project proposed by CAI associates from Venice, consisting in “building on the hideous slopes of Antelao a shelter of some importance”.