The first mission of the north Italy journey. The weather wasn't what we expected and, at first, I was quite demotivated by it. With the increasing elevation, beautiful views and good company - my mindset quickly changed and I realized the rain never prevented me from having a good time. Admittedly, Matt and checkmate weren't as prepared for the wet and cold as I was and the final push through the snow was more fun for me then it was for them. Near the end, after about four hours of hiking we were exhausted and, with the snowstorm increasing, we made it just in time to our shelter. Dry socks and warm food were a well-deserved reward, plus the metal-chain mattresses we found in the attic were a very pleasant surprise. The gorgeous mountaintop views of the morning were waiting for us as we slept calmly through the night.