Dolomites Totally Explained

Everything about Dolomite Alps totally explained

| image=Marmolata.JPG | image_caption=Marmolada | country=Italy | region_type=Province | region=Belluno | region1=Bolzano-Bozen | region2=Trento | unit=Alps |border= | geology=Sedimentary rocks, including dolomite, and volcanics| period=Mostly Triassic | orogeny=Alpine | area= | length=| length_orientation= | width= | width_orientation= | highest=Marmolada | highest_elevation=3343 | highest_lat_d=46|highest_lat_m=26|highest_lat_s=|highest_lat_NS=N | highest_long_d=11|highest_long_m=51|highest_long_s=|highest_long_EW=E | map= Dolomiten.png | map_caption=Location of the Dolomites in the Eastern Alps }} The Dolomites (; ; ) are a section of the Alps. They are located 70% in the provinces of Belluno, the rest in the provinces of Bolzano-Bozen, and Trento (all in north-eastern Italy) and extend from the Adige river in the west to the Piave valley (Pieve di Cadore) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley (Val Pusteria) and the Sugana Valley (Val Sugana).

History

During the First World War the line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces ran through the Dolomites. There are open air war museums at Cinque Torri (Five Towers) and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit the Dolomites to climb the Vie ferrate. These are protected paths which were first created in the Dolomites during the First World War. A number of long distance footpaths run across the Dolomites, which are called "Alte vie" (for example, high paths). Such long trails, which are numbered from 1 to 8, require at least a week to be walked through and are served by numerous "Rifugi" (huts). The first and, perhaps, most renowned is the Alta Via 1.

Geomorphology

The region is commonly divided into the Western and Eastern Dolomites, separated by a line following the Val Badia - Campolongo pass - Cordevole valley (Agordino) axis. The range includes more than forty glaciers.

Origin of the name

The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu who was the first to describe the rock, dolomite, a type of carbonate rock which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and colour of these mountains.

Tourism

A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for skiing in the winter months and mountain climbing, daily excursions, climbing and Base Jumping, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn. Free climbing has been a tradition in the Dolomites since 1887, when 17-year-old Georg Winkler soloed the first ascent of the pinnacle Die Vajolettürme The main centres include: Rocca Pietore alongside the Marmolada glacier, which lies on the border of the Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto regions, the small towns of Alleghe, Falcade, Auronzo, Cortina d'Ampezzo, and the villages of Arabba, Ortisei and San Martino di Castrozza, as well as the whole of the Fassa, Gardena and Badia Valleys.

Major Peaks

Name	metres	feet	Name	metres	feet
Marmolada	3344	10,972	Pale di San Martino	2996	9831
Antelao	3264	10,706	Rosengartenspitze / Catinaccio	2981	9781
Tofana di Mezzo	3241	10,633	Marmarole	2961	9715
Punta Sorapis	3229	10,594	Cima di Fradusta	2941	9649
Monte Civetta	3220	10,564	Monte Agner	2872	9416
Vernel	3145	10,319	Fermedaturm	2867	9407
Monte Cristallo	3199	10,496	Cima d'Asta	2848	9344
Cima di Vezzana	3191	10,470	Cima di Canali	2846	9338
Cimon della Pala	3186	10,453	Croda Grande	2839	9315
Langkofel / Sassolungo	3181	10,427	Vajoletturm / Torri del Vajolet (highest)	2821	9256
Pelmo	3169	10,397	Sass Maor	2816	9239
Dreischusterspitze	3162	10,375	Cima di Ball	2783	9131
Boespitze / Piz Boè (Sella group)	3152	10,342	Cima della Madonna (Sass Maor)	2751	9026
Croda Rossa (Hohe Gaisl)	3148	10,329	Rosetta	2741	8993
Piz Popena	3143	10,312	Croda da Lago	2716	8911
Elferkofel	3115	10,220	Central Grasleitenspitze	2705	8875
Grohmannspitze (Langkofel)	3111	10,207	Sciliar	2562	8406
Zwölferkofel	3091	10,142	Sasso di Mur	2554	8380
Sass Rigais (Geislerspitzen)	3027	9932	Cima delle Dodici	2338	7671
Tre Cime di Lavaredo	3003	9853	Monte Pavione	2336	7664
Kesselkogel (Rosengarten)	3001	9846	Cima di Posta	2235	7333
Fünffingerspitze	2997	9833	Monte Pasubio	2232	7323

Major Passes

Name	meters	feet
Passo d' Ombretta (Campitello to Caprile), foot path	2738	8983
Langkofeljoch (Gröden Valley to Campitello), foot path	2683	8803
Tschagerjoch (Karersee to the Vajolet Glen), foot path	2644	8675
Grasleiten Pass (Vajolet Glen to the Grasleiten Glen), foot path	2597	8521
Passo di Pravitale (Rosetta Plateau to the Pravitale Glen), foot path	2580	8465
Passo delle Comelle (same to Cencenighe), foot path	2579	8462
Passo della Rosetta (San Martino di Castrozza to the great limestone Rosetta plateau), foot path	2573	8442
Vajolet Pass (Tiers to the Vajolet Glen), foot path	2549	8363
Passo di Canali (Primiero to Agordo), foot path	2497	8193
Tierseralpljoch (Campitello to Tiers), foot path	2455	8055
Passo di Ball (San Martino di Castrozza to the Pravitale Glen), foot path	2450	8038
Forcella di Giralba (Sexten to Auronzo), foot path	2436	7992
Col dei Bos (Falzarego Glen to the Travernanzes Glen), foot path	2313	7589
Forcella Grande (San Vito to Auronzo), foot path	2262	7422
Pordoi pass (Arabba to Val di Fassa), road	2250	7382
Passo Sella (Gröden Valley to Val di Fassa), road	2244	7362
Tre Sassi Pass (Cortina to St Cassian), foot path	2199	7215
Mahlknechtjoch (Upper Duron Glen to the Seiser Alp), foot path	2168	7113
Passo Gardena (Gröden Valley to Colfuschg), road	2121	6959
Passo di Falzarego (Caprile to Cortina), road	2117	6946
Fedaja Pass (Val di Fassa to Caprile), bridle path	2046	6713
Valles Pass (Paneveggio to Falcade), road	2032	6667
Passo Rolle (Predazzo to San Martino di Castrozza and Primiero), road	1984	6509
Forcella Forada (Caprile to San Vito), bridle path	1975	6480
Passo di San Pellegrino (Moena to Cencenighe), road	1910	6267
Forcella d'Alleghe (Alleghe to the Zoldo Glen), foot path	1820	5971
Tre Croci Pass (Cortina to Auronzo), road	1808	5932
Passo di Costalunga or Karerpaß (Nova Levante to Vigo di Fassa), road	1753	5751
Monte Croce Pass (Innichen and Sexten to the Piave Valley and Belluno), road	1638	5374
Ampezzo Pass (Toblach to Cortina and Belluno), path	1544	5066
Passo Cereda (Primiero to Agordo), road	1372	4501
Toblach Pass (Bruneck to Lienz), railway	1209	3967

Further Information

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