Dolomites

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Dolomites (Italian: Dolomiti; German: Dolomiten) are a section of the Alps. They are located in equal parts in the provinces of Belluno, Bolzano, and Trento (all in northern Italy) and extend from the Adige river in the west to the Pieve 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).

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.

A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for skiing and mountain climbing. The main centres include Auronzo, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Arabba, Ortisei and San Martino di Castrozza.

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 5 Torri and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit the Dolomites to climb the Via ferrata. 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; including the Alta Via 1.

The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu) who was the first to describe the rock, Dolomite, a form of limestone which is responsible for the characteristic shapes of these great mountains.

360° panoramic view from Marmolada, highest peak in the Dolomites.

1 Major Peaks
2 Major Passes
3 Photographs
4 References
5 See also

[edit] Major Peaks

Name	metres	feet	Name	metres	feet
Marmolada	3344	10,972	Pala di San Martino	2996	9831
Antelao	3264	10,706	Rosengartenspitze	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	Fermedaturm	2867	9407
Vernel	3145	10,319	Cima d'Asta	2848	9344
Monte Cristallo	3199	10,496	Cima di Canali	2846	9338
Cima di Vezzana	3191	10,470	Croda Grande	2839	9315
Cimon della Pala	3186	10,453	Vajoletturm (highest)	2821	9256
Langkofel	3178	10,427	Sass Maor	2816	9239
Pelmo	3169	10,397	Cima di Ball	2783	9131
Dreischusterspitze	3162	10,375	Cima della Madonna (Sass Maor)	2751	9026
Boespitze (Sella group)	3152	10,342	Rosetta	2741	8993
Croda Rossa (Hoher Caisl)	3148	10,329	Croda da Lago	2716	8911
Piz Popena	3143	10,312	Central Grasleitenspitze	2705	8875
Elferkofel	3115	10,220	Schlern	2562	8406
Grohmannspitze (Langkofel)	3111	10,207	Sasso di Mur	2554	8380
Zwölferkofel	3091	10,142	Cima delle Dodici	2338	7671
Sass Rigais (Geislerspitzen)	3027	9932	Monte Pavione	2336	7664
Drei Zinnen	3003	9853	Cima di Posta	2235	7333
Kesselkogel (Rosengarten)	3001	9846	Monte Pasubio	2232	7323
Fünffingerspitze	2997	9833

[edit] 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 (Caprile to Campitello), carriage road	2250	7382
Sellajoch (Groden Glen to Campitello), carriage road	2218	7277
Tre Sassi Pass (Cortina to St Cassian), foot path	2199	7215
Mahlknechtjoch (Upper Duron Glen to the Seiser Alp), foot path	2168	7113
Grödnerjoch (Gröden Glen to Colfuschg), carriage road	2137	7011
Falzarego Pass (Caprile to Cortina), carriage road	2117	6946
Fedaja Pass (Campitello to Caprile), bridle path	2046	6713
Valles Pass (Paneveggio to Falcade), carriage road	2032	6667
Rolle Pass (Predazzo to San Martino di Castrozza and Primiero), carriage road	1984	6509
Forcella Forada (Caprile to San Vito), bridle path	1975	6480
Passo di San Pellegrino (Moena to Cencenighe), carriage road	1910	6267
Forcella d'Alleghe (Alleghe to the Zoldo Glen), foot path	1820	5971
Tre Croci Pass (Cortina to Auronzo), carriage road	1808	5932
Passo di Costalunga or Karerpaß (Nova Levante to Vigo di Fassa), carriage road	1753	5751
Monte Croce Pass (Innichen and Sexten to the Piave Valley and Belluno), carriage road	1638	5374
Ampezzo Pass (Toblach to Cortina and Belluno), carriage path	1544	5066
Cereda Pass (Primiero to Agordo), carriage road	1372	4501
Toblach Pass (Bruneck to Lienz), railway over	1209	3967

[edit] Photographs

The Marmolada glacier, the largest glacier in Dolomites	Climbers in Via Ferrata leading to Piz de Léch	The celebrated Tofanas	Dolomites in August
The village of Arabba.		The World War 1 open air museum on 5 Torri. The photograph shows the Italian trenches and bunkers.
A view from the WW1 Italian front lines on 5 Torri	Arabba in the Dolomites.	Lake Misurina	Tre Cime diLavaredo Circuit at Sasso di Sesto.
Refuge Auronzo on Sasso di Sesto.