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-Bozen, 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 type of carbonate rock which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and color of these mountains.
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[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 | Sciliar | 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 |
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[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- A map of walks and via ferrata in the Dolomites
- Monte Piana
- Monte Lagazuoi
- Turquoise Lake (Lago di Sorapiss)