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| Looking down Val Travenanzes |
This past
weekend, in a frantic effort to get some miles and vertical in preparation for
the Wasatch Front 100, I headed north to the Dolomites for the Ferragosto
holiday. While Italy has many great mountains, most would agree that the
Dolomites are the greatest.
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| Refreshment Along the Way |
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| Austrian Trenches on Lagazuoi |
Why? Just as
great is usually defined by a unique set of characteristics, that in
combination, create something unequivocally remarkable. The character set for
the Dolomites would include a high density of narrow, deep and long canyons,
sheer rock faces often manifest in pinnacles and spires, ample streams rivers and
waterfalls, and a network of trails including the highest concentration of via
ferrata routes in the world. Then of course one needs to add alpine villages
surrounded by verdant pastures, strategically located refugios with caloric
sustenance, historical military fortifications from when these mountains were
the front line in a stalemate between the Italians and the Austro-Hungarians
during WWI, and a bus network that allows one to move with ease through a 6000
square mile all-season playground. “Greatest” seems to be well
justified!
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| Cinque Torri |
In the words
of Reinhold Messner, local boy and hero, “they [Dolomites] are not
the tallest mountains in the world, yet they are definitely the greatest.”
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| Cinque Torri as seen from an Austrian Gun Position |
My base for the weekend was Cortina, an alpine town with a Tyrolean feel. From here I was able to explore. Enjoy some pictures from four days of running.
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| Austrian Positions as seen by the Italians on Cinque Torri |
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| Forcella Lagazuoi |
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| Climbing to the top of Groda Negra |
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| Cortina |
