Dolomites
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dolomites | |
| Italian: Dolomiti | |
| Range | |
 Marmolada
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| Country | Italy |
|---|---|
| Province | Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen, Trento |
| Highest point | Marmolada |
| - elevation | 3,343 m (10,968 ft) |
| - coordinates | |
| Geology | Sedimentary rocks, including dolomite, and volcanics |
| Orogeny | Alpine |
| Period | Mostly Triassic |
 Location of the Dolomites in the Eastern Alps
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The Dolomites (Italian: Dolomiti; German: Dolomiten; Friulian: Dolomitis) 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).
Contents |
[edit] 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" (i.e., 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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.[citation needed] 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 [1] 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.
[edit] 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 |
[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 (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 |
[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)
- Consorzio Dolomiti - The Consorzio Dolomiti assembles resources, Tourist Bodies and Associations in order to promote the tourist offer of the mountain areas in the Belluno province.
- The Great War in the Dolomites (Italian)
