One of my favorite places in the world! If you find yourself in Italy, Germany, or Austria, or, let’s face it, pretty much anywhere in Europe, it is 1,000,000 times worth the trip to hike through the Rosengarten. An extraordinarily unique range in the Alps, the Dolomites are other-worldly with their vast array of landscapes and vegetation. Within a four day span, I felt like we trekked from Italy to Switzerland, then on to Mars and Ireland. So much variation in one location!

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The 280 million year old peaks sometimes resemble ridges on a stegosaurs. Crazy to contemplate: during the First World War, Italians and Austro-Hungarians fought in the Dolomites. Men with weapons, laying mines, digging trenches, carving out tunnels–intense fighting for their lives, in the midst of this craggy, unforgiving, intensely beautiful range.

Meanwhile, I’m just trying to not fall off the trail while staring at the scenery.

Additional love for the Dolomites stems from the ease with which one can vanish from most civilization…but still find a roof over your head at the end of the day. Mountain huts, like the one you see above, add to the charm. Helicopters deliver food and drink supplies, which are then prepared perfectly and taste exquisite (due to extreme hunger or great cookings, I’m not sure!). And let me tell you, those beds feel like feather pluff heavens after hours on your legs.

While the Dolomites themselves consist of various groups, from the highest point at Marmolada to the Sella Group to Lavaredo, we’ll be particularly focusing on the Rosengarten–trails, potential itineraries, how to get there, what to bring–as this is at least manageable for most relatively fit people, and jaw-dropping amazing!

More to come soon–in the meantime, here are some views!

‘Each mountain in the Dolomites is like a piece of art’: Reinhold Messner 

The Guardian