Magnificient Dolomites - photo story on exploring via ferratas

keeponmoving (40)in #travel • 6 years ago

Dolomites are under protection of UNESCO as a world's nature herritage. When you get there, you realise why. The landscape is so beautiful, dramatic, even spectacular, that it is very hard to put that into words. That's why I want to show you this photo story.
We were placed at Lago di Misurina, short ride from Tre cime di Lavaredo where we planed to go.

Tre cime di Lavaredo are one of the simbols of Dolomites. From there we wanted to continue our tour with one of numerous via ferratas.

We had about 15 minutes drive with a car to Refuggio Auronzo, and from there you go with a trail toward Tre cime. It is about 10 minutes walk.

Tre cime di Lavaredo are huge rock formation made of three separate rocks, each about 600 meters high. Their summit is little more than 3000 meters high above sea level.

Close to Tre cime we entered via ferrata. Via ferrata is a mountain trail, usually very exposed, secured with steel cable, fixed with bolts into the rock. To safely go on via ferrata you must have climbing belt with via ferrata set attached to it. Via ferrata set has two carabiners which you connect to the steel cable to keep you dafe
This via ferrata offered us beautiful views.

Here, Anamaria is looking where should we go next.

And the next is final climb to the summit of Mt Paterno, 2700 m high. But we are not the only ones that decided to climb the summit.

From the summit is probably the best view on Tre cime di Lavaredo.

And here is panoramic view

We had to be careful on descent. In one moment Anamaria slipped, but luckily she had via ferrata set.

This via ferrata was actually built during 1st World war as there was the front line between Italy and Austrian Hungarian empire. So there were tunnels carved in stone which soldiers built to be better protected. We had to pass them with headlamps ( more than 600 meters of tunnels like this)

and short bridges over the cliffs

Actually the trenches were carved directly into the cliffs, hundreds of meters high

Here, I point the summit of Mt Paterno, which we climbed few hours ago.

And at the end of this little adventure, we treated ourselves at Rifuggio Auronzo with a cake and Bombardino - local alcoholic drink made with eggs which they serve hot with whipped cream. Very tasty!