Like Venice, the Dolomite Mountains left us speechless.  While I will always, overall, favor my hometown mountain ranges (Cascades and Olympics), the Dolomites are the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen.  They are massive, jutting into the sky with sweeping valleys falling away below.  On a clear day they are magnificent.  When clouds billow in the range is even more dramatic.

The view from peaks is unstoppable.  One is surrounded, 360 degrees, with golden cliffs so steep the snow cannot cling to them, so they are dusted with pretty white streaks.  Below the valleys are dotted with settlements that look like toy villages.  Standing in the middle of all this I feel like we are in a bowl of magnificence.  I am including a lot of photos in this post because my words are inadequate.

Despite the rugged terrain, humans have conquered the cliffs in style.  The Dolomiti SuperSki area is twelve interconnected ski areas—745 miles of runs ranging from hairy blacks to peaceful greens.  Runs are serviced by everything from old-style, knee-whacking slow double chairs to super-eights and steep (scary!) gondolas.  And at the top of every lift there are enchanting refugios, small wooden restaurants serving delicious Tirolean cuisine (dumplings, smoked meat, strudel).  These refugios are often perched on cliffs with decks sporting eye-popping views.

Despite this civilized settlement, humans have also brought their brokenness to this region.  Austrians and Italians fought fierce, devastating WWI battles in these mountains.  As we glide peacefully up steep rock faces in speedy gondolas, it is incomprehensible to imagine tunnel warfare among these peaks.  For a chilling description of these battles, learn more in this Smithsonian article here.

OK, enough about the Dolomites.  Bob will post next on our ski adventures.  But first he needs to sort out the maps and bus schedules, which are all in Italian.  Looks like he needs liquid fortification. . . .