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Hiking in the Dolomites

The beginning
by Pokin Y. (in Veneto on Sep 10, 09)
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A few years ago, I had my first taste of the Alps.   I went on the Tour du Mont Blanc with Troy and Michelle from the Alpine Hikers.   It all happened because my friend Michel was planning to summit Mont Blanc that summer.   Figuring that going up might be a wee bit challenging for my first alpine experience, I decided instead that I’d feel plenty good about going around.   So that’s what I did.
 
Well that was a blast.   And I told Michelle I wanted more, at which point she mentioned that I really ought to check out the Dolomites.   Situated in North Eastern Italy, the Dolomites are part of the Alps, but looks pretty distinct geographically from the Swiss & French Alps.   The region is famous for skiing in the winter, for hiking and biking in the summer as well as for the via ferrata .
 
The via ferrata , which means “iron road”, were invented in WWI by soldiers to help them better navigate high altitude conditions by installing permanent fixtures such as ladders, cables and bridges.   After the war, the Italian Alpine Club took over maintenance of these routes and they became a popular activity.
 
It sounded pretty good to me, so I filed it away as one of those things I was going to do, one of these days.
 
Fast forward a few years, and I get an email from Alexia.    A trip was being organized to the Dolomites in September.   Would I like to come?
 
Let me just get it out there that I feel the same way about mountains as I do about sea turtles.
 
Oh and about food too, and I hear there’s some good food in Italy. ;)
 
So I start this post sitting in a hotel room in the village about a kilometre near Cortina, in the heart of the Dolomites.    All around me are panoramic views of the mountains.   It’s 7:00am in the morning, the church bells are ringing and begin our first trek up after arriving into Cortina yesterday.
 
On this trip with me:
 
Alexia, my I’m cold too buddy extraordinaire and many many other things!!
Sarah, freelance writer and former editor of Travel & Leisure
Tonia, along as a traveller
Michelle, editor and founder of Women’s Adventure Magazine
Amy, her partner, also in finance
Kathy M, founder of A Dream of Italy
Kathy D– organizer of this trip + founder of The Dragons Path
Keith, her husband
Jordan, Sports writer and editor of a music magazine Jennifer + family, freelance writer
Trish, owner – BikeHike Adventures
 
Our tour leader: Agustina, from Dolomite Mountains.  Her guides are trained in trekking or Alpinism.   My kind of guides!   I’m looking forward to picking their brains on this trip. :)
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