One day walk on a couple of Dolomites tracks...

[Herlock]

Hi there! We’ve spent a one week vacation in the Dolomites and had a great family time :thumbup:. Long walks and hikes in the woods for all, a couple of more challenging climbs alone, great food and pretty good weather as well ! Some pics, just to share ! Pics here are taken from the trails SAT 301 and SAT 643, both starting from the village of Andalo. 301 in the morning and 643 in the afternoon , kids were flat! Took the PM2 with me as my mountain vacation EDC. She did great, had some fun carving a couple of walking sticks for the kids and a few “bushcraft-style” objects – a kind of skewer/fork pictured here. Just for fun, as past-time before dinners ! Take care.

 

[shinyedges]

Thank you for posting, that is an absolutely beautiful area!

The doll pushing the wheel barrow of flowers is creepy as hell lol

 

[Mikel_24]

Now THAT's my kind of outdoors! Yeah! I have only been to Italy for sumer mountaneering in the Mont Blanc area and ice climbing in Cogne (Aosta Valley) in winter. But I would love to go in summer as well to the Dolomites to enjoy some Via Ferratas.

Seems like you had a lot of fun!

 

[22-rimfire]

Really really nice pictures and sounded like a wonderful outdoors vacation. Are there many black bears there?

Guess the Dolomites is where the name for the rock "dolomite" originated. Trivia I know.

I don't know what it is, but your pictures always make me want to go there. You do a great job taking pleasing pictures and documenting an area.

 

[Mikel_24]

Are there many black bears there?

Nope! No bears at all that I know off... I don't think there are any bears left arround there!

 

[mete]

Black bears ? You mean our North American Black bears ? No. They have ,if you can find one ,brown bears like our brown/grizzly bears such as found in Alaska .The Italians and Austrians usually panic at the thought of bears !!! Here in the Catskill Mtns of NY those who panic with black bears know nothing about them and put themselves in danger by doing the wrong things. I've been as close as 8' from them without any problem .They ignore me even if I don't have my 44 mag with me !! Brown bears or polar bears are not as civilized !

Birra Libertina - artigianale ? is that like our 'micro-breweries ' ? Most Americans don't associate beer with Italy. There are Italian beers especially in the north near Austria .

 

[John A. Larsen]

More great photos of a beautiful, rugged countryside. Thanks, John

 

[Ronin_Jedi]

I think I need to relocate, seriously!!!!! Beautiful country, fan pictures, and good write-ups. Thanks so much for sharing.

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[Herlock]

Hi! Thank-you all for kind comments !

About bears in this area, yes, black bears are thriving in these regions now. They have been re-introduced in the Adamello-Brenta Park under a EU project (Life Ursus Project) a couple of decades ago, importing a few from Slovenia. Mete is right, these are the European black bears (Ursus arctos arctos). Today they count a population of 60 bears in the area. They are, of course, protected species. Wolves and lynxes also have come back and multiplied over the last two decades. Co-existence with humans and their activities is not always easy but Authorities are doing their best. Fair to say the black bears here are very shy, it’s very difficult to spot them and I don’t have any news of bears attacks to humans.


@ Shinyedges: Thanks! Glad you liked the post. About the scarecrow… she was not alone! A whole family of those !

@ Mikel_24: Thanks! Valle d’Aosta it’s a beautiful region and I am specially attached to it but Trentino region... it’s special :thumbup: . Its valleys are so open and sunny, its pasture lands and woods so green, Dolomites peaks are something unique and they are everywhere very well organized to host families with children for summer and winter vacation. Well worth a visit! I only did one via ferrata (without the family but with a guide), the so called Eagles Trail, a good one!

http://www.paganella.net/sito/news-paganella.php?id=THE EAGLES TRAIL|407

@ 22-rimfire: Thanks for appreciation! About Dolomites, yes, you’re right. And it’s not so trivial ! Dolomites are really a geologist’s paradise! The term derives from the mineral now known as ‘Dolomite’ (double calcium carbonate), which was first discovered in these mountains by the French scientist Déodat de Dolomieu (1750-1801), who travelled to South Tyrol several times and visited the Dolomites' region in 1789 and 1790. Dolomites represent and illustrate a significant part of the Earth's history in a consistent and very detailed way. Also for a layman with an hobbyist interest in geology as I am, is possible to “read” these mountains . In particular, the “vertical” reading of the rocks’ layers allows to browse the mountains as the pages of a gigantic stone book, thus revealing the history of planet Earth; whilst the “horizontal” reading gives one the chance to physically experience the prehistoric geography of these ancient seas and islands.

@ Mete: Thanks! Well, I’d say most Italians and Austrian cities dwellers (like cities dwellers from all the rest of the World, I’d say) probably would panic if/when meeting a bear at a short distance without fences and bars in between. Last week I have seen metropolitan guys and gals panicking for having to cross through a couple of grazing cows . Mountain people here are far from being sissies, though. Some of the farmers/shepherds have been fined from Authorities and had retaliations from radical environmentalists groups because, after having bears and wolves attacking and killing their cattle, they just put a couple of slugs in their calibre 12 hunting rifles, grabbed a thermos of coffee, stayed up all night and just shot the animals in between their eyes. Some years ago one case hit the local newspaper in my area (Bergamo) because a farmer went that far as hanging a shot wolf on a tree, just to remind the others. From bears to beers , yes! It’s also a fashion here now with micro-breweries. Some of them do amazing products. Libertina it’s a good one! Trentino is anyway a great wine area, specially for white wines :thumbup:. The rather famous Ferrari Spumante is produced in a cellar just close to Trento (http://www.ferraritrento.it/EN). Their cellar is worth a visit (we ticked that off )!

@ John A. Larsen: Thank-you! Glad you enjoyed the post.

@ Ronin_Jedi: Thanks! Happy you liked it . Relocate, why not?! Italy it’s still a great country to live in, even better if you manage a good expat package. I have several colleagues from different countries who are thriving and multiplying here, better than the mountain bears ! Not even thinking to get back home anymore!

 

[mete]

Herlock,I wish you wouldn't call them black bears . The photographs of the sign make it obvious that they are related to our Brown bears [ursus horribulus].The same found as faraway as Siberia .The black bears
are [ eurarctos americanus] black where I am but may be brown, reddish brown [ cinnamin bear] .The body shape and head shape of our brown bear is the same as your bears.

Thanks for the info about artiginale breweries . American beers used to be terrible but now there has been a big change ! You can find real beer now ! More people are now making there own beer and wine . Though many Italian families have always been making wine !!!
Keepus supplied with photos and info about your area. BTW when our bears and deer don't want to get wet they cross the bridges !!!

 

[Mikel_24]

...About bears in this area, yes, black bears are thriving in these regions now...

Holly crap! I didn't know about the existence of bears in those regions! I better keep my ice axes handy... and sharp! (given that carrying firepower is forbidden here in Europe!)

 

[Herlock]

Hi!

@ Mete: Thanks. You're right, we call them "Orso Bruno" (Ursus arctos arctos), so, literally the translation in English would be Brown Bear and not Black Bear . Like for the trees, fishes, etc. the common names can be different in different languages. Sometimes here they even change from one region to another .

@ Mikel_24: Don't worry, they aren't really dangerous. With an extension of 620 square kilometers in the park, it's quite rare to meet one and, as said, they are quite shy animals. I just brought a cheap air horn with me, just in case. It's what they suggest. Not even bear spray. I think it would be anyway rather tough to win a bear with an ice axe... better to stay safe and avoid the experience .

Take care!

 

[Ronin_Jedi]

Herlock

I'm an internationalist, always have been - since childhood, always will be. Though I thought it would only be for visits, in fact I have lived overseas - in Asia for 12 years. Had to move back for family issues.

And of course like everyone on this forum, I love the beautiful outdoors (even if I don't get out as often or in the way I like). So in that regard, would love to move to a place as beautiful as there. Just could do it now or immediate future 😥

Best and enjoy it on our behalf!

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[Bmurray]

beautiful place and very nice outing. looks a lot like the Pacific NW

 

[shinyedges]

You probably haven't seen the "children of the corn" movie, but the scarecrows remind me of it lol

 

[22-rimfire]

Thanks for the history lesson on the Dolomites. Dolomite is very resistant to weathering.

Yes to the "brown bears" vs black bears. They certainly appear related to our grizzlies (Northern US/Canada and Asia) in terms of their physical appearance. Always be mindful of the bears.

I did a run over to Cades Cove (Smoky Mt NP) in East TN a couple of weeks ago and saw three black bears that day. Sometimes you see them and sometimes not at all. (It isn't a zoo.) The bears and the deer are the main reason I so enjoy Cades Cove, plus of course it is very pretty. Hiking is good from casual day hikes to more difficult/riguorous multi-day treks. Photographers tell me that Cades Cove may well be the best place in the US for whitetail deer photography during certain times of the year (the rut especially).

 

[mete]

Historically the polar bear derived from the brown bear .This is probably one reason that recently we have seen increasing numbers of brownXpolar bear crosses !! Their photos are interesting .Those that I have seen have some obvious brown and some obvious polar bear features !!!
Our childrens' " Teddy" bears are named after a brown bear cub saved by Theodore Roosevelt . It's all connected Herlock !

 

[tknife]

I have gone through your pics several times, just gorgeous country you have there!

 

[Macchina]

The Dolomiti stole a part of my heart when I lived in Italy for a few months. An incredible and fantastic place! If you're still there is highly recommend checking out Rifugio Monte Rite. A nice hike up, an awesome Rifugio built in a WWI barracks, great homemade food, cozy rooms, and a heard of Yaks.

 

[Herlock]

Hi!

@ Bmurray: Thanks ! I think you have great places for outdoor activities lovers in many States/Regions in US and Canada :thumbup:. What is really different for me it’s the size and distances, everything it’s big on your side . Interesting to compare and find similarities! One of my “dream-travels” in US would surely include Alaska and Maine and perhaps Oregon and Washington State.

@ Shinyedges: LOL , haven’t seen the movie but I read the novel! Stephen King was one of my preferred (and super popular) authors in my teens .

@ 22-rimfire: I have googled the Cades Cove, since I didn’t know about it (knew about Smoky Mountains, though). It looks a fantastic place, mix of mountains and plains, pasture lands, old farms… it would be great if you can post some of your pics, just to share ! I often say I travel the world by browsing the pages here!

@ Mete: I didn’t know about the origin of “Teddy” in the teddy bear definition . Interesting!

@ Tknife: Thanks! Glad you like it!

@ Macchina: Thanks! We’re back, mountain vacation is over (but we’re heading for the beach towards the end of August for one more week ). You brought me back some great memories, I am rather familiar with Belluno Dolomites, we were training there (16th Regiment Belluno)! Great ascensions and skiing on the Mt. Civetta, Pelmo, Pramper, Moiazza, etc. Went back a couple of times for winter holidays. The Alta Via, where Rifugio Monte Rite is located, it’s really a beautiful trail! Great pics, thanks for sharing!

Take care!