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Italy 2005
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Cortina and the Cristallo

On our sixth day of climbing in the dolomites, We stayed in our favorite little hotel in the dolomites in Cortina D'Ampezzo, and we climbed an easy half-day route up a peak in the Cristallo Group called the via ferrata Marino Bianchi. The ferrata starts literally at the edge of the deck of the rifugio Lorenzi high up in the Cristallo mountains and scales an exposed but easy ridge to the summit of the middle Cristallo.
Cortina D'Ampezzo
The beautiful mountain city of Cortina D'Ampezzo, the largest in the dolomites and home to a past Winter Olympics. [enlarge]
Hotel Meuble Myriam
Brian and Jenn in front of the always-friendly Hotel Meuble Myriam in Cortina D'Ampezzo. [enlarge]
Entrance Foyer
Brian in the quaintly decorated entrance foyer of the Hotel Meuble Myriam. [enlarge]
Doll Room
Signora Albani shows us her salon room with its impressive collection of dolls, old and new. [enlarge]
Bedrrom, Hotel Myriam
This is the same room that we stayed in in 2002. Isn't that funny? [enlarge]
Bathroom, Hotel Myriam
The very nice bathroom in our room at the Hotel Myriam. [enlarge]
Regional Locator Map: The Cristallo
This is a regional locator map, showing the general location of Cortina D'Ampezzo and the Cristallo Mountain group, where the via ferrata Marino Bianchi is located. [enlarge]
The Cristallo
The Cristallo are an impressive group of Dolomites that rise up just east of Cortina D'Ampezzo. [enlarge]
Mezzo Cristallo
A view from the base of the Cristallo Group. The Cristallo ferrata climbs the sharp peak (called the Mezzo Cristallo) just left of the main Cristallo summit. [enlarge]
Jenn and Brian on lift
Jenn and Brian on the first lift up to the start of the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Expansive Dolomite views
This is the view looking west from the middle lift station on the way up to the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Rickety old ski lift
The higher ski lift to the Cristallo Ferrata is this old rickety thing. [enlarge]
As Happy as a Pea in a Pod
Well, actually, he _is_ in a Pod - an old ski-lift thing that looks lifted out of the 60s. [enlarge]
Room for Two
the pods are so small you can barely fit two people inside - plus there are holes in the floor!! [enlarge]
Armchair Ferrata-ists
Jenn and Brian enjoy a hot tea while watching climbers on the start of the Cristallo Ferrata. (Rifugio G. Lorenzi) [enlarge]
Swirling Mists
Clouds roll over the ridge of the Middle Cristallo. The Ferrata goes right up the crest of this ridge. [enlarge]
Jenn fully equipped
In order to ensure Jenn is not cold, we through every bit of extra clothing (of mine) on her. Its only cold out when you aren't dressed warmly enough!!! [enlarge]
Cold on Deck
Jenn and Brian mill around on the deck of the rifugio G. Lorenzi, at almost 10,000 feet. The ferrata starts from the very edge of the deck. [enlarge]
Start of Cristallo Ferrata
The start of the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Jenn examines route
Jenn examines the via ferrata leading up to the middle Cristallo. [enlarge]
Cristallo Towers
The wild towers of the Cristallo, and the ferrata winding its way up. [enlarge]
Towards the north
The scenery towards the north, as seen from the ridge leading to the Middle Cristallo. [enlarge]
Slow Brits!!
A group of extremely slow British climbers (I think it is a group outing with guides) ahead of us on the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Wild, defiant towers
Travelling along this ridge in the Cristallo gives us some fantastic views of wildly-pointing towers. [enlarge]
Cliffhanger Bridge
A zoomed-in view of the longest suspension bridge in the dolomites - the suspension bridge on the Ivano-Dibona ferrata. [enlarge]
courtesy BConnell
Magnificent Ridge
A view back down the Cristallo Ferrata. The jagged and exciting ridge that led up to this point can be seen in the background. [enlarge]
courtesy BConnell
Shakey Ladder
Andrew finishes climbing one of the ladders on the Cristallo Ferrata route. This particular ladder has two attachment points at the bottom and a single central one at the top - and is a bit flexey and bouncey as a result. [enlarge]
Wire and Ladder
The bottom of a ladder on the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Jenn on Ladder
Jenn on one of the ladders on the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
Climbing into the sky
Jenn climbs a ladder on the Cristallo Ferrata route. [enlarge]
Overhang Hold
Jenn boot clings to a hold on an overhang on the Cristallo Ferrata. [enlarge]
courtesy BConnell
Jenn nears the top
A shot of Jenn nearing the top of the Cristallo Ferrata route. The Lorenzi Rifugio (the starting point) can be seen far below. [enlarge]
View from Cristallo
A view towards Cortina from the summit of the middle Cristallo. [enlarge]
View from Cristallo
A view towards Cortina from the summit of the middle Cristallo. [enlarge]
Brian on Mezzo Cima
Brian on the middle summit (Mezzo Cima) of the Cristallo. [enlarge]
Jenn at summit cross
Jenn at the summit cross of the Mezzo Cima of the Cristallo. (Middle Cristallo summit) [enlarge]
Gottfried and Dolomites
Gottfried surveys the high Dolomites from his perch on the Mezzo Cristallo (Middle Cristallo summit). [enlarge]
Andrew on Summit
Andrew on the edge of the summit of the Mezzo Cristallo (Middle Cristallo Summit). [enlarge]
Brian and Cortina
Brian poses in front of the town of Cortina, which lies far below him in the background. [enlarge]
Brian and Cortina
Brian poses in front of the town of Cortina, which lies far below him in the background. [enlarge]
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[ Italy 2005 trip home page | The main trip report | Family | Monte Cervialto | Herculaneum & Vesuvius | Palace of Caserta | Amalfi & Capri | Abruzzo & Monte Amaro | Rome | Tuscany | Venice | The Biennale | Via Ferrata-ing in the dolomites | Climbing in the Ortles | Gottfried's Adventures | Maps, Graphs & GPS Data ]

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