Dolomite Alps “pale mountains” and their geological origin

The splendid Dolomite Alps, also known by the nickname “Pale Mountains” for the milky gray color of their rocks, originate in the night of primeval times. The time machine takes us back to more than 250 million years ago. Trento province was an immense tropical lagoon.

Dinosaurs roamed freely on endless beaches, leaving prehistoric footprints that in some cases have been preserved to the present day. Do you know of the famous footprints on the slopes of Lavini di Marco?

In some areas, the tropical seas and beautiful lagoons were interrupted by beautiful atolls with coral formations very similar to our present Caribbean. These rocky formations were pushed upwards by the collision of tectonic plates and emerged from the abyss. They are none other than the current splendid Dolomite Alps.

They owe their name to the French naturalist Déodat de Dolomieu (1750-1801), who was the first to study the particular type of rock of which they are made. Their characteristic iridescent color is due to their chemical structure. It’s an agglomerate of calcium carbonate and magnesium with a high color reflective capacity, capable of wonderfully reflecting the vivid colors of the light in Dolomite dawns and twilights.

Val di Funes and the Odle Mountain Group, the most beautiful and famous postcards of the Dolomite Alps of Trentino Alto Adige

Are you looking for a hint of heaven on earth, or infinity? Here you will find much more!

This wonderful valley, beside Val Isarco, is suitable for everyone and every type of excursion, from the easiest for families with small children to the most demanding for mountaineers to reach surrounding peaks. Indisputable is the very first delightful impression due to the bright green of perfectly manicured lawns, to the silences along the paths to reach the mountain huts, and to the majestic and elegant peaks of the Odle mountains. The pinnacles soar towards the sky, and on the luckiest evenings, they ignite at sunset. Do you know the phenomenon of “enrosadira”? The famous fiery sunsets have a legendary origin but also a scientific explanation. Click here…

Among the most beautiful in the Dolomite Alps, postcards with views of Val di Funes and the Odle mountain group are always very successful. Who does not have in mind the small church of San Giovanni in Ranui (Santa Maddalena) and the frame of the Odle in the Dolomites? Every superlative is insufficient, and it’s impossible to get to Santa Maddalena and resist the temptation to stop and breathe the infinite.

Once at the Malga Zannes car park (6 euros but completely worth it), you can choose various routes, all easy for children. Even for those who do not walk, there’s the possibility travel through forest roads with authorized shuttles to reach the various huts located along the valley. We have tested the South Tyrolean delicacies of Glatsch Alm. You cannot spend an alpine day without having tasted the local cuisine. Highly recommended!

Curiosities about the Odle mountain group

The name Odle in Ladin means “needles”, and these mountains are the image and symbol of Val di Funes. This splendid mountain range of the Dolomite Alps marks the border between Val di Funes and Val Gardena. Their jagged profile projected towards the sky makes them one of the best-known emblems in the world. Ledges and laced walls, luxuriant coniferous woods, green meadows, and fiery sunsets …

Do you know why at sunset the peaks of these wonderful mountains glow with incredible colors? It is called the enrosadira phenomenon