Dolomites Passes

Map shows our wandering track through the Dolomites
This shows our wandering track through the Dolomites. The twelve passes that we traversed are named in yellow. There may be some others that I missed naming. A few cities are shown in green.

Passo Mendola

Passo Mendola is located between the Brenta Dolomites to the southwest and the main Dolomites range to the east.

Passo Mendola
Taken near the top of Passo Mendola looking east, this picture shows the town of Bolzano in the Adige River Valley. The main Dolomites range is in the background.


This is a helmet camera video of a motorcycle ride up to and over Passo Mendola. It was a great ride.

Adige River Valley
More of the Adige River Valley as seen from the east side of Passo Mendola.

Passo Mendola steep cliff
This is the Passo Mendola road on the east side as it traverses a steep cliff.

Passo Costalunga

One of the gateways from Bolzano into the main Dolomites is over Passo Costalunga. This is definitely a treat.

Lago di Carezza
One of the gems along the Passo Costalunga road is Lago di Carezza, otherwise known as the Rainbow Lake. Legend has it that a love-sick sorcerer snatched the rainbow from the sky, smashed it and threw all the pieces into the lake. This is the reason why the Lake of Carezza is still filled with the brilliant colors of the rainbow. Google "Legend of the nymph of Lago di Carezza" to get the full version of the legend.


This video shows highlights of riding up into the Dolomites via Val d Ega, just east of Bolzano. There are lots of nice esses in the valley, past Lago di Carezza, and the video ends at the top of Passo Costalunga.

Passo Rolle

Passo Rolle has one of the most impressive peaks in the Dolomites.

Passo Rolle
At the top of Passo Rolle is the mountain peak Cimon della Pala, sometimes called the Matterhorn of the Dolomites. It is the best-known peak of the Pale di San Martino group in the Dolomites.

Passo Cereda

Passo Cereda is in the southern Dolomites and the road to the top goes through some charming villages.

Passo Cereda
This is at the top of Passo Cereda. The maximum grade to here is 15%.

restaurant
There is always a restaurant or hotel at the top of a pass.

Frassene Agordino
The village of Frassene Agordino is on the Passo Cereda road. Seemed like a nice place to take a picture. It also seems like a pretty place to live.

Passo di Giau

Passo di Giau is one of the premier motorcycle passes in the Dolomites. It is a minor road on normal auto maps, but the views and the curves are major.

Passo di Giau with La Gusela peak
Passo di Giau with La Gusela peak in the background. No motorcycle tour of the Dolomites is complete without a ride up to Passo di Giau.

view from Passo di Giau
Looking west from the top of Passo di Giau.

view from Passo di Giau
Looking east from the top of Passo di Giau.


This is a helmet camera video riding down the east side of Passo di Giau.

Passo Pordoi

Passo Pordoi is the highest paved pass in the Dolomites at an elevation of 7,346ft.

View from Passo Pordoi
View from Passo Pordoi looking east.

peak of Sass Pordoi
The peak of Sass Pordoi can be reached by funicular from Passo Pordoi.

Corvara in Badia

Corvara in Badia is the main center of Alta Badia, a prestigious tourist area located at the top end of the Val Badia, surrounded by the peaks of the Dolomites mountains.

Mount Sassongher
Mount Sassongher as seen from Corvara in Badia. We spent a night here and walked the streets beneath this majestic peak before dinner.

Passo Valparola

Climbing out of Val Badia going east from Corvara takes you over Passo Valparola. We did this route on our last day in the Dolomites.

view from Passo Valparola
Looking northwest from Passo Valparola toward Val Badia.

Dolomites
We are at the top of Passo Valparola looking south into the heart of the Dolomites.

Dolomites

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Last updated on 01/06/2020.