Via Ferrata are, in effect, a range of protected scrambling routes, comprised of skilfully installed fixed cables, ladders and gorge-spanning bridges, which assist ascents to high levels, from which you walk on, often to a nearby rifugio, or back to the starting point via a path.
The scenery in the Dolomites may be just as good. And there are far, far more stunning jagged peaks in Italy than in all of South America.
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Many, many Europeans get out hiking during the Summer. Trails are crowded everywhere throughout the Dolomites and the Alps. There’s a great shared sense of community here.
Instant gratification. You can ride chair lifts up to the very tops of some of these peaks. How convenient is that? Almost anyone can find a best hike for themselves in this range.
WW I history in the Dolomites is sobering. German, Austrian and Italian soldiers were stuck digging tunnels through these mountains through several winters. This was the “Front”. Needless to say, far more young men died from the elements and falls than by fire fights. There are reminders of the Great War everywhere.
Here is the home of via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”). (In fact, our next trip to the Dolomites will be dedicated to doing some of the best of those assisted climbing routes.)
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Not everything is perfect in the Dolomites. I prefer the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, overall.
In the Sierras I can put up a tent anywhere I want. Fantastic.
Unfortunately, in the Dolomites you are required to sleep in alpine buildings called Refuges. (Refugios – Italian). Their locations are stunning. Many people love them. But – personally – I prefer my tent over sleeping on the floor. Or in bunk beds.
Happily you can reach almost any place in the Dolomites by day hike. Public transportation in the valleys below is good!
The two regions – the Sierras and the Dolomites – are similar in that everywhere is a best hike.
Rifugio Locatelli - click for larger version
I do like the food and drink at Refugios. Prices are regulated.
The main reason I had not hiked in Europe in 30yrs is cost. Italy can be expensive.
It’s possible to hike on the cheap. Putting up my tent in a campground in Cortina only cost 9€ (US$12.80) / night in 2009. Bread, chocolate, soft cheese and wine are inexpensive. What more do you need?
Three US nationals who crossed into Iran via Iraq have been arrested, the state-owned Al-Alam television has reported.
“An informed Iranian source confirmed the arrest of three Americans after they infiltrated through the Iraqi border,” the Arabic-language television station said on Saturday.
The two men and a woman entered Iranian territory a day earlier from Iraqi Kurdistan despite repeated warnings not to do so, a Kurdish official said.
A fourth American originally with the hiking party had not joined the trek due to illness, said Beshro Ahmed, a media adviser for the general security department in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.
He named the three as Shane Bower, Sara Short and Joshua Steel, while Shaun Gabriel Maxwell stayed behind in their hotel in the autonomous Kurdish region’s second-largest city of Sulaimaniyah.
A spokeswoman for the US embassy in Baghdad said: “We’ve seen the reports and are looking into it but can’t confirm anything at this time.” …
… The arrests came after the three visited the mountainous resort region of Ahmed Awa, about 90km northeast of Sulaimaniyah.
Ahmed said: “The [Kurdish] tourist police in the area asked them not to climb the mountains because the Iranian border was very close. …
… Authorities recovered the remains of two hikers in the hills near Palm Springs last week. They can tell that they’re hikers based on their clothing, but the bodies are so severely dehydrated that they can’t even pull fingerprints. …
I was shocked to see Kraig’s headline on the official blog:
Robyn Benincasa and Team Nike Out of Primal Quest Badlands
… the withdrawl of defending PQ champs Nike. Last week, team captain Mike Kloser suffered a crash while mountain biking, which left him with a broken collarbone, a collapsed lung, and five broken ribs, and while he is already on the mend, the injuried will obviously keep him out of the race. The rest of Team Nike reluctantly decided to pull out of Primal Quest rather than look for a replacement on short notice. …
The most popular hiking route in Iceland is known as Laugavegur and links the areas of Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar. It is 54 km long and passes trough extremely diverse landscapes, tall mountains, coloured rhyolite areas, geothermal fields with erupting geysers, ice caves, sprawling sands, magnificent canyons and ends in verdant bitvh forests. Not forgetting the famed natural hot pools in Landmannalaugar.
The route is divided into four days of hiking. Setting off from Landmannalaugar is most popular, with overnight stays at Hrafntinnusker, Álftavatn, Emstrur and Thorsmork. All those locations have wardens and facilities for hikers are good.
The route is well marked and should be safe for everyone. Its highest point is Hrafntinnusker, at just over 1000 metres above sea level. There may be winter conditions there even in mid-summer and this is were the risk of losing the way when passing through the remainder of the winter snow is greatest.
The Laugavegur is a famous hiking trail in South-West Iceland from the hot springs and solfatara fields of Landmannalaugar to the glacial valley of Thorsmork.
Starting July 17th, Merrell sponsored a contest with the aim of disseminating our love for our national playgrounds. …
The grand prize for this contest is a one-year free pass to all the National Parks for a family and a whole wardrobe of Merrell footwear and apparel to assure that these adventures are as enjoyable as possible.
To take part, all readers need to do is visit Merrell’s Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/merrell), and post their favorite National Park story in 150 words or less on our Wall. Participants are encouraged to include pictures or videos of their previous outdoor adventures The stories receiving the most “thumbs up” will win.
In case you missed it, our preeminent hiking blogger Tom Mangan is 
besthike.com 