Ponta Negra Passing Storm – Italy

Ponta Negra Passing Storm – Italy

A passing storm sweeps around the steep and rugged slopes of Ponta Negra. Rising more than a vertical mile above the cloud hidden town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Ponta Negra is part of the dramatic Dolomites that stretch across northern Italy. The mountains derive their name from the mineral dolomite, a pale carbonate stone that give the range its gray, tan and pinkish color. The hard and rough rock is also excellent for climbing. A system of fixed cables known as via ferrata, Italian for iron road, lace the mountains and provide protection for climbers exploring the airy heights. Ponta Negra has such a cable route over its shoulder, but none to its forbidding summit.