SESTO MOUNTAIN GROUP IN THE DOLOMITES

The Sesto Mountain Group (Dolomiti di Sesto/Sextner Dolomiten or Sextner Sonnenuhr) is located in the Belluno Province of the Veneto Region. The Sesto Group is bordered by the Trentino Alto Adige Region, Austria, and Friuli Venezia Region. The mountains get their name from the town of Sesto Pusteria/Sexten. The highest peak in Sesto Mountain Group is Punta dei Tre Scarperi at 3,152 meters a.s.l. The Sesto Mountain Group are inside the perimeter of the Parco Naturale Dolomiti di Sesto/Naturpark Sextner Dolomiten-Drei Zinnen, that was created in 1982. The mountain group is divided into eight subgroups, the Tre Scarperi, the Rondoi-Baranci, the Cadini di Misurina, the Tre Cima di Lavaredo, Monte Paterno, the Croda die Toni, the Popera, and Monte Piana.

Most of these sub-groups are equipped with vie ferrate that provides visitors spectacular excursions along 'Strada deli Alpini' or the Tunnels (Gallerie) of the Popera Group. The entire area is covered by the scares of battle from WWI. For climbings the towers of Tre Cima di Laverado offer some of Italy's classic alpine ascents as well as modern bolted multi-pitch routes. The views from the valley and at summit are some of the most suggestive in the Italian Dolomites. There are always more people discovering these mountains but since they are slightly off the beaten path compared to the western Italian Dolomites you can still find quite trails to walk or bike. The Sesto Mountain Group should be on top of your to visit list.

During WWI, the Sesto Dolomites were the site of fierce battles between Italian and Austrian forces for three years (Mountain Warfare). Still today you might see bullet-holes in the rocks or rusty shell splinters on the grounds. In 1981, the Sesto Dolomites Nature Park was founded, and in 2010 the Provincial Administration of South Tyrol decided to change its name into Three Peaks Nature Park - "Naturpark Drei Zinnen" in German, "Parco Naturale Tre Cime" in Italian. The main reason was that these Three Peaks of Lavaredo are world-famous and represent its most outstanding symbol.

Covering an area of 11,891 hectares, nowadays the Three Peaks Nature Park stretches from the municipalities of Sesto, San Candido and Dobbiaco in the Upper Val Pusteria to the north-eastern Dolomites, the Valle di Landro valley and neighboring Belluno. Interpretive nature trails such as the one around Lake Dobbiaco (situated exactly on the border with the Fanes-Senes-Braies Nature Park) or the Wood Wonder World Dobbiaco with its theme trail near the visitor centre invite to a trip in the beautiful nature of this area.

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