North of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Dolomites change character. The soft meadows and pine woods of the Ampezzo basin give way to long grey screes, vertical walls and the pale towers that make the range so unmistakable, and the road toward Cimabanche runs through a valley framed by some of the most dramatic rock in Europe. This area belongs to the northern Cadore group in UNESCO's Dolomites listing of 2009, nine separate systems recognised for their landscape and their geology.
The rock itself is the story. Dolomite is a form of limestone rich in magnesium, named for the French geologist Deodat de Dolomieu, who described it in the late eighteenth century. The mountains were once coral reefs in a warm Triassic sea, and fossil shells can still be found high on the cliffs. In the evening, the rock turns pink and orange in a glow the Ladin people call enrosadira, an effect that happens on clear days when the sun is low and has made the range famous.
The history of the area is also layered. Cortina was part of Austria until the end of the First World War, and the front line ran along the ridges above, with soldiers living in tunnels and caves and fighting at altitude through winters. Old trenches, gun positions and open-air museums are all over the mountains. Cortina hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, and again with Milan in February 2026, and the town is still a fashionable resort.
The riding is excellent. The roads are well maintained and wind through the valleys and over the passes with plenty of bends, wide hairpins and views, and traffic can be heavy in July and August, so mornings and weekdays are better. Passes are generally open from late May until October. The weather changes quickly, and thunderstorms in the afternoon are common in summer.
Cortina, a few kilometres south, has fuel, shops and restaurants, and prices are high. Take a layer for the cold at altitude.