I can´t really explain my love affair with mountains. Sure thing, they are wonders of nature, intimidating, exhausting, mysterious, glorious and most importantly, it takes a lot of work….a whole lot of stamina, endurance and personal character.All grand vistas always have a price and every Cross on top of each mountain we have reached has a unique excruciating muscle aches- story and trekking drama, yet it is for sure the one thing in my life that really fills up my spirit.

But picture this–a coffin lift going up to the peak of a mountain is another level of craziness, out of this world, and probably the scariest Gondola that we´ve ever experienced!

Val Gardena was our base on our first week in the Dolomites one of the attraction in this valley is doing the loop of Langkofel Mountains and ending it to the majesty of the Dolomites–the Sassolungo, where the scary Coffin lifts is.Yes, it really looked like a coffin, the size, the tiny window pane , but this time, only 2 people can fit on it vertically.This lift doesn´t stop and wait so people should run to get inside and go out. The staff are helping to get in and get out alive from this crazy ride!! Just imagine the ride itself. If you are claustrophobic, then you might have a second thought doing this.It is insane.Imagine after doing the Seceda loop, come this crazy coffin lift adventure, started in Ciampinoi , hiked through the beautiful scenery with the massive Langkofel in front of us that almost take all of our energy.The Sassolungo circuit is all in all 16 kms (10 miles).

Look at that photo above, that was my first backdrop.It is insanely gorgeous.Every corner, every angle of the Dolomites is crazy! The path so far is so quiet, most of other hikers were just in awe just as we are.I tooked time to inhale the fresh mountain air, admiring the nature and just being aware that something is more montrous powerful than human around us.Dolomites has a way of taking your breath away and that´s why people who come here are going home changed, recharged and overwhelmed.At the foot of Sassolungo, its very stony, huge boulders of rocks surround us and I just can´t explain the overwhelming feeling I am feeling in time of our hike.I´ve stopped many times particularly when we we reached the “City of Stone” (Steiner Stadt / Città dei Sassi). A vast wilderness of boulders, pines and flora, the City of Stone is the Dolomites in ruins  — a starkly beautiful, haunting testament to time and change.I even found a dried bouquet of flowers stucked in one of those boulders!

A bit of history about the coffin lifts; around 1957, the construction to build a cable lift from Passo Sella up to the Forcella Sassolungo started and after 2 years, it opened.At first it was an open basket lift designed by Mr. Ciucci from Ancona.In 1971, it was redesigned and changed into the present coffin lifts .

This experience had brought us another experience of awe of the Dolomites. I am really amazed how beautiful and life changing this experience to us.We have seen some of the best cable system here in Germany and Austria but this one is really something unforgettable, unique and the scariest one so far.

Langkofel, or Sassolungo ( means long rock) is the highest mountain in the Langkofel group in the Dolomites. It dominates the whole valley of Val Gardena up to Val de Fassa. I see it from the window view from our rental apartment and the moment we stood there on top , I was just mesmerized of its grand aura.Every single day, I watched how it is covered by clouds, turned pink during sunsets and seeing it up close is really wonderful. It´s massive, and really beautiful.Italian Dolomites is a strange place, it makes you question God himself why he poured so much beauty in this place! This mountain massif, originally a coral reef, is very well known attraction for mountain lovers both in summer and in winter. For me personally, I love seeing it late Spring and I would love to see it again in Autumn.

My heart is grateful, and a month later, I am still thrilled up to his time.There´s much more natural beauty to explore in our world and I hope you still follow my future mountain escapades in this Blog.

Until then, Servus and Tschüß!