Next stop on our paragliding tour was Canazei, Italy. It was a beautiful drive from Bassano, past the Marmolada (the highest mountain in the Dolomites) in gorgeous evening light.
The first day we drove up to launch but it was too windy for us to fly. We still enjoyed the beautiful 360 views.
The first day we drove up to launch but it was too windy for us to fly. We still enjoyed the beautiful 360 views.
It was fun to watch the sheepdog herd a huge flock of sheep on the hillside below us.
This is a big ski area in the winter (lifts and gondolas everywhere) and a popular hiking area in the summer. Can you spot the "hut" (hotel and restaurant) and the trail up to it in this photo? The trail continues behind the hut and over the pass.
There were lots of alpine choughs flying around. This one was begging at the restaurant at the top of the gondola.
My father would have approved of this place, he always said the only good mountains were ones with a gondola and a coffee shop at the top.
The next day we went up on the first gondola at 8:30am. I launched first in light wind, but the wind ramped up and the last of us to launch had to use speed bar to get away from the hill. It was great to fly in this beautiful scenery but it was very cold. The temperature was only about -5c (not bad if you're from Saskatchewan) but that was plenty cold enough when you're sitting motionless with a 40 km/hr wind blowing on you and your hands held at head height the whole time. Even if I could have stayed up I wouldn't have!
This would be a great place to fly under better conditions. Maybe next time!
See all 11 photos as a slideshow or overview
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