Val di Zoldo at dusk

This photo fits the two from my previous post perfectly. It was taken from the same spot as the previous two, I just pointed my camera to the east this time. As it is evident from the two post titles the valley has a few similar names: Val di Zoldo, Val Zoldana or simply Valzoldana.

We could enjoy colors like these almost every evening during our stay in the Dolomites just after the sunset. On one of the mornings colors were even more spectacular with surrounding mountains glowing in red. Unfortunately I didn't get to capture the moment on time. Waiting for it to happen again on next few mornings did not help a bit. I should have learned this lesson until now...

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Wordless Wednesday: Val Zoldana by Day and by Night

So, which version of this beautiful Italian mountain valley view do you like better (click on them to admire them in larger resolution)? I just could not choose between the two and decided to post both of them...

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Charming mountain huts on ski slopes

I can hardly imagine snowy white slopes without those charming mountain huts scattered around. I am not the kind to go "skiing" and then spend the whole day sunbathing in a deck chair - quite the opposite actually. I am whooshing around on skis all day usually taking up to three short stops per day to catch my breath and get a snack and something to drink. Nonetheless I would miss those few breaks if did not take them - even more so on cold, windy days.

A mountain hut is simply called rifugio in Italian, but these are often a mix between a ristorante and a rifugio. This does usually not effect their genuine look. Mostly they are made of wood - roof tiles and gutters included, and fit into the surroundings perfectly. In some cases you can actually ski directly up to a bar and order something to warm you up.
In some you can find many local delicacies usually home-made by the staff.

The always cozy atmosphere inside those mountain huts and breathtaking views of the Dolomites can make you quickly forget the cold and simply enjoy every moment of the experience.

On these photos there are of just some of many rifugios scattered around the Civetta ski resort. I did not make it to visit all of them in my all too short week there. Have to save some for another time I guess.

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Still not too late for a skiing vacation

As I have suggested in my previous post this year auntie winter has been very generous with snow. There will probably be enough snow on most European slopes for another few months from now. So if you have not spent any time on white plains you should probably hurry up and book a skiing vacation as soon as possible. There are some seriously good deals available out there this late in the season.

Even if you need more time to plan your skiing holiday there is still more than enough time to do it. And no, I am not talking about going south of the equator... you can find some great skiing options on Northern hemisphere even in June and July.

Places worth considering are definitely Whistler mountain resort in British Columbia, Canada and Vail ski resort in Colorado, USA. Your best chances are probably with Whistler, since sometimes skiing season in Vail can actually end "early" - at the end of May. You can get all the info you need on Vail from the cool infographics below.

Via: Expedia

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The end of ski season...

...or is it really?

It has been some time now since we have returned from our skiing week in the Italian Dolomites and I expected for all this snow to give way to spring by now. Winter however has something different in mind since we had some heavy snowfall the other day here in Slovenia. This also means the start of mountaineering higher in the Alps will probably be delayed a bit this year - I guess it might take a while for all this snow to melt.

I believe there is a similar situation in the Dolomites. Even when we were there a month ago, there was lots of snow and now there is well over 2 meters of it at higher altitudes. More then enough for the skiing season to last for a while I guess.

Like every year until now we had a great time in Civetta skiing resort. If you are interested in my previous skiing trips to the region you should look for the Dolomites label.

Weather was great and there was even some fresh snow for us to enjoy. It fell during the night which was pretty convenient. You can hardly beat a right amount of fresh powder in the morning.

I included a few photos taken this year and I think they nicely represent the beauty of the area. There is Mount Pelmo visible on all of them - just like on the one I published last Wednesday (you can check it out here). I hope you like them all.

If you feel a need for skiing after reading this post, you might still get to enjoy some great skiing conditions this season if you hurry up. Enjoy it where ever you might go!

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Big Blog Exchange competition

As you are probably aware there are countless contests going on on the internet each and every day. It you are a regular visitor you might have also noticed that I do not participate all that often (or at least I do not bother you - my faithful readers with it). This time I am going to make an exception.

I recently found out about an amazing contest going on and I filled my application form in straight away! It seems this is a perfect opportunity for me to travel again and also for you to follow me (through my blog) on this great travel adventure. This is where you come in and make it all possible for me.

So prettyprettypretty please, just click on the "VOTE FOR ME" banner above and it will take you to the BBE page where you will have to insert your e-mail and press 'vote'. You will receive an email with confirmation link you have to click, so your vote could be confirmed. You can use multiple e-mail addresses to cast multiple votes!
You have an exclusive chance to make me very happy with just a few clicks. I promise to blog extensively about the travel adventure if I make it to the top 16 finalists.

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Wordless Wednesday: Magnificent Monte Pelmo

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Village of Vojsko in winter

I have posted various cross-country skiing photos from the highest lying village of Slovenian Primorska region (i.e. Slovenian Littoral) before - you can check out my previous post if you are interested.

Vojsko is a small village near the town of Idrija and since it lies more than 1.000 meters above sea level it usually gets loads of snow. This winter is no exception.

On my way to the cross-country skiing center I always pass by the church in the little village. The other day I made a short stop and took a few photos. Although some snow has already melted, there was still about a meter and a half of it left. In my book that is still a hardcore winter. Since in the past decades they often had to deal with more than twice the amount of this year's snow, some locals might disagree with me.

I will let you check out these photos and judge for yourself.

Regardless of all problems snowy winter brings along, I always love to visit Vojsko plateau. Nature is so beautiful around these parts and there is a great variety of wildlife preserved for a visitor to admire. Among other things this also makes it an excellent destination for photo hunting... but that is a different story for another post.

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