Dolomiti Sound Stories [EN]

At dawn on July 4th, 1915, on the rocky walls of Monte Paterno in the Sexten Dolomites, one of the most emblematic stories of mountain warfare during the First World War unfolds. Joseph Innerkofler, known to everyone as Sepp, a legendary mountain guide, hotel owner and profound connoisseur of these peaks, climbs through snow and rock to retake a strategic position. Sepp is no ordinary soldier: he is a fifty-year-old man who built his life among these mountains and chooses to defend them by offering himself in place of his son. Different versions surround his death during the assault on Monte Paterno, suspended between myth, propaganda and historical truth. Yet beyond how he died, what remains is the meaning of his action: a deep bond with his land and community, shattered by a war that turned friends, colleagues and fellow mountain men into adversaries. A story that restores humanity to a symbolic figure and invites us to look beyond borders, to understand the shared tragedy written into these mountains.

Among the larch forests above Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Pocol Military Memorial holds the remains of thousands of soldiers from the First World War, many of them unknown. It is a place of silence and remembrance, inviting visitors to reflect on the fate of men who arrived from distant lands to fight a war they barely understood. Together with historical reenactor Andrea Orsi, Diego Clara retraces the stories of young Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers, thrown into a world of ice, rock and avalanches, where nature itself was often the greatest enemy. Among them stands the story of Second Lieutenant Angelo Fusetti, only nineteen years old, who fell on Sasso di Stria and was never recovered. A powerful journey into memory, giving back a voice to the unknown and reminding us of the immense human cost these mountains once bore.

The Dolomites we know today for their beauty and protection were, just over a century ago, one of the harshest and most dramatic front lines of the First World War. Tunnels carved into rock, underground mines and exposed positions turned these mountains into the stage of an extreme war, fought in inhuman conditions. Historical alpine guide Franz Brunner Pozzi leads Diego Clara through the symbolic sites of the Dolomite front, from Lagazuoi to Col di Lana, telling the story of soldiers—often farmers and shepherds—thrown into an unfamiliar and hostile environment. Through historical accounts, family memories and personal experience, a powerful narrative emerges: one of a war that deeply shaped both the land and its people. A journey into memory that invites us to see the Dolomites not only as a natural heritage, but as a place of sacrifice, respect and peace.

Every spring, Caterina De Boni sets out with her flock from the Friulian plain to the Dolomites, following the ancient rhythm of transhumance. Hers is a life of tradition and resilience: a nearly vanished craft that survives despite bureaucracy, predators, and the struggle to find pastures. In this episode, Caterina shares her choice to become a shepherdess, her childhood in Cortina between goats and luxury hotels, the discovery of the wild Magredi plain, and her love for a work that is at once toil, freedom, and community.

In Belluno’s old town, Daniela Zangrando opened Burel, a contemporary art micro-museum made up of just two rooms. A stubborn act, born “out of anger”, against depopulation and the absence of cultural spaces. In this episode, she tells how art can become a bridge between the local community and the wider world, rooted in the mountains yet able to look far beyond them. A journey through ever-changing exhibitions, swallows under the arcades, and the determination to stay when everyone tells you to leave.

Marika Favé is the first female mountain guide from Trentino. Raised on skis in Val di Fassa, between snow, races, and fierce competition, she turned her passion for the mountains into a profession that had long been a male domain. In this episode, she shares her journey — the challenges of being "the first", her approach to risk, the emotions of the job, and the ever-changing beauty of the Dolomites. A story of freedom, strength, and sensitivity, where deep respect for the mountains walks hand in hand with the drive to go one step further.

Among the Dolomites, the land tells stories of passion, respect, and dedication. Hubert has found the perfect place to age cheese in an old bunker, turning time and humidity into precious allies to create products with a unique flavor. In Val di Fassa, Sara and Fabio have rediscovered ancient agricultural practices, bringing forgotten varieties back to life and promoting a sustainable and authentic way of farming. Different stories, but united by the same goal: preserving the past to give new strength to the future.

Among the Dolomite peaks, cuisine and wine become an expression of the land, thanks to those who have turned passion and tradition into art. Paolo Donei, a Michelin-starred chef in Val di Fassa, follows a culinary philosophy that enhances local ingredients, creating dishes that tell the story of the mountains through authentic and refined flavors. At 1,400 meters above sea level, Urban Piccolruaz pushes the limits of alpine viticulture, cultivating vines in extreme conditions to produce wines with a truly unique character. Two different paths, one common goal: to celebrate the Dolomites through taste and the perfect harmony between cuisine and nature.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Ampezzo valley, you'll find the inspiring story of Riccardo Gaspari and Ludovica Rubbini. It's a journey that begins with Riccardo's upbringing, deeply rooted in the land, growing up around woodworking and the high pastures. Then there's Ludovica, originally from Bologna, who brought her entrepreneurial spirit to the mountains. Together, they've created a special place where warm hospitality meets exciting food exploration. From humble beginnings to earning a Michelin star, their story is a wonderful example of hard work, passion, and a deep love for their home.

Denis Karbon was one of Italy's greatest performers in giant slalom. Winner of the Alpine Ski World Cup in 2008 and with several medals on her palmares from the World Championships, she was one of the undisputed stars of the sport. Although her career was characterised from the start by a series of serious injuries that prevented her from expressing herself at her best, she always managed to turn an apparent obstacle into an opportunity to improve, becoming an example to imitate in her discipline.

There are sports events that forever mark our collective memory. From Maradona's 'Hand of God' in the 1986 World Cup, to the cycling rivalries between Coppi and Bartali at the 1949 Tour de France, and up to the most recent Olympic feats, every generation has a memorable episode in their hearts. In skiing, without a doubt, one of these legendary events is the 1975 World Cup final, a race decided at the last gate between Gustav Thöni, the spearhead of the so-called "blue avalanche" and Ingemar Stenmark, the rising star of Swedish skiing.

Before what is now defined as freeriding, there was extreme skiing, and its main interpreter was Tone Valeruz. No wall was too steep to stop him. In his long career, he tackled descents on the steepest faces around the world with skis on his feet. From the Gran Vernel in Marmolada to the Lyskamm on Monte Rosa and even to the Himalayas, Valeruz never backed down. Despite the obvious risk, in reality, all his endeavors were always approached through a meticulous study of the route thanks to his dual experience as an alpine skier and a climber.

The First World War left indelible and clearly still visible traces on the territory of the Dolomite area, such as the remains of trenches, military emplacements, some of which are now restored for tourism purposes, together with kilometres of tunnels that cross the mountains. A historical heritage of enormous importance, as witnessed by Franco Gaspari, mountain guide and history enthusiast, and Curti Covi, young historian and curator of the Bunker Museum in Dobbiaco.

The farmstead is a typical form of settlement in the Tyrol. A landed estate designed to keep the transmission of land intact between the different generations. In the Ethnographic Museum of Teodone in Brunico, it is possible to visit the different types of farmsteads complete with their furnishings and fittings, moved from their original locations and faithfully reconstructed. Our guide on this journey through time is Evi Weissteiner, museum researcher. Another form of local self-government typical of these areas are the so-called Regole. Explaining what these are is Mauro Gilmozzi, president of the Magnifica Comunità di Fiemme, an authority that manages a significant collective forestry heritage.

Mountain areas have always been one of the most sensitive indicators of climate change and the health of the planet. Rising temperatures and the exploitation of natural resources are much more evident and tangible. There are also many factors that impact the landscape and the economy of mountain communities and that will mark the destiny of the next generations.  Riccardo Insam, environmental consultant and hiking guide, and Cesare Lasen, botanist and naturalist, explain how to listen to the signals that nature sends us and find practicable solutions in different mountain contexts.

Nature observation and nature photography have recently become popular as valid alternatives to the 'classic' tourist enjoyment of the mountains. Moreover, these are activities that, if carried out with the right attitude and due preparation, are in no way 'impacting on the territory'. However, the advent of social networks and the consequent spread of images online is creating quite a few problems for the environmental protection of many mountain tourist sites. Photographers Alessandro Gruzza and Harald Wisthaler ask what is the most 'sustainable' way to practice mountain photography.

The Dolomites are one of the main places for winter sports in Italy. One of the most practised and followed is undoubtedly ice hockey. Most of the main teams participating in the national hockey championship are based here. We find ourselves in Renon, home to one of Italy's first and best known teams, in the company of Adolf Insam, coach of many successful teams including the Italian national team. Together with his son Marco, a current Renon player, and the young Alan Lobis, we witness the dialogue of three different generations who expound their personal vision of the sport.

The Dolomites are often referred to as the 'Pale Mountains' and have always been the source of myths and legends. An environment characterised by the imposing presence of the Dolomite rock, which seems to observe man from above in his daily activities, is in fact the ideal place for the creation of supernatural stories passed down orally. Our host Ulrike 'Ulli' Innerkofler guides us through the Fanes-Sennes-Braies nature park, which, as philologist Paul Videsott points out, is closely connected to the famous Fanes legends. Myth expert Ulrike Kindl reveals the mysterious mechanism by which these legends are passed down orally.

Mountain tourism as we know it today was born in the Alps. The subsequent discovery of skiing as a sport brought tourists to the mountains and created, starting in the 1960s, the custom of the 'skiing holiday' during the winter season. Franco Gaspari, an alpine guide from Cortina d'Ampezzo, introduces us to the history of mountaineering in the Dolomites and its mythological characters such as Francesco Lacedelli and Paul Grohmann, while writer Ingrid Runggaldier tackles the subject of women in mountaineering, such as Beatrice Tomasson, in which rising is not only about conquering the peak, but also about finding one's own space in a hostile environment occupied only by men.

We continue our journey into the culture of the Dolomites to better understand the relationships over the centuries between the Ladin language and the neighbouring German and Italian language areas. Margherita Menardi, Ladin-speaking host, is joined by a German-speaking host, Ulrike, 'Ulli', Innerkofler, a mid-mountain guide with a past in the Italian national Alpine skiing team. Together with Fabio Chiocchetti, former director of the Ladin Cultural Institute of Val di Fassa, with whom we talk about the struggle to keep a minority culture alive, and Paul Videsott, with whom we visit the collection of texts in the Ladin Museum Ciastel de Tor in San Martino in Badia, there is also Ingrid Runggaldier, writer and editor of the women's magazine Gana.

The Dolomites have always been a cultural and linguistic meeting point.  Not everyone who visits this area knows that here Italian and German coexist with Ladin, an indigenous language and culture, which crosses the the Dolomite valleys of Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto.  Our host Margherita Menardi "Diornista”, musician, mountain hut keeper and radio speaker, introduces us to Ladin culture together with Paul Videsott, professor of Romance Philology at the Free University of Bolzano, Fabio Chiocchetti, former director of the Ladin Cultural Institute of Vigo di Fassa, and Ulrike Kindl, Germanist and expert in Alpine mythology.

Visiting a new place is an experience that can be done in many different ways. You can do it as a tourist, or you can decide to be guided by those who, that place, know it well. Dolomiti Sound Stories is a podcast that helps you get to know the true soul of the Dolomites through the voices of its inhabitants. We will travel across the Dolomite landscape to talk about traditions, history, the environment, language minorities, sport and land management together with those who live these experiences day by day.