Dolomite mountain peaks, valley fog, sunset, Dolomites, Italy

Above the fog

The gorgeous Dolomite mountains of northeastern Italy share their name with a hard sedimentary rock that's found in abundance here. But which is named for which? In fact, both the rock and the range take their name from a person: Déodat de Dolomieu, an 18th-century geologist who grew up in the Alps and was among the first to describe the mineral.This fog-shrouded section of the Dolomites stands within Tre Cime di Lavaredo National Park, a swath of protected land named for a three-pronged peak not seen in this shot. The rugged park is ringed with hiking trails where folks can survey the slopes alongside locals like marmots and chamois.