"Hoffer" Mountain Cabin

The gerla consisted of a basket shaped like an inverted truncated cone, made of woven branches (often hazel or wicker), open at the top and equipped with two shoulder straps for carrying on the shoulders: it was the only means of transportation available when venturing into rugged, narrow valleys characterized by steep forest trails.

During the winter, however, the main form of transportation was the sled, which used ice and snow as sliding surfaces to move heavy loads even without the aid of animals.

Finally, the wooden cart dominated the valley floors: it could be pulled by hand or with the help of draft animals where the slopes were gentler and wide dirt roads were present. It was the vehicle that offered the greatest load capacity.

To round out this journey through Cadore’s rural traditions, behind the mountain hut, among the branches of the trees, stands a wooden crucifix—a silent witness to the deep and ancient bond between religious devotion and daily life in the Cadore valleys.