...for the sporty mountain walker
They are looking forward to it, the nine mountain lovers I meet at the start of our Sentiero No.1 dell'Adamello. It is August 2017 and, as it should be in Italy, the weather is glorious. For all of us this will be a first encounter with the Adamello.
Behind that fine name for the highest mountain in the area lies a world of dense forest, rock and ice. The last brown bears of the Alps live in this enormous Parco Naturale Adamello Brenta; being shy, they are very unlikely to show themselves. There is a good chance, though, that we shall meet chamois and ibex along our route, and marmots, golden eagles and bearded vultures make their home here too.
This week in 2017 we walk as a mixed company, from 24 to 71 years old, through an impressive landscape of grey rock and majestic peaks, interspersed with lovely mountain meadows and crystal-clear rushing streams. Now and then the clothes come off and we enjoy a dip in the cold water, then continue refreshed. And that is welcome, because it is quite a demanding route thanks to the long passages over boulder fields. But the reward, as always, is the view from the next col or summit, or the Italian pleasures in the huts.
One of the high points of the trek is the climb to the Adamello glacier: from rifugio Prudenzini we climb 900 metres to the Passo di Salarno. Before we walk on to the Bivacco Arrigo Giannantoni, Jan takes off his shirt and poses proudly with the Adamello glacier behind him... 71 years old... magnificent, isn't it?
Would you like to come to bella Italia in early September? Then have a look at 360explore.com/trektocht/adamello-brenta/ !
Peter - 360° Explore guide: peter@360explore.com
