Colle della Vecchia, from Tzendelabรฒ
Edited by:
Ivano Ruffoni
Introduction
The itinerary takes place along an incredible mule track that winds its way up to the Colle della Vecchia in about 200 hairpin bends. The mule track was completed in 1877 thanks to the contribution of Senator Federico Rosazza and many others whose names are carved on a rock wall near the pass. Nearby there is also an epigraph recalling the peace between the two neighbouring valleys and depicting two life-size girls running to embrace. To the girl carved on the left is attributed the phrase:
SARVO'S DAUGHTER WHY UNDER YOUR STEPS ARE THE ROWS SPLENDING?
when to the other girl the sentence:
SORRY OR DAUGHTER OF THE LYS ON THE ALPS OF THE OLD A FLOWER MADE ADULT THIS WAY OPENS US
Description
From the car park, continue along the tarmac road towards the hamlet of Zendelabaz (Tzendelabรณ) (1021m) along the GSW signpost for Gaby, ignoring the turnoff to the right for Issime. Passing between the houses and leaving a wash-house on the left, you are immediately at the start of the
trail (part of Via Alpina) to Colle della Vecchia and the (9a) trail to Alpe Jatzet. Taking the mule track to the right, we cross a forest track and enter a forest of birch and hazel trees with a few beech and larch trees. The most incredible part of the trail begins, made up of continuous, narrow and regular hairpin bends, always with a moderate gradient, between well-kept dry stone walls. Proceed as far as the alpine pasture of Lamponey (1341m, 0h45'), then re-enter the forest and, still with tight hairpin bends, climb up to the alpine pastures of Beccaz and Trusinot. Amidst a few larch trees, you gain a grassy terrace near a recently renovated house and, still in hairpin bends, ascend to Fontane (1874m, 2h15'). By now well within sight of the Colle della Vecchia, amidst rhododendrons and junipers, along the hairpin bends of the paved mule track, climb up to the left to circumvent a rock jump and then, with a long diagonal turn to the right, pass by the epigraph with the two girls, then near the wall engraved with the names of those who contributed to the construction of the mule-track, and after a slightly exposed stretch, with a last hairpin bend to the left, ignoring the track to Monte Cresto on the right, you reach Colle della Vecchia (2187m, 3h10').
The return trip is along the same route as the ascent: descend to Fontane (1874m, 0h40'), descend by hairpin bends to Lamponey (1341m, 1h45') and then down to Zendelabaz (Tzendelabรณ) (1021m, 2h20').
We have been there
Edited by:
Silvia Quaglino
Colle della Vecchia
sentiero molto ben segnato, impossibile perdersi. tanti,tanti tornanti. si tocca due volte la neve. una prima volta un cono di valanga ha in parte ricoperto il sentiero ( una 30ina di metri), una seconda volta in prossimitร della vetta dopo l'effige delle due fanciulle ed i nomi di finanziatori del sentiero, bisogna attraversare verso dx, quasi in piano. lungo il sentiero ho incontrato silvia e massimo martini- diretti al rifugio della vecchia-che ho cosรฌ potuto conoscere di persona dopo aver tante volte letto le loro relazioni.Buon lavoro per il libro sull'alta via nr.1 inaspettatamente unable to parsencora neve anche sul versante piedicavallo.
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Colle della Vecchia
Bella escursione al Colle della Vecchia. Partenza non mattiniera e piacevole incontro con Silvia poco dopo la partenza... lei aveva ormai terminato la salita... Superati alcuni nevai ci troviamo al colle dopo 2h45' circa. La discesa al Rifugio ci costringe a passare ancora qualche tratto innevato: arrivo al rifugio in 3h30'. Dopo un caffรฉ ed un'ottima fetta di torta riaffrontiamo il sentiero E50 sino al colle 4h15'. Dal colle seguiamo l'Alta Via 1 sino a Grignaz desot e, da li con il sentiero 8, arriviamo nuovamente a Tsandelabรฒ 6h45'. L'Alta Via 1 (affrontata in discesa) presenta molti tratti ancora innevati: si riesce a transitare con qualche difficoltร (รจ necessario avere un buon senso del sentiero per ritrovarlo al termine del nevaio). Poco sotto Grignaz desot avvistati due caprioli.
