Ponte di Legno: Pearl of the Camonica valley
Ponte di Legno, Val di Cane' - Photo ©
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Ponte di Legno is a lovely little town which has known how to maintain the charming qualities of the past, while perfectly integrating the needs of modern tourism. It is one of the oldest winter resorts in all of the Alps: a happy oasis, which prefers understatement to mundanity. It is situated in the middle of the wilderness of the Stelvio and Adamello Natural Parks.
Called the "Pearl of the Camonica valley" it is framed by two of the largest mountains of the Alps: on one side there is the Mts. Adamello/Presanella and on the other the Ortles/Cevedale.
Tonale is the skiable area of Ponte, where one can practice summer skiing with the certainty of finding good snow on the crevice-free, Presena glacier. During World War I this area was the scene of terrible battles.
The slopes
Tonale offers slopes of various degrees of difficulty, all of which
run through the woods and are equipped with artificial snow machines and
three ski-lifts. The extremely technical and demanding Corno d'Aola
slope, runs for 7,3 Km with a gradient of 650 meters, and ends in a very
narrow trail among the woods. It is the most sought-after run and in the
past was the theater of national and international races.
The most technically demanding slopes of the Tonale are: the Direttissima, which runs from the Paradiso Pass, curving through hills and mounds under the cable-way and continuing on down for 2700 meters with a 710 meter gradient; the 4500 meter long Alpino slope which has a 725 meter gradient; and the 5 km long Valbiolo-Tonale Occidentale slope, which has a 620 meter gradient.
One can also ski on the Presena glacier while enjoying a magnificent view of the Adamello.
The trails, which range between 2600 and 3100 meters in length, are wide but extremely bumpy.
Presena Glacier - Photo ©
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The Presena slopes are open for skiing also in summertime, see the opening schedule... >>>
See an interactive map of the ski slopes at Ponte di Legno, Passo Tonale... >>>
Break-points
The Faita alpine shelter, situated along the road of the Negritella ski-lift which runs up to the sunniest slopes, is the ultimate skiers' meeting place. Its sunny terrace is the place to see and be seen. It has a romantic, rustic restaurant where the Valtellina and Trentino specialties can be tasted: "strangolapreti" (spinach gnocchi), "polenta taragna" (buck wheat and corn polenta with the local magnuca cheese) and "pizzoccheri" (buck wheat noodles with cheese and potatoes). On the Ponte di Legno slopes (the most difficult in the area) the Valbione restaurant/alpine shelter is the most skilled skiers' destination.
Summertime
Ponte di Legno
In summertime Ponte di Legno is a well frequented holiday destination. Hiking, mountain climbing, golfing, Nordic walking, rafting are among the favorite activities.
The cable cars are open all summer, see their opening schedule... >>>
See also: Passo del Tonale... >>>
Text in part Courtesy of APT Provincia di Brescia, Brescia Official Tourist Board
www.bresciaholiday.com/
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
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