Il Giro di Sorasass
With its bare, rocky cliffs facing east towards the northern section of Trento, sits Sorasass. Though perhaps the shortest of Trento's surrounding mountains, its steep cliffs offer a near overhead view of the city and the Adige Valley. Running along the edge of the mountain, is an old military road, now a hiking trail (see map below), that passes by many panoramic viewpoints and a couple of recently renovated Austrian fortifications. Signs point the way to other interesting sites and side trails. The Giro di Sorasass is a so
mewhat popular hike and circles the mountaintop. An 'Urban Trekking' brochure is available from the Trento tourist office, but is a bit misleading in that the hike is not an urban trek at all (Can anything in Trento be considered urban?) and is quite isolated. On a clear morning in early fall, I had the opportunity to visit the area and came across a hunter with two hunting dogs. We chatted and he asked, "Aren't you afraid of the bears?", then he waved his shotgun and said, "I'm not!". Apparently, a bear and a cub had been spotted in the area earlier that week. I nervously continued on while the trio searched for game.Cadine
The most direct route to Sorasass is via the quiet town of cadine, a suburb of Trento to the west. The old section of the town is built on a small hill, and a newer section with a growing housing development of condos and single family homes
that sits on other side of the main road. As you approach the town from the east and exit the tunnels, look for the imposing fort (Forte bus di Vela) that once guarded the passage between the hills.
Vela
A more challenging route to Sorasass departs from Vela, a small town across the river from Trento. Once out of town, the trail (SAT #627) begins and heads steeply upward and through varied terrain, at times muddy, at times rocky, through thick
woods and past a vineyard. Twin lookout towers above keep watch for who knows what as the trail turns back and begins to wind up the mountainside. Another fall day, hiking upward, I stop to listen, and hear a strange buzzing and loud thrashing. Is that the bear and cub that I h
ad so carefully tried to avoid the month before? No, just a crazy forester on a tractor. The vehicle just barely clings to the trail, inches from the steep cliff, a cart in-tow bouncing uncontrollably behind on the rocky trail. Near the top, the Paganella appears and the trail levels off to meet the Giro di Sorasass.
Tip: Take the #6 bus from the train station. In Cadine the bus stops alongside a bar/gas station, take the road heading north, veer to the left at the cross and follow the signs to the trail.
Tip: Or, take the #2 bus to the end to Vela. From there, follow the main road north, going past the houses and towards the apple orchards. Turn left toward the barricade and look for the red and white SAT trail signs.
Links:
Una camminata sul Sorasass
Le Fortezze dell'Imperatore
Cadine
Map - Il Giro di Sorasass
More Photos
View Trento, Italy - Giro di Sorasass in a larger map
