| Bocchetta di Forcola Route |
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| Bocchetta di Forcola   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Lombardia / Graubünden, Italy/Switzerland, Europe Lat/Lon: 46.54446°N / 10.39672°E Route Type: Hiking Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Time Required: Half a day Difficulty: Hike
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| Page By: Gangolf Haub Created/Edited: Oct 10, 2008 / Oct 10, 2008 Object ID: 451616 Hits: 109 Loading... Page Score: 87.31% - 4 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
Punta di Rims |
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The normal route to Punta di Rims runs through the saddle Bocchetta di Forcola, a point which was of strategic importance during WW I. Here the Italians had massive artillery positions, which were able to reach the (then) Austrian villages on the other side of Stilfser Joch / Passo di Stelvio. Even today, 90 years after the end of the war, there are still the remains of these positions visible all over the southern side of the mountain.
The route is a marked hiking route, without any major difficulties. The Bocchetta is plainly visible for much of the way and the final ascent of Punta di Rims follows an old military road to the summit. The mountain itself becomes visible only in the last stage of the ascent, as a rocky ridge bars most of it from view.
The first part of the route - until you reach Bocchetta de Forcola - is also a popular mountain bike route. Bikers, however, usually descend on the other side of the pass in direction of Bormio.Getting There
Valle del Braulio |
See the main page for the information how to get to the trailhead at Umbrailpass / Giogo di Santa Maria / Wormser Joch. It is located right next to Europe's highest road pass, Stilfser Joch / Passo del Stelvio.Route Description
Punta di Rims with the ascent route through the west face |
- Start altitude: 2500m
- Summit altitude: 2948m
- Prevailing exposure: S
- Type: Hike
- Protection: None
Effort: 500m elevation gain
Power: 1 - Easy
Psyche: 1 - Easy
Orientation: 1 - Easy
Piz UUmbrail from the route |
From the Italian customs building on Umbrailpass head south on the road for a couple of hundred metres. Leave the road (signs Sentiero Life) in westward direction and head along underneath the jumbled south face of Piz Umbrail. The path gradually rises but mainly follows the terrain in long sweeps. Part of the meadows have been set aside as a nature preserve and you can observe quite a variety of alpine birds and animals here.
The path climbs a small hillock from which the destination of the first stage can be seen: Bocchetta di Forcola. It is a notch in the line of a rocky ridge, which for most part of the way hides Punta di Rims from view. The path makes directly for it, in the last section getting steep and heading to the notch in several switchbacks. Take your time in the bocchetta. There are many signs of WW I fighting left and you will find a couple of signs giving explanations. In the bowl on the far side of the bocchetta you'll find the ruins of two buildings - an old WW I barracks and an Italian customs building towering above it.
From the bocchetta follow the roof covered trench to the east. Right behind it a military road starts which leads you up the mountain. First follow eastward but then the road heads out into the broad west slope of the mountain. It almost touches the mountain's main ridge befor heading back and directly onto the broad summit.Essential GearHiking gear is sufficient. Images
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