Colle della Vecchia, from Tzendelabò

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 (Tzendelabó) (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 (Tzendelabó) (1021m, 2h20').