Viel del Pan – Face to face with the Marmolada

Dear friends,
On July 12 2011, 9 guests and me, Silvia Kostner, were forunate enough to hike along the Viel del Pan, a narrow, exposed but fairly comfortable  walk that takes you from the Passo Pordoi (2239 meters) to the top of Portavescovo (2478 meters).
This extremely popular hike exposes the probably unbeatable and best views of the Queen of the Dolomites, the only glacier, the Marmolada.
Along the traverse there are also some spots where we could admire the Sella in all it’s splendour.
But the highlight of the day was definitely the Marmolada and the Fedaia Lake that peacefully lies at it’s feet. The weather was so clear that we could actually see people gracefully descending the snow covered flank of the glacier. Skiing is currently not allowed in the summer as the crevasses are dangerously close to the surface but if someone takes the challenge and hires an expert mountain guide, it is possible to ski down after having climbed all the way up.
And believe me, it is a hard way up!
The interesting history of the Viel del Pan is that it was used in the past as a caravan trail for the transportation of goods between the Isarco Valley and the Agordino Valleys. Someone might think why would people use such a narrow, exposed path for transporting heavy goods. The reason was that the roads along the valleys followed the rivers and forests and were exposed to assoults and muggers.

Approximate lenght: 4 hours of walking
Difficulty level: easy, some exposed parts

Viel del Pan