For summer 2022, trail B06 from Patascoss to Lake Nambino will be fully accessible, open to everyone and able to meet the needs of the disabled.
Lake Nambino fully accessible
Lake Nambino accessible to allEven those with disabilities, will be welcome news to all who love the mountains. At an altitude of 1718 meters (5636 feet) just above Madonna di Campiglio, this tranquil lake nestled in the forest and featuring an amazing chalet, against the backdrop of the Brenta Dolomites, is one of the most beautiful spots in the entire Trentino region.
The lake also serves as a starting point for a great many outings, including the popular 5 Lakes circuit, so named because it takes you to Ritorto, Lambin, Serodoli, Gelato and Nambino lakes. This enchanting corner of the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park can be reached in one of three ways (but not by car):
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with the Pinzolo-Campiglio Express cable car (SUMMER 2023: LIFT CLOSED) from Madonna di Campiglio (Colarin station)
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a 45 minute stroll along a flat trail from Malga Patascoss;
- or up a slight incline from Piana di Nambino for a hike of about one hour.
The “Park for All”“It’s easy to see how making a place like this accessible even to people with disabilities, particularly physical ones, could be a major challenge,” explained park chairman Walter Ferrazza. “And it is not an isolated challenge, but one that falls within the broader efforts we have been pursuing to make some of the spots of greatest natural importance within this protected area more inclusive. The “Park for All” is a far-reaching project with one important goal: making it so that as many people as possible are free to enjoy nature.
the best balance between the needs of accessibility and of the conservation of nature“One of our commitments is to promote awareness of the issues related to easy access to the various locations, services, and related facilities, including transportation, by as broad a swath of the public as possible. At times, these actions may appear to have an impact on the environment, but the Park works hard to ensure that we maintain the best balance between the needs of accessibility and of the conservation of nature.
“The work done for Lake Nambino involved a variety of actors beyond the park’s maintenance teams, including the non-profit organization ANFFAS, with which the Park has been collaborating for years and which is always an invaluable source of motivation for the public sector. Other contributors have included the Employment and Environmental Support unit, SOVA, of the Province of Trento, the Madonna di Campiglio Tourist Association, and the town councils of the municipalities involved, including Pinzolo, which owns the land through which trail B06 — the focus of our work — runs.”
The trail starts in the area of Patascoss and is maintained by the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park. Parking is available at Patascoss, but it can also be reached by way of the gondola lift at the Colarin station in Campiglio. The trail that heads out from Patascoss, itself a popular spot for an outing, leads to the lake along a false flat, but it used to be a gravel road that was difficult for people with physical disabilities to use.
the main challengesSo what were the main challenges faced when deciding how to make the trail accessible? In short: outcroppings of tonalite, where the trail narrowed to just a few dozen centimeters; the irregular surface created over time by rock slides and the roots of trees (given that the trail runs through the forest); and erosion caused by rain, surface water, and the footsteps of such a great many hikers.
The work that the Park and SOVA decided to perform entailed, first and foremost, work to level the trail and make a few minor route changes without significantly altering the path taken by the trail. At its narrowest sections, the trail was widened to about 1.20 m (4 ft). For the largest tonalite boulders that could not be removed without drastically altering the area’s natural beauty, the project involved building pathways out of larch logs and planks on top of the boulders, as well as guard rails in the most exposed sections.
a low impact on nature and the environment“We can confidently say that the work done had a low impact on nature and the environment,” said Cristiano Trotter, director of the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park. “The changes made, especially leveling the surface and the guard rails placed in the most critical points, will be well received by all who make use of the trail, both the disabled and anyone wanting to enjoy a magnificent stroll through our forests in complete safety, but without compromising the thrill of being truly immersed in nature.”
It is forbidden to travel by bike and on horseback.
By MARCO PONTONI
