Crossing 133 Aldo Bonacossa: From Passo Palade to Val di Rabbi in 4 days
Long distance hiking trail • Val di Non
Crossing 133 Aldo Bonacossa: From Passo Palade to Val di Rabbi in 4 days
Trail 133 crosses the entire mountain range of the Maddalene Group: it starts at Passo Palade and arrives in Val di Rabbi, running along the border between the provinces of Trento and Bolzano. It unfolds in wild, rarely frequented environments, and the support points are the mountain huts with their sincere and genuine hospitality.
The Aldo Bonacossa Trail 133 is a historic SAT trail. It starts at Passo Palade, in the province of Bolzano, and crosses the entire Maddalene mountain range until it reaches Val di Rabbi. The trail is well marked and has no particular technical difficulties except the distance between support points.
recommended route
Multi-day route
Long distance hiking trail
· Val di Non
Crossing 133 Aldo Bonacossa: From Passo Palade to Val di Rabbi in 4 days
APT Val di Non Verified partner
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Photo: Luca Alessandri, APT Val di Non
Author’s recommendation
APT Val di Non Verified partner
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Track types
Rest stops
Agritur Malga CastrinMalga Kessel di Sotto
Rifugio Maddalene Malga Val
Bivacco Malga Masa Murada
Safety information
The trail is well marked and has no particular technical difficulties except for the distance between support points.
The trail runs entirely at altitude and never touches inhabited centers. To face it, you need to be familiar with the mountains, able to read maps, and prepared for possible route changes due to weather.
Tips and suggestions
Thanks to numerous access possibilities, the “Aldo Bonacossa” Trail can be done entirely on separate days without diminishing the great satisfaction this route offers.
The section between the Malga Val Refuge and Malga Bordolona Alta is quite long: if you have booked a stay at Malga Bordolona Alta, the managers offer a transfer service by jeep from upper Malga Binasia to Malga Bordolona.
Roadbook
Trail 133 runs along the southern side of the entire Maddalene Group, from Passo delle Palade to Penasa in Val di Rabbi, keeping consistently close to 2000 meters. It is a route suitable for trained hikers capable of navigating independently. On dry ground, the trail poses no difficulties, but when wet, icy, or foggy, some sections require caution as they can become slippery. The path often cuts across steep grassy slopes descending from the peaks, and a slip on these slopes can have serious consequences. Those with some experience will certainly have no problems and will find trail 133 easy and enjoyable.
This trail is dedicated to Aldo Bonacossa, a Milanese mountaineer and author (back in 1915) of the first guidebook on the Ortles-Cevedale Group, which also included the Maddalene sector. The trail, besides being numbered 133, is also marked with white and red colors and intersects almost all trails traced on this side: those marked with three-digit numbers belong to and are maintained by the S.A.T. (Society of Tridentine Mountaineers). Those marked with one- or two-digit numbers are maintained by the South Tyrolean sections of AVS or by the Pro Loco offices of the Province of Bolzano. Having said that, it is clear that trail 133 has an infinity of variants: with short detours, it is possible to climb to the summit of Monte Luco, Cornicolo, Vedetta Alta, Monte Ometto, Cima degli Olmi, Stùbele, Monte Pin, Cima Binasia, Castel Pagano, Cima Tuatti, and the Punte di Quaira. If needed, it is also possible to descend quickly to the valley.
To complete the crossing without descending to the valley, three days are needed, with an average of 6-7 hours of walking per day. The best support points are three:
- the Val Bivouac
- the Forest Refuge
- the Malga Bordolona Alta
Besides food and the normal equipment of a cautious hiker, your backpack should contain what is necessary to spend the night in the mountains in case of emergency, including a topographic map, flashlight, and compass.
Water is practically everywhere: at the mountain huts and bivouacs, in the streams found along the route, and from abundant springs.
Thanks to numerous access possibilities, the “Aldo Bonacossa” Trail can also be done entirely on separate days without diminishing the great satisfaction this route offers.
Bordolona Alta
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
The SAD 630 line bus connects the town of Fondo to Passo Palade.Directions
From Val di Non, continue along the state road towards Merano until you reach Passo Palade.Parking
There are many free parking spaces at Passo Palade to leave your car.Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Equipment
Mountain boots, trekking poles, clothing for multiple days of trekking, and gear to protect against rain.Localization
Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.
Weather at the starting point
Statistics
The first stage of the Aldo Bonacossa crossing is short and designed to allow those coming from far away to reach Passo Palade by car and start the ...
The second stage leaves the classic destinations frequented by hikers in the Maddalene group and ventures into the wild heart of these mountains ...
Among the four stages, this is the most challenging!
The last day along the Bonacossa crossing is mostly downhill: after 3 days of trekking you return to the valley.
