Today we start our tour from Riva del Garda
We head toward the famous Ponale old road and Punta Larici.
The Ponale road was built in the mid-19th century and immediately became the main artery
connecting the Ledro valley with the Garda side and was used for normal vehicular traffic.
Over the years the original route has undergone various changes.
The most critical points, either due to the danger of falling rocks or due to the excessively exposed position,
have been replaced by short sections in the tunnel and therefore abandoned.
Often the route was subject to prolonged closures for its safety following the fall of stones that put those passing through it in grave danger.
It remained in operation until 1995.
In that year it was closed definitively following the opening of the new tunnel connecting to Riva del Garda.
Since 2004 it has become a cycle path and path suitable for hiking.
In about one hour we get to the end of the Ponale Road in Pregasina, where the altitude is 535 mt.
After a short stop at the little square in Pregasina to enjoy the beautiful panoramic view on the lake, we head towards Punta Larici at 1000 mt.
The Punta Larici is in front of the Monte Palaer.
It is separated from it by a less pronounced saddle (Bocca Larici).
Although Punta Larici stays below 1000 m altitude, it is still a prominent point.
The eastern flank drops very steeply towards Lake Garda. From the summit there is an excellent view to the north-east and south-west over the Lake Garda.
In about 50 minutes we get to Bocca Larici.
The views of Lake Garda and Mount Baldo on the east side are breathtaking.
Coming up here with a regular MTB takes a bit of effort but it is surely worth it.
Have a look at the movie’s tour below.
