Salorno (Salurn) is located on the border to the Trentino, for this hike we drive some kilometres further towards south to the southernmost point of the Mendola Ridge. Mezzocorona is known as the main village of the Rotaliana Plain (Piana Rotaliana), a well-known wine-growing region and home of the Teroldego. The successful Mezzacorona Winery is also supplied by winegrowers from the South Tyrolean villages of Salorno and Cortina. Only 200 metres away from the Mezzocorona church square a small cable car starts steeply uphill to the hamlet of Mezzocorona Monte at 700 m a.s.l. It can transport 7 persons per ride - and is not suited for people suffering from vertigo or claustrophobia. We start our hike at the mountain station and after some minutes we enter the mixed forest following the signpost "SAT 507" towards "Malga Kraun".

Uphill and downhill on the gravel path - or the alternative forest trail - we pass three small gorges and finally reach the Malga Kraun mountain hut after 2 hours. It is located in the middle of a beautiful meadow and in case of fine weather it offers a fantastic view on the Valle dell'Adige valley and the town of Trento. We walk some metres further to the century-old silver fir, known as "candelabra tree" for its two treetops so that the trunk seems to be an oversized candelabra. If you want to extend the hike you can choose between several paths starting at the hut: the climbing tour on Mount Roccapiana (with summit cross), the descent via the Malga Bodrina mountain hut or the narrow trail towards Favogna with the eponymous lake in South Tyrol. After a stop at the hut we decide to turn back along the same trail. The highlights of this tour are the beautiful mixed and deciduous forests, the canyons and gorges, the silver fir and - of course - the special cable car.

Author: AT