Sentiero dei mughi e delle trincee
Path of the Dwarf Pines and Trenches
The entire route (including the "Fortino" and "Trincee" variants) is approximately 4 km long. The main path follows the route of an ancient military road and is dedicated to exploring the nature and environment surrounding it. It crosses the pine thicket from the Vason area (1650 m a.s.l.) to Cima Palon (2098 m a.s.l.). The variants allow you to take a step back in time, observing some of the military structures used during World War I: the Fort and the Trenches.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Take photographs of the wonders and landscapes you encounter along the route
- Rest under a majestic tree
- Discover what the mountain has to tell by stopping to read the signs along the paths
- Imagine yourself as those who lived in the mountains before you: farmers, shepherds, woodcutters, soldiers
- Collect mushrooms, flowers, snails, and frogs ONLY in accordance with legal guidelines
WHAT YOU CANNOT DO:
- Leave the path and cause unnecessary noise, as it would disturb the wildlife
- Light fires: you could cause a wildfire
- Leave waste behind: pollution is the enemy of the forest
- Damage the signage and equipment: repairs are costly for everyone, including you!
- Damage the plants: they play an important role in the ecosystem and produce oxygen, allowing you to breathe
The Dwarf Pine Trail
The Flora
Where the forest gives way to the meadow, the dwarf pine (Pinus mugo) formations become the most characteristic landscape feature. Here, while the snow has yet to melt, the bright pink of the winter heath (Erica carnea) stands out among the dark green of the dwarf pines, one of the first plants to bloom. As the warm season progresses, rhododendron shrubs also brighten these environments with their purple flowers. On Mount Bondone, three different species are present: the red rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum), the hairy rhododendron (Rhododendron hirsutum), and the dwarf rhododendron (Rhodothamnus chamaecistus), the latter endemic to the Eastern Alps.
- Mount Bondone Blushes Pink...
- Rhododendron ferrugineum: A plant typical of siliceous soils, though also found on Mount Bondone. It shares the common name "Alpine rose" with another similar species, Rhododendron hirsutum.
- Rhododendron hirsutum: Also in the Ericaceae family, this species is distinguished from Rhododendron ferrugineum by the presence of small hairs along the edges of its leaves.
- Erica carnea: An evergreen shrub in the Ericaceae family, its name derives from the Greek word ἐρείκω ereíko meaning "to crumble" (due to its habitat in rubble), while carnea refers to the flesh-pink color of the flowers.
- Rhodothamnus chamaecistus: The dwarf rhododendron is a relic of the pre-glacial Alpine flora. The name comes from the Greek 'rhodon' (rose) and 'thamnos' (shrub), combined with 'khamái' (low or ground) meaning "low broom."
The Fauna
While crossing these environments, you may be lucky enough to encounter a frequent visitor: the capercaillie or black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix). The female, small and elusive, displays highly camouflaged plumage, while the male boasts a striking black plumage with metallic highlights. In spring, it chooses quiet places, commonly known as "lekking grounds," for its courtship rituals. Higher up, where grass competes with rocks, wandering individuals of the white ptarmigan (Lagopus mutus) can be spotted in winter. Other animals you might glimpse among the rocks include the chukar partridge (Alectoris graeca) and groups of ibex (Rupicapra rupicapra).
- Lyrurus tetrix: During the spring, when the capercaillie enters the breeding season, the male emits a distinctive gurgling sound. This is followed by fierce fights among males for the possession of females.
- Lagopus mutus: The white ptarmigan adopts a pristine white plumage in the cold season, which allows it to blend in with the snowy peaks, making it almost invisible.
- Alectoris graeca: Populations of chukar partridge have declined due to multiple factors, including the abandonment of meadow mowing at high altitudes. The chukar is a monogamous species.
- Rupicapra rupicapra: The ibex is a gregarious animal. Both sexes have very similar horns, though the male's are more hooked and powerful.
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The Trench Path – The Artillery Base on Cima Palon
Cima Palon and the Pale Base were strategic pillars of the southwest defense. As early as 1910, fortifications were systematically constructed here using the cave technique [...].
The cave technique was not unknown; initially, it involved the construction of two artillery gun emplacements, followed by three casemates for the lower blocking position of Civezzano, which were begun in October 1869 by the company Francesco Ranzi of Civezzano and completed in the summer of 1872 (Source: Nicola Fontana, Austro-Hungarian Fort Dossaccio, 2004 and KA Vienna).
This construction method was, at the time, simply too costly. Only the use of pneumatic hammers—a technique already employed by Trentino companies for tunnel excavation since around 1900—and the use of dynamite helped to reduce costs and significantly shorten the construction duration. It is important to understand that the tunnels of the mines, unlike the standard cave construction technique, were simply the result of explosions beneath the rock [...].
Cima Palon served as an important optical signal station, with powerful electrically powered reflectors connected to the Riva sector.
The signal from this main optical signaling station could be received by all the posts, forts, and batteries of the Trento Fortress; the station was also capable of forwarding current messages to the command at Buonconsiglio Castle, as well as communicating all outgoing information from the castle to its respective recipients.
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The total costs for the construction of the caves on Palon and Pale amounted to 126,523 crowns.
As can be seen, the construction of the fortification system provided good contracts for Trentino construction firms, securing many jobs.
The Construction of the Strongholds and Trenches
The individual positions in the strongholds, as well as in the trenches and intervals, were lined with natural stones.
This construction technique was abandoned in 1915, as during the wartime events, it was found that during artillery bombardments of the defense lines, the loose natural stones detached or shattered, injuring many soldiers. The newer type of trench was either lined with concrete or reinforced with wooden trellises. For this reason, it is relatively easy to determine the year of construction of the infantry positions and trenches in the various sectors of the Trento Fortress. The same applies to the different types of protective caves.
Those from 1910-1914 often have a frontal closure made of natural stone. Few entrances were made with coarse concrete. The caves from 1915 on Mount Bondone, for infantry protection, often lack protective entrances. Instead, wooden barracks were simply installed inside, with their exteriors protected by tarred paper to prevent surface water infiltration.
Only caves intended for officer quarters, ammunition storage, medical facilities, or other supply depots featured a concrete frontal closure.
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With the new construction of the Trento Fortress, the defense line was largely strengthened through the establishment of MG (=machine gun) positions and MG casemates, strategically well-separated and placed side by side. Behind and along the edges of the military road, additional protective caves were built, connected by paths to the infantry positions, thus easily accessible to the soldiers.
Thanks to its topographical features, Mount Bondone was easily defensible. The firing field in front of the positions, with its extensive barbed wire entanglements extending over 12 meters in depth, was completely cleared of trees and small bushes by 1915. The defenders were able to observe and control minimal angles and all spaces up to the Valle dei Laghi, and they also had mobile battery-powered floodlights that allowed them to illuminate and monitor the entire surrounding area.
[...]