Famous for its fertile pastures and pure air quality, the Mendel ridge was first mentioned in the 15th century.
Covering a 35-km stretch of the South-Eastern Alps, the
Mendel ridge outlines and connects the Val d’Adige/Etschtal Valley with the Val di Non/Nonstal Valley in Trentino. A number of annual racing events and marathons are held along its steep eastern slopes and the gentler slopes on the western side.
The Mendelpass Mountain Pass
The winding road along the Mendelpass is popular with hikers,
mountain bikers and cycling enthusiasts. Built by the 19th century civil engineer, Christomannos, it connected the locality of Appiano/Eppan with the Mendelpass. The mountain funicular with gradients of up to 64% is another notable feat of modern engineering.
The extensive network of hiking
trails around the Mendel includes:
-Easily accessible trails from the Felixer Weiher lake or the Smeraldo lake starting from Fondo in the province of Trento and leading up to the summit of Gantkofel mountain;
-A more challenging route leading to the highest point of the Mendelkamm ridge, the Roen (at 2,216 m), rewarding hikers with stunning views of the mountains.