Hike: Passo Porcile and Rifugio Dordona from Foppolo

Overview | The Hike | Flora and Fungi

Left: The route from Foppolo to Rifugio Dordona and back. Right: View of Laghi di Porcile from Passo Porcile.

Overview

Length: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Duration: ~ 5.5 hours walking time, 4 hours before lunch, 1.5 hours after lunch
Elevation: 1625 m (5,330 ft) @ Foppolo, 2316 m (7,598 ft) @ Passo dei Lupi. Total elevation gain of 1310m (4,298 ft).
Location: Italy, Lombardy, Alta Valle Brembana

The Hike

This was day two of two days of hiking in Foppolo. The first day we hiked to Lago Moro above Foppolo. See that post for details on how to get to Foppolo by bus. One of the reasons why we planned two days here – besides getting in more hiking – is that the bus schedule between Bergamo and Foppolo didn't allow enough time in one day to get in a good hike.

After a day of hiking about 11 km, we stayed the night in Foppolo at Hotel Adler. It was nice because we seemed to be the only guests and had it to ourselves. We had a good dinner there too.

Day two’s hike was built around a lunch stop at Rifugio Dordona. We took Sentiero 201 toward Passo Tartano and then switched to Sentiero 201a toward Passo di Dordona. Just before reaching Passo di Dordona, you take a slight detour to reach Rifugio Dordona. From Passo Dordona it’s Sentiero 202 back to Foppolo.

Flora and Fungi

Flora: [Asteraceae] Hieracium intybaceum – Whitish Hawkweed (Italiao: Sparviere cicoriaceo)

Flora: [Campanulaceae] Phyteuma sp.

Flora: [Ranunculaceae] Aconitum napellus – Monk’s-Hood (Italian: Aconito napello)

Fungi: [Boletaceae] Boletus sp. Given that it was found under a pine tree, we are guessing it is Boletus pinophilus. It was found by local man we met on the trail.



Left: Aconitum napellus – Monk’s-Hood (Italian: Aconito napello). Center and right: [Asteraceae] Hieracium intybaceum – Whitish Hawkweed (Italiao: Sparviere cicoriaceo).


Left: [Campanulaceae] Phyteuma sp. Center left: Boletus sp. Given that it was found under a pine tree, perhaps Boletus pinophilus. Center right: A rock-piece of iron ore under Monte Capelle. Right: Trail signs at Passo (or Bocchetta) dei Lupi (2316 m).


Left: Lunch at Rifugio Dordona - polenta with stinco da maile and risotto with sausage and red wine. Center left: Grappa Nostrana al Larice - "Our grappa made from larch" pine cones at Rifugio Dordona. Very good! Center: Tunnel in the WWI trenches at Passo di Dordona. Center right: WWI trench at Passo di Dordona. Right: Mules watching us on Sentiero 201 up to Passo di Porcile.


Left: Sentiero 201 above Foppolo and mules. Center: Coming down from Passo dei Lupi toward Rifugio Dordona. Right: Sentiero 201 just above Foppolo, close to where porcino was found.


The finish of the hike on Sentiero 202 heading down toward Foppolo.