An awe-inspiring road to Palade Pass
Passo delle Palade is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.518m (4,980ft) above the sea level, located in the South Tyrol, northern Italy.
The pass (called Gampenpass or Gampenjoch in German) is traversed by the Strada Statale 238. The road is asphalted and runs from the south from Fondo up to the village Lana and Merano in the north. Today the pass is very popular with motorcyclists and road cyclists thanks to the many stunning views of the valley that can be admired along the way.
The pass connects the Adige valley and the Non Valley. It’s open all year round. Its strategic location has always made it a point of great military interest. Just before the Second World War the Italian military completed a large bunker complex whose ruins can still be seen today. In just 9 months of construction time a gigantic bunker complex with over 2,000 meters of corridors over 4 floors was built.
There are 3 routes to reach the summit. Starting from Cermes, the ascent is 19.85 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.220 meters. The average percentage is 6.1 %. Starting from Fondo, the ascent is 13 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 530 meters. The average percentage is 4.1 %. And starting from Lana di Sopra, the ascent is 17.4 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.196 meters. The average percentage is 6.9 %.