Malga Palazzo: Tackling Europe's Steepest Road Challenge in Italy's Majestic Dolomites
Scanuppia-Malga Palazzo is a mountain peak at an elevation of 1.571m (5,154ft) above the sea level, located in Trentino, in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, The road is brutally steep.
Why is Malga Palazzo famous for?
Tucked away in the Riserva regionale Scanuppia, it’s said to be the steepest hardest long climb on a sealed-surface road in Europe (or the world), hitting a 42,8% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps.
How long is Malga Palazzo?
The road, also known as Salita Scanuppia, follows a road built in the XVI century. Starting at Besenello, the ascent is about 8 km (4.97 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 1.317 meters and the average percentage is 18.1%.
Is Malga Palazzo paved?
Set high in the Dolomite mountain range, on the northern part of the country, the road is paved (with concrete parts). What makes it even more difficult is that much of the concrete surface is not "even". Not that it's "rough" (though in a few spots it is that) - but that it's "wavy", like with very wide "ripples" in its surface. This unevenness is intended to provide better traction when there is snow or ice.