Giogo di Meltina on the Altopiano del Salto: spring hike in South Tyrol
A spring hike in the heart of an idyllic plateau, first plunging into beautiful forests and then emerging onto vast pastures and green meadows, with a 360-degree view of the still-white peaks of the Dolomites and the nearby Ötztaler Alps.
The Giogo di Meltina (Möltner Joch) at the gateway to the Sarentine Alps is an extremely scenic and ideal destination to reach in the springtime. We are on the Salten Plateau in South Tyrol, which can be reached in about 20 minutes from Bolzano. At the time of year between April and May, the meadows are covered in purple and white thanks to the crocus blossoms, which appear as soon as the last snow has melted.
Already on the way to the high plateau, we drive along the road that climbs up from Bolzano and heads north, linking up with the village of Jenesien via several hairpin bends, from which the view of the Catinaccio Dolomites becomes more and more visible.
As we take our first steps into the forest, we realise that a cold wind accompanies us, in the middle of the forest, which is still going through its winter transition, on this first part of a day between April and May.
We walk, following the frequent signs towards the Möltner Joch, on trail no. 4, which leads us in a short time to a small lake, from where we then intercept a forest road that winds its way broadly and comfortably through the forest. The larch forest accompanies us in silence, leading us on a gentle but steady climb, as the temperature begins to warm up.
The rhythm of our steps is marked by the movement of our trekking poles, which accompany us faithfully at all times. Even on terrain that is not too rough, trekking poles provide additional support, which we perceive above all in the support they give our knees on the descent. In a special way, the Moss poles are suitable for all terrain, with their long foam grip providing different grips.
The forest road thus moves from the heart of the forest to its edge, where the trees begin to thin out, giving us a glimpse of the first peaks, such as the Brenta Dolomites or the Ötztaler Alps towering over Meran.
And it is precisely when the path then completely abandons the forest that we reach the most exciting stretch of the entire day, when slowly the green expanses of the Giogo di Meltina open up in front of us, with the blue sky and some spectacular clouds completing the picture. From the moment the forest road plunges into the green meadows of the Giogo di Meltina, we follow the route of the path marked as ‘European Path 5’, continuing on to the Möltner Kaser hut.
The awakening of nature is evident and silent, with the colours of purple and white characterising the meadows and pastures, where expanses of crocuses thicken as the snow begins to melt away.
From here on, the view gives us such a wide panorama that it embraces the Dolomites of Sciliar, Latemar, Catinaccio, Sella, Sassolungo and Odle, together with the Pale di San Martino in the distance. A view in which we lose ourselves, savouring the fresh spring scent that wafts through the air accompanying us. A scent and a thought, following the vastness that surrounds us, towards the meadows, the forests, the peaks and finally the infinite shades that spring gives us.
