Valico della Forchetta from Palena

We rode the Valico della Forchetta on 12 May 23 on our way to watch stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia pass through Roccaraso. The road condition is pretty good as this is a main road up to one of the largest ski resorts in the area. During our ascent the traffic conditions were light and I found this to be the case on many climbs in the Abruzzo region. As you leave Palena the first 3km are fairly gentle and you can pick up a good rhythm. After about 3.5-4km the gradient rises and you have to tackle about 1.5km at an average of around 9％ with some switchbacks through tree lined roads. After this steep section you have a short section of false flat before the road rises again where it stays at around 5-6％ on fairly sheltered road from here all the way to the summit. From the summit you can head across the Forchetta plain towards Roccaraso and Pescocostanzo, or take a right toward Casano and Pacentro. A nice length climb with a challenging mid section. Worth a climb and the views of the Appenine mountains are great.