Severe weather and trail damage: launch of a crowdfunding campaign

Following the severe weather that heavily impacted the Finale Outdoor Region trail network last week, the FOR Consortium immediately mobilized to restore the damaged trails and bring the situation back to normal. Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated team of Finale Outdoor Region trail builders, consortium operators, and volunteers, who worked tirelessly over the weekend and accumulated hundreds of hours of labor, it was possible to partially reopen the trail network by Monday, October 21st, just a few days after the intense rainfall, while ensuring the monitoring of all trail areas.

Simone Lammardo and Riccardo Serrato, Trail Builder Coordinators for Finale Outdoor Region, stated: “Seventy percent of the trail assessments showed medium to high levels of damage. This means that, for the areas already inspected, it will take anywhere from 2-3 days to up to two weeks of work for full restoration. At the moment, no trails have been completely wiped out by the heavy rain, but some areas, particularly Carmo and parts of the backcountry, have sustained significant damage that will take longer to reopen.” “The most affected areas,” Lammardo and Serrato continued, “include the Carmo zone, where we estimate at least 150 hours of work, or about two weeks of interventions. The Osiglia and Mallare areas may see partial reopenings once the drying phase is completed, though no precise reopening timelines will be given until inspections are finished. Bardineto and Castelvecchio will remain closed indefinitely due to more severe damage that requires careful evaluation and planning."

Gianluca Viglizzo, President of FOR, added: “Our initial estimate suggests that approximately 1,500 hours of work will be required for complete restoration, with an overall cost well exceeding €20.000. To address this emergency and reopen the trails as quickly as possible, we have launched a crowdfunding campaign, which is essential to fund these unplanned repairs and ensure that tourists can once again enjoy our entire territory. The storm hit during one of the busiest seasons for outdoor tourism, but we have not been discouraged, and we are confident that our loyal visitors, as well as many operators in the tourism and bike industry who regularly visit Finale for their activities, will support us and help us return to welcoming everyone at our best. In this delicate time, I also want to emphasize the importance of everyone—operators and tourists alike—respecting the current and upcoming closures, avoiding damaged roads or trails. Lastly, let's not forget the importance of supporting the For You Card system, which is our primary source of financial resources for maintaining the area. All of this will help us speed up the recovery process and prevent further damage."