Cycling Dolomiti Friulane: Pian dei Buoi

Showing posts with label Pian dei Buoi. Show all posts

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Marmarole MTB

The Marmarole are a group of mountains west of the Piave River with less tourists in summer than some other areas of the Dolomiti. A favorite climb here is the road from Lozzo di Cadore to Pian dei Buoi. The road winds 11.5 km up the shady mountainside above Lozzo at an 8.5% average gradient. This was a military road constructed after 1900 to haul materials and cannon up to Col Vidal fortress. The incline had to be gentle enough for teams of mules to haul extremely heavy loads. The one imperfection last time I climbed it 3 years ago were the frequent drainage channels you had to jump or slow down for on descending. Now they have repaved most of the upper half of the climb and the channels are gone.

At the top the road turns to dirt, but is roadbike-able (I climbed it with the Merckx in 2011). This time I used the MTB because I wanted to try the dirt descent to Val da Rin and Auronzo. The map I printed off the web was kinda sketchy but a very nice Italian MTBer stopped and took a good map out and showed me the best way. The descent was very steep loose rock but at least was dry at first. Then I stopped to chat with another MTBer pushing his bike up from the bottom (there are descriptions online of riding up this, but I don't see how it's humanly possible). He said the trail below was brutto because it was full of mud and water from all the rain. He was right, it sucked, but it didn't seem too bad after last week at Val Visdende.

Eventually I reached Val da Rin, forded across and headed down the paved road to SR48 west of Auronzo. Easy ride from here on main roads down to Lozzo di Cadore. Will come back and try to explore Col Vidal fortress next time.

Rolling Pian dei Buoi pastures

Monte Ciareido, left

Dolomiti peaks on horizon

View to northwest

Val Poorse

Cimon di Froppa above Val da Rin meadow

Friday, September 30, 2011

Pian dei Buoi

Pian dei Buoi is a lovely meadowy area on the shoulders of the Marmarole Group above Lozzo di Cadore, with fantastic views of surrounding peaks.

I left early and arrived around 0800 at Lozzo di Cadore (753m) on the Piave River north of Longarone. The climb starts almost immediately, but luckily I lost my way and warmed-up briefly riding around the town. The initial section is not too steep, and many people were taking their morning walks on this pleasant narrow lane through the forest.

Soon the road steepens to 7-10%. Felt great in the cool morning air- really a wonderful climb. It continued like this for around 10km, until the deteriorating road surface gives out completely and it becomes a dirt road at 1700 meters. Still it's rideable with a skinny-tired road bike- no problems.

Now the road enters the beautiful rolling meadows of Pian dei Buoi (Plain of Oxen). I continued on the dirt road a bit further until the trailhead for Rifugio Ciareido, where a family of asini were enjoying their sunny morning. The dirt road reportedly continues for another 6 km to Col Vidal (1880m), a pre-WW I fortress said to have spectacular 360-degree views. I'll have to try to reach the end of the road next year, as I was in a hurry to get home for a prior commitment.

The descent was quite rough- can't get up much speed because of bad pavement, drainage channels, narrowness and twistiness. But the ascent and scenery are so good it makes the descent worth enduring. I'll certainly be returning in 2012.