La Crosetta da Sarone

Sunny cold First of March, a good day to climb Il Cansiglio, and Monte Pizzoc if possible.  After spinning down the rollers to Sarone, I turned up the hill.  Starts out gently, up to the little pass above Castello di Caneva, then it just keeps climbing incessantly at 9-12% for 10 kilometers.  I stayed seated a bit too long and my right lower back was aching- after that I alternated standing and riding.

Above 800 meters snow appeared along the roadsides, and gradually got deeper until it covered the ground around the beech trees as far as you could see.  Luckily the road itself was completely clear.  Through the trees I could see Mont Pizzoc completely covered with snow.  Have to save that climb (1500 meters) for a later date.  At La Crosetta (1130 meters) I stopped long enough to put on my balaclava for the descent and shoved off.  I stopped to take some pictures but dropped the camera in the snow and it stopped working.  Once I got back down and it thawed out it seems ok.

The long twisty descent was fun and has some great switchbacks and a few chicanes.  Quite cold though.  After returning to Via Pedemontane below Sarone I rode home slowly and steadily, never really thawing out till a hot bath later on.

The Garmin altimeter is acting up- keeps starting out at 235 meters instead of 310.  I'll manually set elevation before starting from now on.

Beech trees in snow obscuring the snowy summit
of Monte Pizzoc

Grade from Sarone to La Crosetta

Map of climb

Note elevation error "-54 m"