Lago Ca' Selva - Panuch - Val Bassa

Sometimes you return to a familiar climb and you discover the place all over again.  Today my routine local ride  to Lago Ca' Selva was like that.  As Jack puts it "Eppure esistono salite belle ed impegnative anche vicino a casa, e può capitare che passino anche un paio di anni prima di salire sulla vetta di certe montagne; ed ogni volta che ci si torna si scopre il gusto dell'esplorazione, dell'impresa, della scoperta e la fatica pare sempre più di quella reale. La bicicletta non dovrebbe trasformarsi in routine, per non perdere il gusto della prima volta."  http://jackciclista.blogspot.it/2012/05/come-la-prima-volta.html

It began normally enough- I warmed up through Maniago then through Bus di Colvera toward Poffabro and down Val Muie to Navarons.  At Lago Tramonti dam I turned and headed toward Chievolis.  Here the climb starts up Val Silisia, as usual a good workout.  At the first mid-ride summit a family of deer were having lunch.  The mother stayed by the gorge cliff-edge, while 3 babies (quite clumsy and cute) and a yearling crossed the deserted road for some food. I stayed away and used zoom to take a foto, then the mother got spooked, headed downslope, and the yearling and babies jumped over the guardrail to follow.   

The Lago Ca' Selva dam was peaceful as always.  I thought I'd cross over and go a few hundred meters up the dirt road toward Forcella Clautana.  Suddenly the dirt road gave way to pavement, not new but still in good condition.  Not sure why I haven't seen this before- I may have and I've forgotten (my memory is pretty spotty).  The narrow road begins climbing, getting steeper and steeper until 653 meters near Panuch.  There is a trailhead here.  Then you descend through a stupendous beech tree forest with big dolomite stone cliffs.  On the other side of the narrow lane is the back end of Lago Ca' Selva, normally hidden from view.  I finally reached the bottom of this descent and continued to the  stream crossing  at Val Bassa, where pavement ended.  The gravel road looks pretty good, so I may come back later and try to go further.

Now back over the hill again, down to the lake, up the other hill, and down the road to Cievolis.  From here I took the main road through Meduno and Maniago to home. 

Note:  Had another flat on Vittorio Diamante Pro tire near Val Colvera- I'm swapping it for a Michelin Lithion tonight.  

Mama deer, left edge, 2 baby deer in road

Lago Ca' Selva back end from Panuch,
with Forcella Clautana in background 

Overview of the climb

The new (to me) paved road to Panuch and Val Bassa

A km of 13.6% to Panuch

On the way back from Val Bassa, a km of mere 12.2%

Steep ramps leading to Panuch