Strada della Venezia delle Nevi MTB

I've wanted to ride the upper part of this climb from Dardago for years.  The lower portion I've climbed frequently: it's one of the best road bike training climbs around here, from Dardago continuously ascending for 5.6 km to end of pavement at 561 meters, averaging 7%.   

Today I took the MTB instead and continued past end of pavement up a very rocky road for 8 km to 1183 meters.  Not terribly steep at 7.6%, but the continuous trail of softball-sized (and bigger) stones wore me out.  It doesn't turn into a a normal dirt road till the last couple hundred meters before Sauc.  By then I was slowly tweedling along in 24-36 gear on a 7% grade- I was toast.  Then, smooth easy spinning on pavement slightly uphill revived me, and I rode up the hill to Col Alto at 1347 meters then down through Castaldia and Bornass to Costa di Aviano. 

I may try it down hill next time.  Beautiful ride,

From 715m, looking down at Torrente Cunaz at base of
Croda di San Tome

Looking up at the imposing Croda

Looking south a huge fissure in the croda; hopefully
I'm not hiking down there when the cliff face calves

A landslide at 960 m; the road was privately built back in the '60s
 and isn't maintained by the government

From 960 meters the top of Croda di San Tome

Return of pavement at Sauc, 1183 meters
(if you are descending this road isn't marked).