Monte Celant MTB

The torrential rains have paused briefly so I leapt at the chance for a ride.  I drove to Tramonti di Sotto and started rustily pedaling the MTB.  I turned east on Via Cima Riva and then through localita  Comesta (a house with a barn and a mule).  Soon the narrow lane descends toward Torrente Tarcenò and pavement ends.  I was worried about the guado being overfilled from all the rain, but it was only maybe 10-15 cm deep.  The cool water felt good on my feet and calves.

Now the packed gravel road gets steep- lots of ramps with gradient in the high teens, with a median  13.4% slope for 2 km until 580 meters.  Then you descend slightly to Stavoli Tamar, ruins of an abandoned settlement.  I descended a bit more and then saw a sign for Monte Celant, which I'd only seen previously from the south near Campone.  This road was in surprisingly good condition- I expected a washed-out, muddy logging road.  The gradient is steep, but alternates with easier stretches so you can catch your breath (3 km averaging 11%).  

Around 965 meters the road levels out and then descends some.  It abruptly ends, with a blazed trail  to the summit (1093 meters).  I was in a hurry though and headed back down.  The descent was a blast: even the counter-climbs at Tamar and the Torrente Tarcenò felt good.  I will come back and try variations to Campone and Stavoli Palcoda, another abandoned village.

The first guado on a branch of the Tarcenò

Double guado crosses Tarcenò twice

Abandoned houses at Stavoli Tamar

Painting on side of ruins

Close-up of the flower painting

From near 800 meters: Tramonti di Sotto on left, di Mezzo on right,
and di Sopra in background; Torrente Meduna on left

Waterfalls along Torrente Tarcenò