Orsago loop

A sunny cold day, perfect for a nice flat ride on Maxima down via Pedemontane to Cordignano, Orsgo Sacile and home.   Need to get back in form after all those Christmas cookies!

Travesio loop

All this snowshoeing is great cross-training but I need to bike too.  Today I took Fedaia for a nice spin to Sequals, Travesio and Meduno.  Despite the wintery temps I was warm the whole time from the exertions of pedaling in the cheerful winter sun.  Good Christmas Eve workout.

New Craft gloves worked great

Sauc snowshoe

The road from Piancavallo to Suac is covered in snow in winter.  On a weekday it’s deserted, making a perfect snowshoeing practice course for my wife Marilyn.  She did great.

Cruising downhill

We turned around but the road
continues to Il Cansiglio

Charging uphill toward the starting line

Ronciade snowshoe

I was beat up pretty bad by all that climbing in deep powder the other day so I tried a little easier route today.   La Ronciade starts at Col Alto, so gets more traffic than the more remote paths (though deserted today).  It’s also less steep, which I needed after 3 days of limping.

The path generally stays on a winding forest road from Col Alto to the junction with trails from Pian delle More,  Montelonga, Forcella di Giais and Casera Caseratte.  Here I turned around and headed back, trying to learn from experience not to overreach.  Accessible desolation, warm winter sun, absolute silence are addictive- I’ll be back again soon.

Monte Cavallo Gruppo

The junction

East toward Montelonga

Afternoon shadows on the mountain

The pass leading to Casera Caserrate from the west

Colle delle Lastre snowshoe

After a week of cold and rain the weather finally broke and the sun popped out.  I drove up to Castaldia again and was happy to find a foot of fresh untouched snow.  I followed the low route again until the left turn onto CAI 985, marked Casera Caseratte.  This climbs steeply through the spruce forest until opening onto rolling slopes below Col Spizzat.  Don't know if it's climbable in winter  but I'd like to  try.

Instead I traversed to the east following trail markers until reaching an apparent dirt road (under the snow).  I turned south and descended to Casera del Medico and then back to the car.  The Garmin had recorded only the first 9 seconds of the track.  Then when I cranked the Mini it was dead.  Luckily I'd parked on a slight down gradient so I let it slowly roll until it reached critical mass.  That was close.

Adriatic sun reflection 

Trail through snowy spruce

Spruce and beech trees above Casera Caseratte

Alpi Giuliani

A marked-up map of the route (clockwise) 

Monte Caseratte Snowshoe

Drove to Castaldia and hiked to the trailhead, then opted for the high trail to Col del Lovo.  From here snowshoed on virgin snow to Monte Caseratte.  Fun doing steep downhills and uphills with snowshoes, you must really watch your balance.  From the top beautiful views in all directions, except the pianura, obscured by a brownish grey inversion layer.  Returned on the usual low trail via Casera del Medico.
Great exercise in unbearable beauty, can I ask for more? 

From Col del Lovo toward Monte Caseratte 

Julian Alps

Monte Cavallo Gruppo

Casera Stiefin MTB

Cold morning, without even the winter sun's brightening and warming.  I rode to Costa and climbed past Madonna della Monte on the road to Bornass.  The Garmin died halfway up so no track available.
After Bornass I headed up a bit higher to a turnoff to the left onto a dirt road.  This is a nice flattish meadow with a watering hole for livestock.  A bit further past the meadow is an old cabin and house and picnic table.  Doesn't look used anymore.   The dirt road became overgrown so I turned around.  I crossed the main road and headed down another trail.  I could see the road to Bornass downslope through the trees but couldn't find a path connecting to it.  So I turned around and headed home.  Very cold on the descent.  Luckily I slowly thawed in the warm bath and seem none the worse for wear.   

The turnoff for Casera Stiefin

Pretty meadow near casera

View from road near Bornass

Steep slope up to Castaldia.

Casera Pian della Corona MTB

I decided to head up and check out the snow on the mountains behind our house.  I rode to Grizzo and then climbed past the Observatorio Astronomico where pavement ends.  Before long I came through patches where the sun doesn't melt the snow, which became gradually more frequent.  By the time I topped 1000 meters it was all snow.  This is the spot where the gravel road turns into an uphill trail, so I was ready to turn around anyway.  Descent was easier but cold, below zero Celsius.

The Adriatic Sea shimmering on the horizon

Eastward toward  Julian Alps 

Monte Fara and peaks above the Cellina River

Pala d'Altei from the south

Another angle

Snowy end of gravel road at 1000 meters

Trail junction  below Casera Rupeit

Lago di Ravedis

Ravedis snow peaks

The climb