Lama di Som - Valle Friz MTB

I've ridden these two routes previously, but separately and in the opposite direction.  Weather looked promising this morning so I gave it a try.  I warmed up on Via Pedemontane to Coltura, near Polcenigo.   I turned north through town, then turned west on Via San Michele.  This street soon leaves town climbing, then turns to a dirt road.  It switchbacks back and forth, climbing all the way up to 612 meters near Lama di Som's pastures.  Here you turn right on the paved road and soon arrive at a left turn marked Malga Pizzoc.

This is a remote road in forest, with some steep sections concreted.  Eventually you reach a little house where you ride through the folks' front yard (marked Private Property) but they didn't mind, they were busy trying to herd their pugs, chihuahuas, and mixed breed cagnetti which were running everywhere.  Afterward at the junction you turn right toward Malga Pizzoc, and shortly after that Malga Brusada.

The road continues winding upward, sometimes concreted, to Malga Fossa di Sarone.  Here is beautiful open pastureland surrounded at a distance by forested mountains.  Higher still are Malga Folador, Casera Costa Cervera, and Casera Busa Bernart.  Eventually you leave this zone of dairies and cheese makers and arrive on the forested ridge.  About this time the cool clear weather turned into clouds and fog- quite chilly.  The road deteriorates into a stony, washed out forest road.  Before long you reach Col delle Palse where the paved road from Mezzomonte arrives.  

After the brief concrete and asphalt section near Col Grande (I had road biked it last week http://dolomiti-friulane.blogspot.it/2014/08/col-grande.html ) the road again turned bad.  There was a friendly group of horses walking alongside the road but they wisely used the only decent path, so I hopped off and churned through the rock pile awhile.  Eventually you reach Casera Valle Friz at 1520 meters and continue roughly until reaching the concrete road down to Casera Campo and Sauc.  The brief paved climb to Piancavallo was followed by a plummet down to Rifugio Bornass.  Somewhere before Madonna della Monte the sun came back out and it warmed up.   I was very tired and glad to get home.    

View of area west of Polcenigo: Palu di Livenza

Little valley between morainic hills and the mountains:
a characteristic of the Pedemontane

Horses feeding in pastures at Malga Brusada

Beautiful Malga Fossa di Sarone

Malga Fossa di Sarone dairy and pond

West of Col delle Palse; the channels dug into these steep slopes
let loggers slide tree trunks down to the valley

Further downhill, the road coming up from Cultura to Mezzomonte

Some of the very sweet horses foraging along the road near Col Grande.
I will remember to bring them an apple or carrot next time.

Casera Campo

Needed to get a quick ride in early this morning so I picked the highest nearby point you can roadbike to: Casera Campo.   Nice and cool at 0615 as I rode down to Pedemonte.  From here turn right on Via Monte Cavallo and head up the hill to Piancavallo at 1243 meters.  From the roundabout take the road  marked Sauc, then descend through the forest till you reach a clearing and turn right.  This road is asphalt at first, then later concrete.  Ride on past Casera Campo to end of pavement at 1435 meters.  On a mountain bike you can continue to Casera Valle Friz at 1500 meters, Col di Palse, Il Cansiglio etc.  Instead I turned around and headed down (watch out for the drainage channels).  Many more roadbikes ascending now that the sun was broiling the road.  Made it home before 0945.  Nice morning!

Monte Sauc (1600m) above Casera Campo

The gravel road continuing west to Casera Valle Friz

The road coming up from Casera Campo at end of pavement

Strada Venezia delle Nevi MTB trail climbing up from Dardago,
 viewed from Via Monte Cavallo (1019 meters)

Strada Venezia delle Nevi MTB trail
continues climbing to Sauc (1193 m)

Below the cliffs of Monte Sauc (1600m)
you can see Casera Campo (I forgot to
take a picture of it when I was up there)