Prato Piazza da Carbonin MTB

Last year I rode up to Prato Piazza on the paved road from Val Pusteria, near Dobbiaco.  I noticed some mountain bikers descending a dirt road on the southeast side and have been wanting to try that ever since.  Today I got my chance.  After parking at Dobbiaco  I rode up a dirt bike path called Lunga Via (it continues to Cortina and Calalzo di Cadore on the bed of an abandoned railway).  It leads south  through the forest, past Lago di Dobbiaco, Lago di Landro and the pass at Cimabanche (1529m).  I was supposed to have turned off before Cimabanche on the road from Misurina to Carbonin but there was construction, a deviation, and no signs, so I continued blithely along to Cimabanche, where I turned on to SS52 and descended back to Carbonin (1375m).

Just before Carbonin (coming from the south now) is a fontana on your left and a gravel road with sign listing hiking destinations.  I headed upward and immediately shifted to the small ring.  This was definitely harder than the bike path, though never steep enough to make you get off and walk.  There were some hikers and some road runners, then later halfway up a mountain biker passed me.  Just before the end of the climb 4 or 5 other mountain bikers caught up with me.  The road is actually a good surface considering the location, with several hundred meters of pavement here and there in the mid-section.  It works out to about 520 meters elevation gain in 6.5km at 8% average gradient.

At the end of climb is Rifugio Vallandro (1912m) and a long level dirt road flanking a huge meadowy hanging valley.  The surrounding peaks are mind-boggling.   I descended via the paved road to the north, which is quite fun on a mountain bike because you can sit up and see everything.  Near the bottom is a turn off for Lago di Baries with more eye-popping scenery.  At the bottom you reach a wonderful long paved bike path, Via Pusteria, which runs for many miles across Alto Adige (Italy's best biking area, IMO).  I rode back to Dobbiaco and drove home via Passo Monte Croce Comelico to avoid the Cortina gridlock.  Got to come back here.

Gruppo del Cristallo (3221m) reflected in Lago di Landro

Close up Monte Cristallo

From near Rifugio Vallandro: Cristallo, Tofana

Mountains to south from different angle

Croda Rossa from Prato Piazza

Croda Rossa different angle

Blurry but beautiful butterfly that landed on my handlebars
while waiting for descent red light to change

Passo di Prato Piazza - Lago di Braies

Around 0630 I started at Villabassa (1121m) near Dobbiaco in Val Pusteria, Trentino Alto Adige.  I warmed up briefly on the pista ciclabile toward Brunico, then turned left onto the road for Prato Piazza. It was chilly and overcast- I worried the summit might be socked in.  At first the ascent is very gentle, with wide, sweeping switchbacks leveling the grade.  Then after Ponticello (1491m) the average gradient increases to around 7%.  Around 1800 meters you exit the dense forest and begin a steep section of around 13%.  This eases as you enter Prato Piazza (1970m) and the asphalt ends, changing to hard-packed strada sterrata.  

By now I 'd climbed through the layer of overcast and into crystal blue sky.  This place has about the biggest spread of bright green meadows I've ever seen.  These are surrounded by lovely peaks, foremost among them La Croda Rossa (3146m).  It has very striking veins of blood red stone on its cliff faces.  I first noticed it last year from Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and then again a few weeks ago on the road from Dobbiaco to Cortina.  

The strada sterrata climbs slightly to the pass at 1992m, with fantastic views of Le Tofane (3244m) high above  a sea of clouds overlaying Cortina.

Now I descended (cautiously because of the ascending traffic) to the left hand turn (at 1180m) for Lago di Braies.  This starts even more gently upward through rolling pastureland until around 1350m, where a long gradient carries you to the lakeshore at 1480m.  Already very crowded here in the morning, but I tried following a trail counterclockwise along the shore, till it became all wooden stairs and catwalks along cliff faces where I turned back.

I would highly recommend visiting Prato Piazza, whether you bike, drive or take the bus from the village below.  It's really spectacular.    

La Croda Rossa above the Prato

Close up La Croda Rossa

Close up La Croda Rossa

Veins of blood red stone

The long ridge above the east side of the Prato 

Ridge flanking west side of Valle Landro

Close up of icy Austrian peaks to the north 

Le Tofane above cloud-shrouded Cortina

Note mountain bike road descending toward
Lago Misurina and Cortina from Prato Piazza

Beautiful meadows the Lago di Braeis road traverses 

Croda del Becco (2810m) reflecting on Lago di Braies

The promontory on the lake's west side

Not part of bike ride: waterfall on Torrente Padola
(along climb to Passo Monte Croce di Comelico)

Another view of the cascate

The bike ride

Climb to Prato Piazza

Climb to Lago di Braies