Casera Valine MTB

Casera Valine is high above Lago ca' Selva in an altopiano at 1300 meters.  There's a well marked turnoff onto the gravel road at Pinnoch.  It's a long series of steep ascents with some concrete sections that allow you to stand so you can vary the muscles you're using.  Last Fall I it made about 2/3rds of the way up but they had laid fresh concrete so I had to turn back. Today I made it up to the base of the final 100 meters pedaling, but had to push the bike up the final stone wall.   Beautiful grassy plain up here.  I would like to try again to reach the start of Monte Raut climb.  The closest I've been is Forcella di Capra hiking from Pala Barzana (1824 meters).   This route from the north seems easier.  Next year I will try cycling to Plan di Crous and hiking upward.    

Casera Valine

View east

View north

View west

From lago to Casera Valine  

Val Salega MTB

Another route up il Cansiglio, this time up steep trails from Val Salega to Boscars, where it joins the road up Monte Pizzoc.

Borgo Zouf

I've ridden past this turnoff dozens of times on my way to Lago Ca Selva but never tried to climb it.  It’s steep but rideable, even with a roadbike.  The first settlement you reach is Chiarazuela, then Staligal and finally Zouf.  Here a friendly man explained the only way down is a steep sentiero to the dam.  I retuned the way I came, gorgeous scenery.  Rode home fast, felt great.

View from Borgo Zouf

From Staligal

From Chiarazuela

Pian delle More MTB

Rode up past Madonna del Monte and the car-free road to Bornass, then on the highway to Castaldia. From here I took the beautiful backroad to Collalto, then down to Pala Ghiaccio.  From here I rode on dirt down to the reservoir at Pian delle More, then back on pavement to Piancavallo.  Descended on highway to Bornass, then the backroad.  Beautiful.

Grassland below Pala Ghiaccio

Arriving in Pian delle More

Monte Resettum

Centrale Antonio Pitter MTB

Testing my 80mm stem with a ride up the switchbacks from Montereale cemetery to Ravedis dam.  Coasted to the short tunnel and down to trails at Centrale Antonio Pitter, a 100 year old hydroelectric plant.  Found a new trail to hike along the spillway where water from Barcis rushed into the turbines. Very interesting area.

Lago di Ravedis below Pala d'Altei

Wildlife refuge where heron took off

Bomb Dump Loop

Rode to the post office to pick up my new MTB stem.  On the way home I took the old concrete road which Italian tanks used to travel, past the bomb dump, to the range at il Magredi.  The concrete is a bit bumpy but Fedaia’s steel frame softens the impacts.  You join the highway below Sedrano and continue through San Martino.  Lovely ride.

Coltura-Cansiglio-Piancavallo MTB

A favorite ride through gorgeous alpine landscape.  After warming up with a spin down to Coltura you turn right  on Via Ruals then left on  Via San Michele.  This soon turns to gravel and climbs continuously until reaching the paved road that connects with Cansiglio highway.  Soon you climb past Lama di Som and continue steeply on concrete and gravel.  Eventually you reach the paved road connecting the malghe and continue steeply.

Now you enter the shady old growth forest of Cansiglio and enjoy much sali scendi on dirt roads.  This ends as you emerge into grassland of Col di Scios.  Continue on Panaramica Cansiglio-Piancavallo.  Descended from Bornass to Costa.  Tired but happy.

Cadolten MTB

Continuing westward down the front range we reach the climb to Cadolten.  After a long warm up from Giais via Rugolo and Montaner I started the climb  from Osigo.  Turn left on Via Pravinera and begin the endless series of concrete ramps and steep gravel stretches.  Mercifuly shady today so I never completely collapsed.  After the chieseta the shade vanishes but you continue in the prospect of reaching Cadolten before too long.  Finally cool and shady you reach the descent.  After La Crosetta all is bliss; even the few little hills don't bother you.

Malga Coro at Cadolten

Rocky hill Cadolten 

Troi de Rut and Troi delle Cloipes

A couple more Giais hiking trails to share with you.  I parked at end of pavement in Glera and hiked up the gravel military road toward Il Gravon.  Before long a trail veered off to the right and headed steeply upward.  It's not too steep to climb, but returning downhill would be pretty dicey on loose gravel.   It climbed unceasingly through the woodland and the terrain on the left gradually fell away into a deep gorge.  Cliffs emerged and then they fell away too.  Eventually it leveled out briefly and I found a point to get some photos from.  After a length of steel cable to hold on to you reach Casera Palussa, which was deserted today.  This is the end of Troi de Rut trail. 

Now begins the descent on Troi delle Cloipes, slightly less steep but just as shady.  It touches the edge of il Gravon, a large sun-exposed gravel face but I stayed on the woodland trail.  It ends maybe 100 meters from the start of Troi de Rut, a perfect loop.  Unfortunately I left the gps at home but it’s easy to find and follow.

The cliffs of Rut with
Glera in background

Another angle with cave opening

Trail map at Palussa

Colline di Giais MTB

Fun MTB’ing in the hills around our village.  There are dirt roads and trails, flats and steep climbs, open grassland and shady woodland.  Wonderful area.

View north

View northwest

Val Zemor

Last year rode down this gorgeous mountain road, so today I tried the other direction.   Beautiful and peaceful and never too steep.  Eventually joins the road from Stella to Mantaner then down almost to Artegna and the long road home.  Glorious bike ride.

Zuccul Supigna MTB

A cool July day perfect for a mountain bike climb.  I rode up past Osservatorio Astronomico to the trailhead for Pala d'Altei and pushed the bike steeply up the trail and then turned down the rocky trail to Zuccul Supigna.  Gonna have to hike up this promontory next time on a clear day soon.  Lovely ride and a nice work out.

Montreale Valcellina

Pala d'Altei

Giais

Clap de Pissol Hike

Been wanting to visit Clap de Pissol for a long time.  You hike north from Selva (Giais) past the internet ground station to the trailhead for Troi del Vuolth.  Climb to Baita Polo (aka Britol).   Head north to turnoff marked Clap de Pissol and continue to the cliff face.  Lots of water running through these cliffs today.  Beautiful views all along here.

Note Garmin cut off at Baita Polo.

Giais from Baita Polo

Panning west toward Aviano

Baita Polo

View toward Clap de Pissol

Baita Polo from Clap de Pissol

View east toward  Montereale

Pala Fontana

Cliffs with another spring above Glera

Montaner to Cansiglio

Cruised down to Sarmede and climbed to Montaner then found the narrow  Via di
Guitcillo.  I gave it my best shot and made it maybe two thirds of the way up, then stopped for 5 minutes to recover.  Alas I couldn’t pedal, so I pushed most of the way to the house where the scramble up slope begins.  The blackberry thorns weren’t bad yet and I soon made it to the dirt road. A few more upslopes and I was over the top, immersed in cool shady beech forest.  Descended to the highway from Fregona, rode briefly upward to the dirt road to picnic area.  From there continue on dirt then asphalt to the highway down to Sarone.  From there along Palu to Polcenigo, Budoia, Aviano and home.

Shady Cansiglo lane

Junction with road to Sarone

Montelonga MTB

l rode up through the tunnels to Barcis, across the dam, continuing until just before the turn off for Piancavallo.  Turn left on paved road  for Montelonga.  This is deadly steep but I made it up without stopping.  At end of pavement you can continue without stopping but today I soon reached the first of many impassable treefalls which I climbed over, under and through.  This was a small sampling of the damage from the hurricane force winds that swept through northern Italy last November.  Eventually I took   the road eastward where less trees were knocked down and descended.  I ended up  meeting the behind-the-lake road again back almost at the dam.  Very fun ride.

The climb

The killer at the start

Il Cansiglio from Sarone

Busy week and the only time for a ride is afternoon on the hottest day in years.  I warmed up on Via Pedemontane Occidentale and turned upward at Sarone.  The climb is unrelenting and the heat reflecting off the cliffs was baking me alive.  I persisted until Maloria where a tree provided some shade.  After ten minutes or so I returned to the world of the living and got back on the saddle.  After awhile I reached the shady Cansiglio forest and continued climbing until my drop dead time, just short of La Crosetta.

The descent quite relaxing and wonderfully smooth below the junction at Sarone.  Easy ride home.

Venezia delle Nevi MTB

I’ve  been wanting to see how this bike path restoration has been coming along and today finally got a chance.  The climb up past San Tome was wonderful as always, and then came a welcome surprise. The new road is almost finished, with chip and seal pavement on the upper stretches and pea gravel lower down.  I’m guessing they are in the process of chip sealing the whole thing eventually.  In addition to the lovely grading work they’ve done, the previously unprotected vertical drop offs now have sturdy wooden fencing.  The work has been done to a high level.  Hopefully word will spread and more visitors will come here to ride.

Dramatic scenery above the bikepath

Castello di Maniago

Kind of a last minute ride in late afternoon.  This climb has some tough gradients followed by a twisty descent.  Fun workout.

Arba Loop

Another flat loop, this time to Campagna, Arba, Tesis, the long bridge across the Magredi and Torrente Cellina, San Foca, Sedrano, San Martino and home.  Very fun.

Partidor Loop

Similar profile to yesterday but a different route.  I rode to Montereale then on a straight, slightly downhill road to San Foca.  From there to San Leonardo, Malnisio and home.  Wonderful ride