Sella Carnizza

Another wonderful ride in the Julian Alps, this one through Val Resia and up very steeply to Sella Carnizza at 1085m.

Got an early start, and began riding from Resiutta at 8AM.  It was cool and clear as I left town and headed up the valley.  Gorgeous views of the mountainous ridge to the south and white water of Torrente Resia.  After an easy 10 km warmup along the valley I reached the village of Resia (376m), and turned right.  It gets steep briefly (12.9%), then mellows out to 5-6% for about a km and a half.  A large meadowy area called Lischiazze has a few houses, and I noticed a helicopter circling in the mountains ahead.  I asked a guy watching it from his balcony, but he didn't know what was up either.  Then the road got very steep and headed into dense beech tree forest.  I noticed a huge frane (landslide) beside the road at the next switchback.  It was at the base of a very high peak, and was a 100-meter-high tumbled mix of giant boulders, trees, dirt, etc.  Luckily it hadn't covered the road, but the material looked very unstable.  At the next tornanti, a workman said I should go back down because of the frane.  I asked if I could continue to Slovenia since I'd already passed the frane and he said ok.  He must have thought I was German-  he said Auf Wiedersehen.  

The road continues climbing steeply for 4 km, averaging 13.7% with several stretches of +18%.  I just stood the whole way.  The surface is good, and the shade from the large beech trees keeps things nice and cool.  I don't know if it's accurate, but the Ediciclo guide compares this gradient to the top of Tre Cime di Laveredo.  To me it was very strenuous, but climbable.

The sella (1085m) opens into a wide meadow with some farmhouses.  Now starts the narrow and rough road down the gorge.  It's not steep but you must go slowly in case of an approaching car because it is so twisty and narrow.  Also many rocks (some paving stone sized) which you must avoid.  The area feels wild and mostly deserted.  At the bottom is the village of Uccea (607m) where you join the main road.  A sign pointing left said Slovenia 1km, so I cruised over there.  Beautiful Torrente Uccea separates the two countries, in a heavily wooded valley.  I headed back up along the main road about 7km to Passo di Tanamea (870m), then down a long descent along Torrente Torre to Tarcento.

Now a 30km flat ride to Gemona and back up SS13 along Torrente Fella to Resiutta.  My original plan was to simply return from Uccea back over Sella Carnizza, but this changed due to landslide.

The mountainous ridge above Val di Resia

Close up, with shaft of light illuminating a row of dolomite spires

Looking back from the meadows after Sella Carnizza:
on left Monte Musi (1870m), right Monte Nisca (1454m)

Torrente Uccea downstream flowing into Slovenia

Torrente Uccea upstream, coming from Italy

From bridge over Torrente Torre, looking north at ridge
separating this valley from Val di Resia to the north

18.4% and 18.5% grades climbing to Sella Carnizza 

Average grade for final 3.8km is 13.7%

Altimetria from www.salite.ch

Val di Resia up to Sella Carnizza

From Sella Carnizza to Slovenia, then to Passo di Tanamea

From Passo di Tanamea down Torrente Torre
toward Tarcento

Val Dogna

I was so overwhelmed by Altopiano del Montasio last Friday I had to try another nearby climb today- Val Dogna.  Last night a tempesta blew away all the humidity and warmth, and left a couple centimeters of snow on the mountain behind our house, Pala Fontana (1637m).  It was beautiful against the green grass, lit by the rising sun.  So I had hopes of beautiful weather in the higher mountains.

I left around 6 AM and drove to Dogna, a few km further up SS13 from Chiusaforte. From here I biked, following the signs for Val Dogna, which led across the narrows of Torrente Fella, and immediately began a gentle climb.  After a narrow but well-lit galleria, I entered the gorge of Torrente Dogna.   The road steadily ascends the gorge's north wall, with lovely views of waterfalls plunging down the cliffs.  As you gain altitude, the road makes increasingly longer and more-serpentine diversions into side canyons carved by descending streams.  As far as the eye can see, stands of tall red spruce trees cover the valley walls and surrounding mountains.

Around 1000 meters the road levels out and continues to hug the gorge walls for about 3 km.   From here awesome views across Val Dogna of the peaks along the ridge above Altopiano del Montasio.  They seem completely different mountains viewed from the north than they did from the south last Friday.

Eventually the false flat ends and the road starts to ascend again.  It leaves the gorge wall and begins a series of tornanti up the slopes of Jôf di Miezegnot (2089m) to the north.  The fir trees' branches here are covered in snow from last night's storm.  Already the sun's rays are melting it, and in the silence the falling snowmelt sounds like rain.  At Sella di Sompdogna the pavement ends (1398m).  Everything is blanketed in snow here, including the dirt road up to a rifugio said to have great views above the trees and hills.  I decide not to walk up because of the mud under the snow- maybe in summer I'll try again.

The descent was fun, with lots of curves and some fast straight stretches.  Many of the views I enjoyed on the way up seemed new again, as the light had changed.  I stopped to take them in again.

This is a fairly easy climb with a good, wide road surface and easy access.  Tough to beat given the spectacular scenery- highly recommended.  

Waterfall on north side of Val Dogna

Up the gorge toward Jôf di Montasio (2763m)

Looking west down the gorge across Torrete Fella,
 toward Zuc dal Bôr (2197m)

Close up Zuc dal Bôr (left) and Monte Chiavals (2096m)

Close up Jôf di Montasio 

Jôf Fuart (2668m), left and Jôf di Montasio, right

From Sella Sompdogna, looking east across Slovenia border 
toward Monte Mangart (2676m)

To the north from 1350m- Jôf di Miezegnot (2089m)

A stoney peak adjacent to Jôf di Montasio

Waterfall down the exposed
sedimentary strata of Val Dogna's south wall

Sella Nevea - Altopiano del Montasio

The northeast corner of Friuli Venezia Giulia is home to the Julian Alps (named in Roman times after Julius Cesar).  Today I'm making my first climb there- from Chiusaforte (383 m) to Sella Nevea (1162 m), then continuing to Altopiano del Montasio (1515 m).

I drove from home fairly early and started the bike ride from Chiusaforte around 9 AM.  It was cool and clear, perfect climbing weather.  The ride began with a long warmup ascending Val Raccolana.  This is a spectacular gorge, with dense fir trees covering the steep walls, and streams from the high mountains plummeting hundreds of meters down sheer cliffs to the valley floor.   One particularly large waterfall is visible on your right about 685 meters altitude, just past Piani.  

Now the previously gentle grade steepens somewhat, averaging 7.5% from 700-1160 meters, finishing with an awesome stack of long tornanti scaling the walls of the gorge.  Finally the road emerges at Sella Nevea, a ski resort that's mostly deserted this time of year.  You turn left at the sign for Montasio, while the main road continues to Passo del Predel on the Slovenian border.

The first 400 meters of the climb to Altopiano del Montasio average over 14%, which I rode standing.  I stopped at the next flat spot (end of a switchback) and hyperventilated awhile.  Then I continued and surmounted the following 18% stretch, finally emerging from the fir trees and entering the altopiano.  This is one of the prettiest places I've ever been- it's surrounded on all sides by mountains.   I explored the paved lanes and dirt roads criss-crossing the rolling meadows for awhile, listening to the birds and marmots.  What a wonderful place!

The descent was a very fast 22 km plummet, arriving back at Chiusaforte in less than an hour.  This is a wonderful climb and I'll definitely do it again.  I may try skipping Montasio next time and riding from Sella Nevea to Passo del Predel, then Tarvisio, and down the main highway back to Chiusaforte.   

Note: The Garmin starting elevation was around 330 meters, but should have been about 50 meters higher.  This seems to have carried over all the way to the top and back, so I've substituted the altitude values from the Ediciclo guide.

Monte Canin (2587 m) to the south

Panorama of Monte Canin

Jof di Montasio (2753 m)

Monte Sart (2324 m)

Panorama of ridge east of Monte Canin

The mountains southeast of Altopiano del Montasio

Close up looking south

Ridge east of Monte Canin

Trench from World War I atop Altopiano del Montasio

View down Val Raccolana toward Chiusaforte

Waterfall near Piani

Steep stretches climbing from Sella Nevea to Altopiano del Montasio

Switchbacks climbing to Sella Nevea

Final stretch up to Altopiano del Montasio

Forno di Zoldo

Giro Stage 15 this year starts from Conegliano, climbs over Piancavallo to Barcis, then up the Torrente Cellina valley, down to Longarone and up again to Forno di Zoldo.  Afterwards it climbs Forcella Cibiana, Giau, and so on.  Today I decided to try the Barcis-Forno di Zoldo section, and possibly even Forcella Cibiana.

Left home just after 7 AM- it was cool and crystal clear.  Up through Montereale Valcellina, and the 4km-long tunnel to Barcis.  The town workers were sprucing up everything for the Giro stage.  Looks like the route will backtrack over the dam rather than crossing the narrow suspension bridge at the north end of the lake- should be safer.

Up the Valcellina to Passo di Sant'Osvaldo at 827m, then down through Erto, alongside Lago di Vajont and the huge landslide of Mt Toc, which caused a tsunami that overtopped the dam and obliterated Longarone below.

After Longarone (473m) the road turns upward again, through a tunnel and then along the gorge of Torrente Maè, climbing though beautiful forest, surrounded by Dolomiti peaks.   Below Forno di Zoldo is the turn off for Forcella Cibiana and another for Zoppè di Cadore.  But there was no way I could do them- it had taken me 4 hours to get here.  Plus I was feeling beat.  So at the top of Forno di Zoldo (a tourist village at 870m) I turned around.

The ride home has mostly downhill slopes, except for Longarone to Passo di Sant'Osvaldo, so I made better time- 3 hours instead of 4.

Looks like  the climbs in Dolomiti Bellunesi are too far away to ride from home.  I'll need to drive closer to the start of the climb next time.   

Forno di Zoldo's church, with dolomiti in background

Snowy peaks above Forno di Zoldo

From Valcellina, over Passo di Sant'Osvaldo to Erto

Vajont dam diaaster site, and down to Longarone

The climb up to Forno di Zoldo, 870m

Lots of ups and downs today

Monte Crostis da Comeglians

Monte Crostis from Comeglians is a very special climb.  For one thing, it includes 13.5 km of essentially uninterrupted climbing, up 1412 meters at an 10.4% average gradient.  That's more than any single climb I've done.  The environment is also very special- dense fir forest from 530m up to around 1300m, then some grassy slopes and sparser trees, and finally a grassy bald alpine zone.  Other than one or two little villages near the beginning, it's remote and wild.  

I started from Comeglians (530m) and rode around a bit to warm up- down to the bridge across Torrente Degano, across Torrente Peserina, and through some small frazioni of Ovaro.  Then back to Comeglians, and I began the grade toward Mieli (654m).  The morning air was cool in the shade of tall, red spruce trees covering the slopes, above rushing whitewater.   Up further to Tualis at 890m: a picturesque village that looks right out of Austria- with characteristic church steeple.  Above Tualis I reached a construction barrier- they're trying to fix the roads up for the Giro d'Italia's first-ever climb of Monte Crostis on May 21, 2011.  I continued on and on, round tornanti, always steadily climbing.  

As I mentioned, the environment changes above 1300m- there are fir trees along the sides of the road with sunny, open grassy slopes.  Still nice and cool at 1030 AM in May, but this would get hot in summer.  The surprisingly constant gradient turns steeper above 1700 meters, averaging 14% for half a kilometer, and reaching pitches of 17%.  After 1800 meters the slope lessens somewhat, until you reach the top at 1982m.  I took some pictures and enjoyed the view, then was surprised when a guy on a road bike arrived.  The climb had been deserted until now.  After a bit I said ciao and started the second phase of this ride- Panoramica delle Vette.

This is a dirt road which travels mostly level along the slopes of Monte Crostis for 5 km.  It is a treeless alpine zone, with sheep, marmots, birds, tall grass, red rock outcroppings, and this time of year, streams and waterfalls full of snowmelt.  When I rode this in the opposite direction last year, it was very rough- covered with red rock chips from the local cliffs, lots of ruts and single track with little boulders, etc.  In preparation for the Giro, they've rebuilt it with a layer of grayish chipped rock and dust, trucked in from below I guess.  Very smooth for a dirt road.

All the construction doesn't seem to have disturbed the marmot population, which were darting across the road, digging holes (tunnels?), and shrieking.  One very fat marmot ran across the road and dove into a drainage hole in a rock retaining wall.  I was surprised he was able to fit, but he squirmed in somehow.

At the end of Panoramica delle Vette the third phase begins- the paved descent to Ravascletto (958m).  This was a crumbly mountain lane last year when I climbed it, but they are working hard to get it paved before the Giro arrives.  Several brand new smooth asphalt sections were fun to descend, but further down there was much scraped-off pavement with 3-4 inch vertical transitions.  I slowed enough for most of these or jumped them, but one I hit square on at speed- thought I blew the tube for sure but no, it held up.


Edited to add: Just noticed a news report that Alberto Contador mentions possibly changing wheels (or bikes) for the descent of Monte Crostis because of the rough road.  Ok, it's not just me- I feel a little better now.  

Finally joined the main road at Ravascletto and rocketed down the steep curves to Comeglians.  That was fun.

This is a great climb I've always aspired to, so I was very happy to complete it.  Additionally, Panoramica delle Vette is a must ride if you love alpine grassland environment.  Not to mention the views of surrounding peaks and valleys.  Quite a spectacular day.

Looking north up Val Degano,
Monte Crostis (2251m) upper right 

Facing southwest, Mieli in foregound

Across Val Degano to a row of peaks
in Dolomiti Bellunesi 

Hazy shot of Monte Zoncolan across Sella Valcalda  

Panoramica delle Vetta road hugging the slopes of Monte Crostis

Westward view of the Dolomiti

Snowmelt cascading along Panoramic delle Vette

Alpine flowers near waterfall

Another snowy waterfall, with light green
lichen-covered boulders

Looking east toward Monte Paularo (2043m)

Start of climb up to Tualis (890m)

From Tualis to 1300m

From 1300m to 1700m

The top (1982m), upper left, and the start of Panoramica delle Vette

Panoramica delle Vette continues through grasslands

Descent on twisty paved road begins 

Descent continues to Ravascletto

Fast twisty main road descending from Ravascletto

The final curves coming into Comeglians

Climbing 1412 meters in 13.5 km: 10.4% average gradient

The steepest bit, above 1700 meters: 17.2%