Monte Flop - Rifugio Grauzaria

Cyclo-mountaineering route with ascent on asphalt and dirt road up to Forca Zouf di Fau, from which you take CAI path 435 partially cyclable up to the saddle leading to Mount Flop on the outward and return journey, continue to Foran da la Gjaline where you take the challenging CAI 437 up to Rifugio Grauzaria and continue to the intersection of paths where you take the right Sent.Fassoz leading to the valley.

Start near Dordolla to go up the asphalt road of Val d'Aupa to the village of Bevorchians, at the crossroads go up to the left on steeper asphalt that passes the village and then becomes dirt road with sections of challenging gradient for about 7km, slight descent and at the crossroads go up more gently to the left to the entrance of CAI 435 at Forca Zouf di Fau, about 1.5km further on. You climb slightly to the right following the Ricovero Mestri sign on a very steep trail in the woods, at the limit of rideability for 600m, then left to come out on a junction where you climb straight again, pedaling less and less.

From the forest, you switch to rock and the view opens up, and alternate pushing up to the saddle that opens up to the Rio Fontanaz valley, opposite Monte Grauzaria. Continue a few meters downhill and take a left onto the coast path that first level and then uphill leads to the nearby summit of Mt. Flop, almost entirely by pushing through mountain pines and over very uneven ground on grass and rocks. The last few meters are done only on foot to the summit (1715m) and then descend again and, on the saddle, cover a little more than half of the scenic, bumpy trail of the outward bike ride.

You regain the former CAI 435 and continue downhill with short up and down sections on a rocky, medium to high difficulty surface to the Foran da la Gjaline, a junction of trails where you continue straight on CAI 437, which is more challenging with steps on stone and excavated sections. One enters the forest with similar bottom and protruding rocks, alternating hairpin bends that are never too narrow with steps and reaches the Grauzaria Refuge. Continue beyond on rocky, equally challenging trail along the creek with a few fords. It continues to be scenic until the vegetation rises and you enter the forest, until you reach the junction after about 2km with 3 trails, take the one on the right, Sentiero Fassoz, to climb slightly.

Asphalt 20% - Trails 30% - Dirt 50%; Physical condition: medium challenging; Technical difficulty: challenging