Pale di San Martino di Castrozza

Extremely scenic cycle-mountaineering route to the Pale di San Martino with push ascent from Passo Valles to Forcella Veneglia, descent on medium difficulty trail, ascent on dirt road to Baita Segantini, descent on medium difficulty trail to San Martino di Castrozza, ascent by gondola to Pale di San Martino (Passo di Rosetta) and descent on CAI 756 trail almost all on rock and then in faster, smoother forest to Capanna Cima Comelle and transfer to Canale d'Agordo.

Start at Valles Pass and immediately begin pushing up on trail that is steep in places for more than half of the ascent, with splendid views of the valley, for about 1km to the grassy Forcella Venegia. The descent down the mountainside begins on a grass and dirt path, bumpy and treacherous due to cattle passage, very scenic and fun. A few rivulet crossings and you reach the dirt road that climbs in the shadow of the Peaks and Campaniles of the Pale di San Martino, with a medium and steady gradient, to Baita Segantini, followed by the descent on a path beside the road and then to the left (actually on the grass beside the path in the presence of pedestrians for desirable coexistence among mountain users), easy and never too fast, passing by Capanna Cervino and down to Passo Rolle.

You cross the asphalt and continue on the track in the meadow that passes through a marsh and then continue on a very fast widened path (or narrow cart track) that leads back to the asphalt, cut with some short technical sections that are very fun on rough ground, and then reach San Martino di Castrozza near the cable car station. You climb into the cabin (very wide, room for more than 10 bikes and riders) and shortly reach an altitude of 2700m at Rosetta Station. Breathtaking views, gray and black, pure rock. With precedence to pedestrians and with care you descend a bit along the trail and a bit choosing other, better lines with fewer steps to Rosetta Pass and Rifugio Rosetta, on a fork overlooking the valley.

Turn right on CAI trail 756 over loose rocks and some steep passages, immersed in this moonscape, constantly up and down, always dominated by the surrounding peaks. Some vaguely exposed sections alternate with more or less compact expanses of rock with the trail always visible. The high risk of puncture is the only downside of the trail, one of the most spectacular ever seen in many years of MTB riding. After about 5km you descend a little more decidedly with more technical sections and the first traces of vegetation as well as clumps of moss, alternating fast sections with technicalities. You plunge into the woods and the bottom changes but the difficulty remains medium-high and leads to the casera near Forcella Cesurette, beyond which the smoothness of the trail increases with speed until you reach Capanna Cima Comelle. From here on cart track and secondary asphalt road you reach Canale d'Agordo. With the second cars you catch up with those left at Passo Valles.

Asphalt 20% - Dirt road 20% - Trails 60%, Physical condition: medium demanding; Technical difficulty: challenging; Elevation gain 1200meccanizz+1100m

Movie: https://youtu.be/UoIcZSTnppQ