Monte Sabotino - Gorizia

Route from Gorizia to Mount Sabotino and back, between city and asphalt and then very challenging enduro trails and cart tracks, with uphill gradients at times challenging.

Start in Gorizia, near the hospital, pedal toward the bridge north over the Soča River in the direction of Piuma, then climb up past Oslavia, right to Costa Nova for a short stretch on the ridge, then descend and left up to Mount Sabotino. At the second asphalt road on the right go up to the bridge over the road down to Solcan and on the left up a steep asphalt ex-military road, which without a breather leads, with gradients at times over 20%, to the military radio station just below the top of Mt. which is reached partly by pedaling and partly by pushing. After a short stop at the top of Mt. Sabotino, from which the view is wonderful, take the ridge trail leading eastward.

From here on ridge trail, almost all of which is cyclable and extraordinarily scenic, but very exposed, up and down to the ruins of the small church of St. Valentine at the southeast summit. Go downhill continuing along the downhill trail, for the first part challenging and steep, with a rocky bottom, then for about 1/3 more challenging due to moving rocks and again rideable on wheels in the last part, fun and technical, then take the detour to the right that on ups and downs takes you back to the ex-military asphalt road traveled before, climb up to hairpin bend 6 at which you continue straight to the Slovenian refuge. Go up the path a few meters beyond the fence and choose the path to the right that remains lower than the ridge, and then intercept the track that descends, very challenging in terms of bottom and slope (S3), with earth and many fixed and mobile protruding rocks.

You cross back over the cart track that connects the military road to the Slovenian asphalt and descend opposite on trail equal to the previous one to the junction with another cart track, beyond which you continue straight and with a short smooth stretch regain the narrow asphalt road that leads to an overpass. Cross over and to the right take a short pleasant path down to Villa Vasi, take an immediate left onto a dirt road between the vineyards and zigzag back onto asphalt for the almost entirely downhill transfer to Gorizia.

40% asphalt-10% dirt-50% trails. Elevation gain 1100 m, Physical condition: medium challenging; Technical difficulty: challenging