Rifugio Gemelli

Get ready for a superlative ride that lacks nothing, views, traverses and spectacular descents! The proposed trail has a significant elevation gain of 2100 meters but can be reduced to 1800 depending on the descent or variants. Very physically demanding tour with some pushing parts (personally I have never shouldered)

Start from Isola di Fondra, you pedal through Branzi with part passage to a beautiful waterfall and then continue to Carona. Here begins the beaten/asphalted carrale road that with challenging gradients takes us into the beautiful valley of Carona, continue to the Calvi refuge (eventual stage that I avoided so as not to add more elevation gain).

Now helmet on head because after a short descent, a beautiful linkage awaits you that will take you away towards the Gemelli refuge.

It starts with a beautiful traverse all pedalable with several technical passages that never get boring. After about 100 meters of not too challenging pushing you arrive at the Sardegnana pass. Protectors on we launch ourselves on a beautiful trail that in 150 meters will take us to Sadegnana Lake.

You cross the dam and here low saddle and maximum concentration, trail 213, this is a trail largely carved into the ridge, very beautiful, scenic, overhanging but also protected in many places.

After a few meters of pushing, you arrive at Marcio Lake with lunar style rocks.

Continue with technical climbing to the Gemini Shelter.

Here there are 3 alternatives, perhaps.the.least worst is the first one

• Descent from Mezzeno pass to Mezzeno huts (it is the fastest descent to reach and with less elevation gain but it is very destroyed and not very rideable)
• From the Gemelli pass you go down to Alpe Corte and then up to Branchino (not very rideable, you add many meters of elevation gain but you can enjoy the beautiful descent from Branchino).
• Following the gpx track you go up another 60m to the summit papa Giovanni, then pedal at 80% gino to the Marogella pass, from here on the left the descent is to alpe corte and categorized as not rideable, going straight you go up 70m and descend with the bike on a pratone and then take on a narrow traverse very boring in scree for 1h on the right (gpx track) you go down to the bays of mezzeno with descent not always rideable

Looking at the tracks there would be 2 possibilities but to be tried and evaluated very carefully before being done, from the twin pass there seems to be a track that connects up-west still on trail coming down from the mezzeno pass avoiding the rocky part. After ascending 70m after the Marogella you descend up meadow to connect with the ascent from the alpe corte

The trail proposes the optional ascent that from Mezzeno goes up about 100m partly rideable to take a nice descent with nice tough passages. From the parking lot just below the Mezzeno huts, two unmissable and beautiful trails maintained by locals begin. Grumello Trail (technical, very rocky). Trail del Barca (very nice, slightly less technical, but with with some sections that need attention).

To close after a section of gippabile you take the trail down to Caprini, climb 70 meters (or take the flat road just below) to get to Vendulo. From here if you have more you can detour to punta Baresi and just nearby to see the Giants' potholes of the Cornacchie gate. Or take directly the beautiful descent to Isola di Fondra.

Various water points up to an altitude of 1500, then to the Gemelli refuge and the Mezzeno huts parking lot.