Le 3 Cime di Tonezza

We start from Tonezza del Cimone at 972 meters (sports fields area) and take the paved road southward reaching the hamlet of Campana, turn right and continue uphill in the direction of the first destination of our day, Mount Cimone (WP01) at 1226 meters, which we reach after 6.5 km from the start. A monument has been erected at the summit of the mountain where the bodies of more than 1,000 Italian soldiers who fell on this peak as a result of a mine blast during the Great War are buried.

We retrace our steps and take to the left (WP02) the path that enters the forest and allows us to cut a couple of asphalt hairpin bends taken on the outward journey; we walk a few meters on the bitumen to take again to the left (WP03) the path that returns to the dense forest. This 4.2 km section of the trail alternates between fun descents, uphill relaunches and there will be no shortage of short downhill walking sections because natural obstacles will make descending in the saddle impossible.

When we reach contrà Sella we will find the asphalt road again, which we take to the left downhill; having passed contrà Valle the road becomes unpaved, reaches the minimum altitude at 987 meters to begin the long climb that will take us to Forcella Valbona at 1782 meters (WP08). Ahead of us await the 800 meters of elevation gain to be climbed in just under 12 km, only the first few present some spicier ramps but once we reach Malga Zolle di Dentro (WP06) the gradients drop and we will be able to pedal the remaining kilometers with ease. Just before Forcella Valbona on a hairpin bend at km 24 we meet the Rumor refuge (WP07) that could be useful for a stop.

When we reach the pass we pedal up the asphalt road in obvious abandonment the 2 km that separate us from the second destination of the day Monte Toraro at 1897 meters (WP09) from where we can admire (if there is not the fog that we found) the panorama towards Pasubio and the Altipiani Trentini. We retrace our steps and once we reach the fork we take again slightly uphill the dirt road in front of us towards Forte Campomolon that we reach after 1.6 km (WP10) third and last peak of the itinerary.

Seeing the remains of the fort we look for the CAI sign indicating path 561 towards Bocchetta degli Alpini, the path descends among high vegetation and it is not easy to see the pitfalls under the wheels so it is better to walk a few steps rather than capsize. After 2 hairpin bends downhill we can get back on the bike and do some riding while always being careful where we put the wheels. We will reach a point where the path descends in steep hairpin bends between the plants, we will be forced to make them compulsorily on foot with the bike at our side, but it will be the last time because after this obstacle only descent to the cars awaits us.

Reaching Bocchetta degli Alpini (WP11) downhill through the meadows, we take the path on the left that cuts the side of Mount Melignone, when it comes out on SP136 della Vena, we turn right to get to Passo della Vena di Sotto (WP12) from where the last fun path with a rocky bottom not without challenging passages starts. Reaching the hamlet of Sella when we think the fun is over a detour to the left will give us another kilometer of adrenaline-filled descent. The trail will end in the meadow in front of the parking lot where this adventure began.

Francis 18/09/2023