Tre Cime di Lavaredo e Pian di Cengia

Foreword: This is a very well-known tour but one that has not yet been saved among the new Training Camp routes, I take it upon myself (and the honor) to add it.

PLEASE NOTE: much of the tour is on BICYCLE PROHIBITED trails, so:

• If you want to venture on this tour, do so in LOW SEASON: the amount of tourists, hikers, mountaineers, dogs, merenderos in flip-flops and so on is (in my opinion) generally disproportionate on all the trails immediately around the 3 Peaks (there is in fact a beautiful loop to do on foot); by going in low season however there is a chance of finding fewer people, thus less general "hassle" for us on two wheels but above all a little more tolerance;
• from the Auronzo refuge, a sign expressly forbids bikes to continue; we found the sign rotated (mid-October), so not clearly visible: it is possible that the ban is in force only in high season (TO BE VERIFIED);
• The Alto-Atesina land drop-off (forc. Pian di Cengia) corresponds to the entrance into the 3 Cime Natural Park, and so to the end of the Rienza Valley. Being precisely a Nature Park, the no-transit rule applies 365days a year.

Departing from the locality of Valbona in Auronzo, we take the bike path that with ramps and a gravel bottom in places takes us to the drop-off at Lake Misurina (1750 meters). We proceed on the pleasant path that skirts the right side of the lake and then take the ascent to Lake Antorno, also bypassing it on the path on the right. Continuing on path you come out at the toll booth of the asphalt road that leads to the 3 Cime- Auronzo refuge, but the first part is avoided by descending on the left on forestry towards malga Rimbianco, then re-joining the main road a little further on.

The asphalted climb is the only pedalable route and in 4km at a gradient between 10-14% leads to the 2325 meters of the Auronzo refuge, with exceptional views of the southern slope of the 3 Cime di Lavaredo and the narrow Valon di Lavaredo (the path you see down there is a delight!). Continue on the easy traverse in the direction of the Lavaredo refuge and then on the steep ramps leading to the Forcella Lavaredo (2550 meters) to enjoy exceptional views of the east side of the 3 Peaks. You turn your bike around to return to the Lavaredo refuge, veer left (east) and take trail104: if you have been struggling to juggle the human tide until now, you will feel desolately lonely from here on. Just beyond this begins a descent on dolomite gravel, with steep sections: all pedalable but BEWARE!

A short ascent brings you to Cengia Lake (2322 meters), from where you can already see the next winding uphill section towards Forcella Pian di Cengia (2600 meters), which you reach with no small effort and short pushing sections (sometimes excessive gradients on a bumpy surface). From the fork a short detour leads to the Pian di Cengia refuge (2528 meters), open in season. Back at the fork, the descent into the Park of the 3 Peaks begins on similar-gravel (as before, more than before, be ATTENTION!) that alternates between saddle sections and sections with rocks and steep switchbacks that are not always rideable. You then arrive at the beginning of the long, narrow traverse at the foot of the Paterno group, with the next destination (Locatelli refuge) in sight. Easy the traverse, more technical the final stretch, push the last climb up to Locatelli (2405 meters). From the refuge spectacular views of the north face of the 3 Cime (the most famous).

It's time to finally descend from this wonder, first heading south in the direction of 3 Cime on a fairly technical rocky/gravel path, until the junction where we take path 102 on the right: a certain amount of technique is needed to face it without too many risks and, above all, having fun! The trail always remains largely technical: initially on gravel and fixed rocks, with some passages to be done on foot; then entering the woods, the bottom becomes more beaten in places with added roots.

The lower part, visible as you descend, seems smooth but is not without its difficulties (steep sections and loose bottom). After losing hundreds of meters by now and passing some debris flows, you reach the bottom of the descent at Lake Landro (1400 meters).

Take the bike path in the direction of Carbonin, then once at the Cimabanche pass (1440 meters) turn left onto the road in the direction of Misurina, which in the first km you can go alongside on the little path to the right. The climb (a bit tedious) ends at an altitude of 1750 meters on a falsopiano that leads back to Lake Misurina and from there to the starting point always on a lakeside path and then a bike path.