Coltignone

This loop gio passes at the foot of the Grigne Mountains. From super-panoramic points and a beautiful pounding but never impossible descent. Start from Abbadia Lariana and after 3 obligatory "adrenaline" kilometers on the Lariana freeway we descend on the lakeside bike path and then ride comfortably to the Resinelli plans. The climb diverts in part to less busy trails. Wanting to avoid the freeway it is possible by emtb (or for those who want to suffer by Mtb) to climb directly from Abbadia Lariana, the trail is a very challenging mule track with killer gradients.

From Resinelli (the only water point) you pass by Parco Valentino on a pedalable forest trail until 50 meters from Coltigone where the trail becomes not very pedalable. We retrace our steps and then detour to the Belvedere Balcony, an artificial structure overhanging the lake to make your legs tighten.

We follow the trail on a steep free ride descent with no particular technical steps to reach the Forcellino (another megapanoramic point). We turn back a few meters to enter the Grigne high route, after a short section on a scree S4 avoidable by passing more to the right the descent (very nice) continues medium S3 with a few S2 sections, on a very rocky and very pounding bottom sometimes stony but always enjoyable.

We ascend on a challenging mule track for about 40 meters, then divert to a short S3 descent very rocky in steps that then becomes a nice fast S2 with a couple of technical S3 passages. We ascend back to Monte Borbino and then descend on a short and nice S2+ descent.

Notes: unlike what was reported in the old online trails, the trail has no exposed sections (I think it has been fixed).

Trail style: AM

Personal rating: views 9/10; Descents 8/10

MTB: yes

EMTB: yes

Duration about 4.5h (in Emtb)

Portage: about 20/30m push

Difficulty ascent: very comfortable

Difficulty descent: S3+/S4

Exposed: NO

Drainage: exposed southwest, rocky bottom, I think so