Valli Pordenonesi

Starting point is the parking lot of the Castellavazzo sports facilities, located on the orographic left of the Piave River at Longarone (BL). It climbs on a never challenging asphalt road toward the Vajont dam, sadly known for what happened on October 9, 1963. Reaching the top of the dam, visible on the right through the two final tunnels, continue to the upper parking area where you take the small road to the right. This small road was carved inside the 1963 landslide and allows you to get an idea of how much material fell inside the reservoir that night; on the slope to our right the front of the detachment from Mount Toc will always be visible. In the final stretch there are some short unlit tunnels (between 20 and 50 meters in length); the use of appropriate spotlights is recommended.

At km 15, you join the main road, turning right to reach the San Osvaldo pass (elevation 830 meters); on the right just after the small church located on the pass, a forest path branches off that allows you to avoid a good stretch of downhill asphalt. After finishing the path, the last hairpin bends lead to the village of Cimolais, where you turn left, following the signs for Val Cimoliana/ rifugio Pordenone/ Campanile di Val Montanaja.

Now begins a pleasant stretch of 13 km and 650 meters of ascent on mixed-bottom forestry (NB: toll for motorcycles/cars, free for bikes) until you reach the Pordenone refuge (1200 meters): this refuge is the starting point to reach on foot the Campanile di Val Montanaja, a rocky pinnacle symbol of the Friulian Dolomites Park; you will also catch a brief glimpse of it as you ascend the forestry road. Refreshed at the pleasant refuge, you retrace your steps back to Cimolais, taking advantage of a detour on a bicycle path to the left almost near the village.

Again, you take the road back to the San Osvaldo pass and reach Erto. The route now proceeds sharply uphill to the north, arriving at Casera Mela (1175 meters); there is a fountain at the Casera. When you get here turn around and pay attention southward to the road you have just traveled! Now begins a very challenging section to climb to the Cava Buscada refuge, on very steep forestry and bottom not always stable, but still rideable. Without a meter of breath you reach the tunnel, and then give all your remaining energy to face the last ramps and reach the refuge at an altitude of 1800 meters (a fountain is present): the panoramic spot is exceptional (visible to the north the Maniago refuge, possible to reach by bike).

Descend along the outward forest road, with a detour in the lower part; back at Casera Mela, some short cuts allow you to skip the paved hairpin bends. Now it is time for pure trails, so watch out for the detachment on the right at the last bend that would lead back to Erto: here on the right starts the Troi de Sciarbon trail, at times challenging where pay particular attention to the exposed sections on the scree, but tend to be rideable (flow and technical sections). The path ends at the small village of Casso, where you go to reach the entrance for the Troi de S.Antonio, another exceptional path with more technical stretches in the second half that will make you lose altitude until you get back on the road to Codissago (NB: watch out for the slippery ground). A final detour will make it possible to cross the village of Codissago on stairs and steps.