Valmadre, laghi di Porcile, Val Tartano

At the exit of the Paniga tunnel of the SS38, at the large traffic circle that leads onto the old state road, go straight on to the Provinciale delle Orobie; before the detour to Tartano there are some widenings where you can leave your car. First stretch along the road, then at Selvetta, after about 4 km, turn left to take the Valtellina bike path along the Adda embankment to Fusine, where the Valmadre begins.

The Valmadre is a long transverse valley of the Valtellina from the Orobie side; the road connects Fusine with Foppolo via the Dordona Pass. The valley goes straight up to the south and is very long; it is 16 km to climb from 280 meters at Fusine to 1960 meters at the Valmadre refuge. After a stop at the refuge, instead of continuing up to the pass, you go up to the right following the path to the Bocchetta dei Lupi at an altitude of 2316: it is 360 meters of ascent with bike on your back.

On the other side the Lupi valley, with the beautiful view of the three Porcile lakes, descends until it enters the Val Lunga di Tartano. Trail down quite challenging for the bottom, to the middle lake, then to the Porcile cheese factory and alpe Arale where the trail joins the Val Lunga road, first dirt, then paved. Follow it to Somvalle, then exit right to turn behind Crap del Mezdì and descend Val Fabiolo on a mule track that comes out in a canyon above the slate roofs of Sirta at the bottom of the valley. A couple of kilometers and you reach the car.