Sette Crocette, Maniva, Dosso Alto, Passo di Paio, DH 350

All-Mountain Tour – a wide-ranging mountain biking route at the head of Val Trompia, including an ascent to Dosso Alto (2,050 meters; can be bypassed). Beautiful yet demanding in terms of length, elevation gain, and the difficulty of the descent from the summit of Dosso Alto and the final Trail 350, it requires confident riding and good technical skills (difficulty up to S4). The terrain along the route is varied and very appealing, with an open and panoramic setting.

You’ll need to push or carry your bike briefly to reach the saddle below Monte Crestoso (2,060 meters) and carry it for about an hour to reach the summit of Dosso Alto (heavy e-bikes are not recommended for this final stretch).

The route starts in Collio VT (there is ample parking just past the town center on the right as you head uphill). You pass through the hamlet of Memmo and then the village of Fiale, winding through green meadows and beautiful farmsteads. Continue on a dirt road through larch forests until you reach the pastures of Malga Sarle at 1,500 meters. From here, the trail becomes rough and steep as you reach Malga Poffe di Stabil Fiorito at 1,920 meters. Following the trail to the right, you ride for a short while longer; then, pushing and/or carrying your bike, you reach an unnamed saddle at 2,060 meters below the ridge of Mount Crestoso. Turning right onto a beautiful trail, you reach the distinctive Sette Crocette Pass.

Now, on a very scenic trail, you follow a long traverse that ends at an old military road on the paved road leading from the Maniva Pass to the Crocedomini Pass, below the summit of Mount Dasdana at an elevation of 2,080 meters. This is the highest point of the route.

Leaving the paved road behind, you reach the summit of Mount Dasdanino at 2,082 meters. From here, you descend easily along the ski trail on the right until you return to the paved road, which you follow for a short stretch before taking a shortcut to find a wide trail on the right that descends to the Bonardi Refuge at 1,740 meters. Heading back up the road to the nearby hairpin bend, take a dirt road leading to the Maniva Pass, 1,660 meters. Now, passing beneath the western slope of Dosso Alto, ascend along a narrow paved road to the pass of the same name, 1,740 meters.

To reach the summit of Dosso Alto now, following the trail that climbs the southern ridge, you must hike uphill for about 300 meters of elevation gain. The descent, which is technical and fairly challenging (maximum S3), follows the same trail, but in the lower section you must stay clear of the dense mountain pine thickets. The ascent to the summit can obviously be avoided. Back at the pass, follow the beautiful trail leading to the Passo delle Portelle and the distinctive Tita Secchi hut, below the summit of Caldoline, at 1,750 meters.

From here, maintaining your downhill stance, follow the trail that circles the Corno di Barzò to the Paio Pass, 1,685 meters. Continuing on a beautiful trail, gently descending along the western slope of the Corna Blacca, you reach the junction where Trail 350 begins, at 1,570 meters. Here the descent gets trickier, but don’t let the first rough, uneven section discourage you—once past it, though still challenging, the trail becomes exhilarating with steep, even very steep, sections featuring hairpin turns and drops, alternating between smoother stretches and sections where you must carefully control your speed. At the bottom, the trail seems to end on a recently built dirt road, but by following the track to the right, you can find the trail again—a bit rough but passable—which ends on the dirt road just before the village of San Colombano. At the first intersection, follow the bike path to the left to return to Collio and your car.

Refreshment points: Bonardi Mountain Lodge in the Bonardi area, and Rosa at the Maniva Pass.