Borno - Malga Pian d'Aprile

The route starts from the very convenient parking lot at the Italian Ski and Snowboard School in Borno and heads up to the Pian d'Aprile mountain hut (and beyond).

Ascent: From the parking lot, follow the road for about 1 km; then the trail begins. The entire route is easily navigable, consisting of cobblestone, partially paved, and dirt sections that are very well maintained, but from the very start, the gradient ranges from 15–18 –22% (still impossible for me!) and doesn’t let up practically all the way to the top.

A couple of very picturesque viewpoints:

Descent: Once you’ve passed Malga Pian d’Aprile (you could also ride up to Malga Paghera), you descend on a freeride trail (shepherd’s path), crossing the ski slopes until you reach the parking lot again.

Warning: the ski slopes are particularly treacherous and best suited for a full-suspension bike or riders with significant experience (I struggled on my hardtail despite a lot of courage, while my son, also on a hardtail, was very confident—I’m jealous).

No water sources (a real shame) except at the mountain huts, where you must, understandably, ask for permission.

Ascent S1 (due to the steepness).

Descent S2.