Ol Simal salendo dal Brunone

This is probably one of the most extreme trails among those offered, not so much because of the technical difficulty of the descent itself, but because of what you have to do to reach it. The route has about 2,200 m of elevation gain, and the key thing to know is very simple: you’ll be doing practically the entire climb on foot. There are a few short rideable sections, especially at the beginning, but it’s best to approach this with the mindset of a long day of carrying your bike rather than constantly wondering when you’ll be able to get back in the saddle. This is a route for those who consider carrying their bike an integral part of alpine mountain biking and are willing to put in a lot of effort to reach a truly extraordinary descent. E-MTBs are strongly discouraged: in this case, the extra weight offers virtually no advantage and instead becomes a major problem during the very long climb, on the most rugged sections, and especially at points where the bike must be lifted or lowered. This is therefore a route to be tackled exclusively with a pedal-powered MTB and only if you are fully aware of what you’re getting into.

Start from Fiume Nero

The trail starts in the Fiume Nero area and begins climbing almost immediately. In the first 200–300 meters of elevation gain, there are a few sections that might be rideable, but the gradients are already steep, and you’re tackling them practically cold. Ultimately, you risk expending a lot of energy just to stay in the saddle for a few minutes. An interesting solution might be to start slightly earlier, adding a few easy kilometers to warm up your legs. This way, the first climbs might become more realistically rideable. In any case, the overall philosophy of the ride doesn’t change much: once this first section is over, you’ll need to shoulder your bike and prepare for a very long climb.

Ascent to the Brunone Refuge

Follow the trail that climbs toward the Brunone Refuge, gradually gaining elevation in an increasingly alpine setting. The trail is extremely difficult to ride. A few very short sections may allow you to get back in the saddle, while others can be tackled by pushing the bike, but for most of the climb, the most effective solution remains carrying the bike on your shoulders. This is a climb to tackle with patience, finding a steady rhythm and without deluding yourself about how much of the terrain you’ll actually be able to ride. Once you reach the Brunone Mountain Hut, you can finally catch your breath a bit. From the hut, there’s also a short, fairly pleasant, and rideable stretch—almost a brief respite before the route reveals its true character once again.

From Brunone to Ol Simal

Once you’ve passed this short, easier stretch, the most challenging part of the approach likely begins. The route from Brunone toward Ol Simal becomes decidedly rugged. There are very steep sections—at times almost vertical—alternating with others where the main problem is the extremely slippery terrain. With a mountain bike on your shoulders, you need to move carefully, choosing your footing wisely and maintaining control of the bike at all times. It’s no longer just a matter of physical endurance: you need to be accustomed to moving through alpine terrain while carrying a mountain bike. Once past the steepest section, the route continues with several ups and downs. Here, too, the trail is practically unrideable, and you’ll be carrying the bike most of the way. As you approach Ol Simal, you’ll also encounter a short, particularly challenging section—especially if tackled alone. There are a couple of large steps where you’ll need to lower the bike, a maneuver that requires caution and good handling skills. Having at least two people makes these sections much easier. Once you’ve passed this section as well, you finally reach the Ol Simal area. At this point, after carrying your bike on your shoulders for what feels like an eternity, the descent can finally begin.

The first 300 meters: alpine freeride

The first part is probably one of the main reasons to tackle a ride like this. The first 300 meters or so of descent are spectacular and feel almost like a small, natural high-mountain freeride. The terrain is open and often allows you to freely interpret the descent, choosing your own line among rocks, ledges, and natural terrain. In this same section, it’s often possible to find a relatively easy line or deliberately seek out much more challenging sections. It’s a completely different riding experience from the classic, predetermined singletrack: you look at the terrain ahead of you and decide where to go. Of course, it remains an alpine environment and must be approached with caution, but for those who love this style of riding, it’s probably one of the most beautiful sections of the entire route.

High Descent Toward Lake Avert S5

Continuing toward Lake Avert, the route takes on a more defined character but remains extremely technical. The overall difficulty of the upper section can be rated as S5, interspersed with S4 sections. The difficulty level therefore remains very high, and it’s not simply a matter of a few isolated obstacles. Steep slopes, rocks, ledges, and alpine terrain require excellent technique and the ability to continuously read the line. There are also some exposed sections where you must be able to assess without hesitation whether the passage is within your capabilities or whether it’s better to dismount. The route continues in this manner until reaching Lake Avert.

From Lago d’Avert S3/S4

Once past the lake, the difficulty decreases. From here, the trail becomes roughly S3/S4 and, after the challenge of the upper section, finally allows for more continuous riding. Of course, there are still several technical sections, and the terrain retains a distinctly alpine character, but the descent becomes less extreme and more fluid. It’s a long section where you can finally link together more turns and sections without constantly having to stop to read the terrain. You continue descending until you reach the area of the ski lifts and ENEL power plants.

Descent from the ENEL power plants S4/S5

Here, the difficulty suddenly increases again. The first part of the trail is very steep and vertical, with difficulty generally at full S4 and some sections reaching S5 once more. This is another section where you need a lot of bike control, especially on the steepest parts. As you gradually descend toward an elevation of 1,400–1,500 m, the character of the trail changes again and the difficulty gradually begins to decrease. The ride becomes more continuous and smooth, and you finally leave the day’s greatest challenges behind.

Stalle Redorta and the Final Section

You then continue toward Stalle Redorta. From here, the final part of the descent remains, which, unfortunately, is also the least impressive section of the entire route. Based on the trail’s condition in 2026, this section is not particularly well-maintained. The vegetation and trail conditions disrupt the ride more frequently and make the descent less enjoyable than the previous sections. It isn’t necessarily the most difficult section of the ride, but after an exceptionally high-quality upper section, it inevitably leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. Conditions may, of course, change over time, and this section will need to be reassessed based on future trail maintenance.

In summary

This isn’t a route to choose simply because you’re looking for a challenging descent. You must first be willing to tackle about 2,200 m of elevation gain in a single day where rideability on the climbs is practically nonexistent. From the Brunone Refuge onward, the terrain also becomes much more rugged and requires not only physical endurance but also confidence in navigating alpine terrain with a mountain bike on your shoulders. In some spots, you’ll even have to carry your bike down to get past large steps. The reward comes in the Ol Simal area. The first 300 meters of the descent are spectacular open terrain—almost like a natural freeride run—where you can freely choose your lines and decide just how challenging you want to make it. From there, a very long descent begins that alternates between very different sections: S5 in the upper section toward Lake Avert, followed by S3/S4, and then S4/S5 again on the steep descent from the ENEL power plants, before gradually becoming smoother as you lose elevation. The final stretch from Stalle Redorta is currently less enjoyable due to the trail conditions, but this does not alter the overall character of the route. It’s an extreme route in terms of the amount of portage, the environment, and the technical difficulty, intended for a very specific niche of bikers: those willing to carry their bikes for hours just to reach an alpine descent that’s hardly comparable to more classic trails. Anyone setting out on this ride must be mentally prepared from the start: you’ll be carrying your bike practically the entire way up.

Technical Details

• Trail Style: All-Mountain / Extreme / Alpine Adventure
• MTB: Yes, exclusively for very experienced riders
• E-MTB: Strongly discouraged
• Elevation gain: Approximately 2,200 m D+
• Portage: Extreme—almost the entire climb
• Ascent difficulty: Extreme due to duration and the amount of portage
• Descent difficulty: S4/S5, with long S5 sections
• Exposure: Present in several sections
• Trail conditions: Dry conditions strongly recommended
• Trail season: Conditions described in 2026