Why Elmar Moser never discovered this trail is likely to remain a mystery. The ‘touring guru’ of the 1990s was indeed out and about on Lake Ledro whilst working on Volume 12 of his Lake Garda guide, but instead he described the ‘Bocca Cocca Trail’ as ‘probably the finest trail far and wide’. It’s a forest path that you have to take on the 136-bend climb to reach the summit of Monte Stino, and thus the start of this iconic trail.
He must have spotted that seemingly endless zigzag trail along the eastern shore of Lake Ledro on the map, but back in the 90s he probably couldn’t have imagined how anyone could ride down it on a bike. Back then, nobody had mastered the riding technique of shifting the rear wheel. So this winding challenge remained an insider’s tip amongst the locals for a long time.
Until, in the 2000s, a completely different challenge arose: who could find trails around Lake Garda that weren’t yet featured in the Moser Guide? There was a real gold-rush atmosphere amongst all those who had already cycled every Moser route several times over! And indeed, Moser had left a few blank spots on the map. Particularly around Lake Idro, in the Valli Giudicarie, a 45-minute drive west of Riva del Garda. The front line also ran through this area during the First World War, which is why the mountains surrounding the pretty little lake are criss-crossed by countless military roads.
A certain Marco Toniolo counted the hairpin bends
One person who recognised the potential of these mountains – and of Monte Stivo in particular – at an early stage was a certain Marco Toniolo. He was so fascinated by these hairpin bends that he simply counted them as he rode past: one hundred and thirty-six. Fortunately, the Italian was working as a freelance travel writer for BIKE magazine at the time, and so he introduced the 136-hairpin trail on Monte Stivo to the public in the 9/2007 issue. However, he did so not without a warning: “You really ought to be able to master hairpin bends in your sleep, because on Monte Stino that’s the difference between heaven and hell.”
Toniolo started his tour in Anfo, on the western shore of Lake Idro. However, from there you first have to cycle halfway round the lake to join the climb towards Bondone. The Baitoni campsite on the northern shore is therefore in a much more strategic location. The climb gets underway straight away here: the first 400 metres on a tarmac mountain road, the next 400 on gravel, then you reach the “Bocca Cocca” trail section from the Moser Guide. You’ll need to navigate just under 200 metres of elevation gain here, through sections of loose scree and roots. This is no problem on an e-MTB, but everyone else will have to find a line that suits their pedalling style.
Just before the summit lies the Rifugio Monte Stino (1,415 m). Even if you’re not yet in the mood for some really good pasta after climbing 1,200 metres, you should at least treat yourself to a drink whilst taking in the view from the hut’s terrace: from up here, you can see the whole of Lake Idro and all the lovely trail lines on the mountain slopes opposite.
Anyone who manages the first 5 bends...
After a stop for refreshments, you can take a stroll through the old trenches behind the hut before heading up to the summit and the trail’s starting point. The descent actually begins with a stone staircase and a handrail that runs close to the path. The final step leads straight into the first, rather exposed right-hand hairpin bend. You really have to be brave to tackle that. In the following left-hand hairpin, you need to be able to shift your rear wheel, even though the rock face behind leaves hardly any room for it. Hairpin 3 narrows off incredibly sharply on the steep slope – so anyone who walks the first five hairpins really shouldn’t feel bad about it. Or worry that they’ll now have to walk all the way down the mountain. From hairpin number 6 onwards, the mountainside flattens out and the bends become more rounded. In theory, you can manage almost all the bends with a good sense of balance, or you can use the 1,100-metre descent to Vesta to practise shifting your weight onto the rear wheel. If you can already do that, you might also want to try rolling through on the front wheel. Tip: Instead of counting the 136 hairpin bends, it’s better to count the number of bends you DIDN’T manage. That’s easier, and people will often ask you about it later.
One more important thing to note: in Vesta there is a five-kilometre-long lakeside path which, in theory, leads back to the campsite. However, it is secured with ropes because it is so exposed and, in places, climbs steeply uphill over the lake along rocky terrain. It’s better to board the boat in Vesta and chug leisurely back across the lake!
The GPS data for the tour
Subscribers to BIKE magazine or Premium Digital can download the GPX data for the 136-Kehren Trail free of charge from bike-magazin.de under ‘My Account’.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor