Legendary Dolomites. The kingdom of jagged peaks between Bolzano and Cortina is a hidden object book of dwarves, wizards and princesses. Beneath the eternal ice and in the midst of the scree deserts, the mountain dwellers once imagined kingdoms and immeasurable gold treasures. When there was lightning and thunder, the evil sorcerer "Spina de Mùl" rumbled. When Lake Carezza shimmered colourfully in the Enrosadira, the magical Dolomite evening red, people imagined a princess in the waves. Legends belong to these pale mountains just as much as Luis Trenker and the Sellaronda. The epicentre of these mystical stories, passed down from generation to generation, are the Fassa Dolomites, i.e. the area on both sides of the Fassa Valley. Here, a number of mountain personalities rise vertically into the sky, making a powerful impression since time immemorial: Latemar, Schlern, Langkofel, Plattkofel, Sella. And the Marmolada.
Marmolata. The Italians call it Marmolada, the Ladins Marmolèda. The name comes from the eternal ice that shines like white marble in the sun. The once mighty glacier has always captured the human imagination: The castle of the Cayùtes people is said to be enthroned high up in the striking ice sheet. And according to legend, the beautiful girl Conturìna was walled up by her evil mother-in-law in the 800 metre high, vertical south face of the Marmolèda. Long story short: the Marmolada is legendary all round.
"Sure, I'm in!" My friend Markus is not a procrastinator. More of a magician. The art of living. The man was a snowboard pro, bike guide, James Bond helper, model, actor, ice bather, lifeguard. One of the flashiest guys I know. And up for any kind of nonsense. Circumnavigating the Marmolada rock tower has been on my to-do list for ages. The time frame is set in a flash: I pick up my friend in Innsbruck before sunrise. The next day, I drop him back home after sunset. Because the next morning he wants to save elderly people from drowning again. The route is relatively clear when I look at the 1:25000 Tabacco map. However, I have to mark two places with a question mark. The saying "Can go, but doesn't have to!" was to prove memorable.
Let's start with the Bindelweg
Markus missed the boat. That was so clear! To make up some time, we don't start at the bottom of Canazei with a lift ride as planned, but right at the top of Passo Pordoi. This means that our morning's work is an old favourite: the Bindelweg. With an extension option to the Padon ridge. Normally, mountain bikers ride along the idyllic "Viàl dal Pàn" to Porta Vescovo and fight their way down to Lake Fedaia. But Markus and I want to stay at the top. "Can go, but don't have to!" It works! We cycle 95 per cent. The first question mark on our route turns out to be a big exclamation mark. It's on!
Lunch! Markus munches on his spaghetti bolo on the sunny terrace of the Rifugio Passo Padon, I marvel at the area. The Padon ridge looks completely different to the jagged peaks around it: black, round, dark. "This ridge is made of lava," my mate shits wisely. "According to legend, this used to be the underground kingdom of Auròna." The inhabitants mined gold underground, but were never allowed to see the sun. Until one fine day Odòlghes, the prince of Contrín, heard the Auròna princess Somawìda crying, smashed the golden gate to the underworld and rode off into the sunset with his new girlfriend.
So if we want to get to Passo San Pellegrino before sunset, we have to move on as quickly as possible. The Forca Rossa is waiting. Map reading is not rocket science. But sometimes the trick is in the detail. While pondering whether it was rideable or not, I came to the conclusion: wide path, lots of hairpin bends, definitely a military track from the First World War. So it's rideable on a mountain bike. Unfortunately, the reality is different: We push and push and push. Markus can't let that spoil his mood. The guy is killing me. He stalks towards the pass that has been visible for two hours. He takes a short break once. Not to rest, but to chat. He chats to two Canadian hikers in funny Tyrolean English. The only souls we meet here on the east side of the Marmolada. They bid us farewell with a "You must be nuts".
The sun is already dangerously low in the west when we finally arrive at the pass that will save us. Forca Rossa. The red ridge. What an apt name. The red rock shines brightly against the setting sun. 2490 metres above sea level. I will never forget these tough 1000 metres in altitude for the rest of my life. Next problem: my schedule has crumbled to such an extent that we will never reach the planned overnight hut. So Markus gets on his mobile phone and cancels in experimental Italian. So that nobody worries. But where to sleep? I get the good old Tabacco map out of my rucksack. Plan A: Rifugio Fuciade. "Chiuso!" Plan B: a hotel at Passo San Pellegrino: "No-one will answer." That leaves plan C: Rifugio Flora Alpina. If they don't take us, we have a problem. But who can turn down the cheerfully chattering Markus? "Avanti, the jacuzzi closes at half past seven!"
"Let's hope the descent is at least good," Markus whines, as he circles down the first hairpin bends. After the 1000-metre climb, we have more than earned a flowing descent. The narrow track zigzags down from the red bald head of the Forca Rossa into flat meadows. A dozen horses marvel at the strange evening guests. Not many bikers have been here, that much is clear. The ascent from Malga Ciapéla is too hard. I can hear Markus cheering in front of me, he is in his element. Jumping over small bumps. He uses every mini-bump for his slalom skills. Really lets the Luzie fly. Bubble pool, here we come!
New day, new luck. Or bad luck? It can't get any worse than the 1000 metre push-and-carry orgy yesterday. Or so I thought. But on the early morning run up to the first pass of the day, the Dolomite trails show their ugly side again. The path is nice and wide, but also nice and vertical. "This tour would probably be great with an e-MTB", my friend is already in a chatty mood again as he pushes past me. But we don't have e-MTBs, I think to myself and swallow my frustration. This realm of legends is too beautiful! The people of Pellegrino even call the Marmolata "Rosàlya". Because its summit glows such a marvellous red in the evening light. The mountain was considered sacred by all the indigenous peoples around it. We're almost at the pass! We are now approaching the second question mark of the tour. Let's see if I can draw an exclamation mark over it.
The next obstacle to fun at the top of the pass: a no biking sign
The no cycling sign is small, but not small enough to be overlooked. Of course, the paper map didn't tell us that. Shit! What to do? Roll back without having achieved anything and take the long way round? Or push? Nobody can say anything against that. We stumble down the forbidden 500 metres downhill for an hour until we come across a permitted road again. But what I can learn from my mate: A sunny disposition makes many things easier. To paraphrase Karl Valentin: "I'm happy when I push. Because if I'm not happy, I push anyway." It's that simple.
The Passo San Nicolò is the fourth and final pass on our Marmolada loop. Once again we carry our bikes up a direttissima, but this time only 300 metres in altitude. At the top, the Nicolò Pass reveals itself as a split personality: on its western side it's just steep, on the eastern side it's flat as a flower. We don't bother stopping at the rifugio of the same name. I now want to close the circle with decency, dignity and speed. The last gondola from Penìa up to Passo Pordoi leaves at five sharp. We buy our tickets at ten. At least something works!
While the Dolomite panorama outside the gondola window blossoms for us once again, the realisation grows: no, that was nothing. Apparently there are reasons why you've never heard of a mountain bike tour of the Marmolada. Of course, the mountain experience itself was marvellous. But the price-performance ratio wasn't right. Too little trail for so much unrideable slogging. But that's the way it is in the world of legends: not all stories have a happy ending.
Info circumnavigation of the Marmolada
The mountain:
At 3343 metres, the Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites. It has two faces: in the north, it slopes relatively gently towards the Passo and Lago Fedaia. Its northern flank is also home to the largest glacier in the Dolomites. To the south, on the other hand, the Marmolada breaks off almost vertically into the Ombretta Valley in a two kilometre wide and up to 800 metre high steep face. Passo Fedaia and Passo di San Pellegrino border the ten by five kilometre mountain massif to the north and south.
The tour:
In terms of scenery, the tour around the Marmolada is a real highlight. Nevertheless, we can't really recommend retracing the route with a clear conscience. The Forca Rossa alone is a ramp: 1000 metres of pushing and carrying. Then there's the no-cycling sign at the Passo delle Selle, which caused us another time-consuming 500-metre descent.
And with the E-MTB? With a fully charged battery and in turbo mode, the 1000 metres of steep climb up to Forca Rossa are, in principle, rideable. However, the no-cycling sign at the Passo delle Selle naturally also applies to electric bikers. Alternatively, you could bypass the closed pass via Pozza di Fassa, but not without sacrificing a lot of riding fun. We therefore prefer to refer to the three classic trail tours in the Marmolada region. They have definitely proved their worth.
Journey:
From Munich, take the A8 and A12 motorways to the Brenner Pass and then the A22 to the Klausen/Gröden exit. You reach Canazei via Val Gardena and the Sella Pass (320 km/4:00 h from Munich).
Overnight stay:
The most scenic overnight stay - right opposite the northern flank of the Marmolada - is on the Bindelweg, in the Rifugio Fredarola (www.fredarola.it). However, if you prefer to recharge your batteries before the tough ascent to Forca Rossa, spend the night at Malga Gran Pian (www.malgagranpian.it).
However, if you do make it over the pass, there is a relatively large selection of accommodation options around the Passo di San Pellegrino. Highly recommended: the Rifugio Flora Alpina (www.floralpina.it) a few kilometres east of the pass with fine regional cuisine and a small outdoor jacuzzi.
Bike shops:
At Bikeasy (www.bikeasy.it) in Strèda Dolomites 22 in Canazei, you can get professional help with technical problems. High-quality Focus bikes can be hired from Webike (www.webike.rent) in San Giovanni di Fassa, further down the valley. In the south of the Marmolada, things look rather bleak when it comes to bike shops.
Guided tours:
Peak Sport Adventure (www.canazeibikerent.com) at Strèda de Pareda 83 in Canazei offers Cube hire bikes as well as a wide range of guided tours around Val di Fassa.
Tip for after the tour:
If you want to reward yourself in a fitting way after a mountain bike adventure, relax in the new, huge Dòlaondes wellness temple in the Strèda del Piz 7 in Canazei.
