For dramaturgical reasons alone, the tour starts in Canale d'Agordo. In the eastern backyard of the Pala Group, so to speak. On a slightly ascending gravel road, you cycle six kilometres to Falcade, where you take the Molino-Le Buse gondola. This saves you almost 700 metres of asphalt ascent to Passo Valles. Unfortunately, on the other side of the pass, 350 of the metres of altitude you have just gained are rattled through the speedometer again on asphalt. Unfortunately, there is no other option, as the forest is already part of the Paneveggio Nature Park, which bikers are only allowed to ride on the official route at the entrance to Val Venegia. However, the panoramic film of this tour starts there soon.
At first, tall trees block the view. Spruce trees, which are particularly suitable for making violins because of their hazel spruce fibres. But the gravel road climbs and the trees recede. The rocky fingers of the Pale di San Martino soon stand in an increasingly grandiose espalier, while we now struggle along the sometimes rough and bumpy gravel bends to the Baita Segantini. At the top of the hut, it's now up to the clock to decide how long the rest will be: at 6.15 am, the last gondola leaves San Martino di Castrozza for the Rifugio Rosetta and in between there is a long descent down the forest paths and trails over the Passo Rolle.
Maximum punishment on the Altipiano: dense fog soup
This tour would not be fun without the Colverde cable car. Although there are hiking trails that climb up to the Pala plateau, the steep walls alone would make carrying the bike up there a feat of strength with an altitude difference of over 1000 metres. When we get off the lift at just under 2600 metres in the late afternoon, we are surrounded by fog. The clouds have clung to the Cime del Pala. All we can see is white rocky ground beneath our feet and a track laid out with boundary stones. We feel our way forward, initially on fine pebbles, soon on coarser scree. Then the fog lifts a little and at the very end of the path we recognise a house with blue shutters - our hut for the night.
The Rifugio has been accommodating mountaineers up here on the Altopiano since 1896. During the First and Second World Wars, the hut burnt down to its outer walls, but the third structure from 1952 is still standing. It was modernised in 2011 and since then more and more bikers have found their way up here. We are lucky: while our pasta is steaming on the table, the clouds are raining down outside. Soon we are looking out over a sea of orange-red peaks in the evening sun. An incredible spectacle.
The next morning, the Civetta wall casts its first shadow in the distance as we struggle up the ramps behind the hut. Until we finally stand on the precipice of the plateau and look down into the valley to Garès. 1300 metres of descent. At first, the military path is still slightly karstic as it jags down the steep face, then a softer forest floor takes over, but it is criss-crossed with roots, water channels and steps. A tricky task that ends in a gravel path. You now roll along this for a relaxed eight kilometres to the car in Canale d'Agordo.
Info Rosetta Trail
- Length: 48 kilometres
- Uphill: 1225 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 2986 metres in depth
- 2 cable cars
- Difficulty: S2
Brief description: It doesn't get any more beautiful than this: the Dolomites tour via the Altopiano of the Pala Group is one of the absolute highlights of the Eastern Alps in terms of scenery. However, the tour is not without its technical and physical challenges. You should be able to cope with ramps, rough scree and exposed paths. Maximum level of difficulty: S2.
Accommodation: Rifugio Rosetta, open: 20 June to 28 September 2025 (thereafter on request) overnight stay with half board 80 euros, tel. 0039/3495331742, info: rifugiorosetta.it
Molino-Le Buse cable car: Open from July to the beginning of September. The cable car saves 700 metres in altitude. However, you can also climb the road to Passo Valles completely by yourself (pleasant ascent, but long and unpromising in the forest).
Colverde Rosetta cable car: Mid-June - end of September daily, later depending on the weather at weekends. Important: Last ascent 16:15! Tick: 21,50 Euro + 5 Euro per bike, Info: sanmartinorolle.it
GPS data for the tour:
As a BIKE magazine subscriber you will find the GPX data on bike-magazin.de under "My area" for free download.
In our DK tour portal you can find the GPX data of the tour including map and navigation service for holders of a Pro+ subscription (two-week free trial subscription possible!):
At this point, you will find external content that complements the article. You can display and hide it with a click.
Gitta Beimfohr
Editor
