Lonely corners in South Tyrol? Yes, they still exist. The Val d'Ega turns out to be an insider tip par excellence. What we found: Catinaccio flow, Dolomite spectacle and alpine pasture flavour. What we didn't find: the catch.
Eggental: The area
Ah, South Tyrol. The place where God has done everything right - but really everything. This is where lush alpine meadows meet the Dolomites, which are something like the crowning glory of the Alpine mountains. Of course we all want to go there, whether we're bikers or the German Chancellor. You can only believe that there are still secluded corners here once you have experienced it - the Val d'Ega. "Here, you have to get used to travelling alone," says the local when we ask where all the people are.
It's hard to believe, but the valley that branches off into the mountains near Bolzano is relaxed and quiet. Yet it is a sensational biking area with perfect infrastructure in the gigantic scenery around Catinaccio and Latemar. The tour options are almost endless and correspondingly varied with flowing and technical trails (and mountain hut stops) to suit every taste. Even after many inquiries - we couldn't find the hook.
This mini-guide was created with the support of Eggental Tourismus.
Val d'Ega: The tours
Tour 1: Circumnavigation of the Latemar
Tour data and tour rating
Starting point
Car park at the valley station of the Welschnofen cable car
The tour around the Latemar massif is an absolute classic, which is available in various versions. The ascent aid saves you two gruelling climbs, but the tour remains physically demanding - and the scenery is impressive. To start off, you take the Carezza cable car from Welschnofen up 560 metres in altitude to the Rosengarten and set off towards the Karer Pass and Latemar - sometimes on gravel, sometimes on tarmac and often on flowing trails. The rooty forest path down to Moena in Val di Fassa is long and beautiful. Trentino once again offers fresh views of the Dolomites. The gondola and chairlift take you up to Passo Feudo. The varied loop leads over the Reiterjoch and Obereggen back to Welschnofen.
Tour 2: Weißhorn-Almen-Tour
Tour data and tour rating
Starting point
Car park at the Deutschnofen bike park
The Panorama and Gusto tours start in Deutschnofen. You rarely see people, but you do see the Dolomites in all their majesty. The idyllic Neuhütt on the way to the Lavazé road and the Jochgrimm Pass, which is only tarmac on one side, invites you to make a first stop. Here you can lock up your bike and climb to the summit of the Weisshorn in just under 40 minutes. The route continues along stone paths and soft meadow trails to the natural spectacle of the Bletterbach canyon and the Maria Weißenstein monastery. On the wide meadows you can already recognise the Petersberger Alm, which serves delicious vegetarian dishes. The loop ends after trail descents at the Laabalm.
In the Download area directly below this article, you can download the GPS data of the presented MTB tours "Latemar circuit" and "Weißhorn-Almen-Tour" in the Val d'Ega
download free of charge.
More travel information about Val d'Ega
LOCATION
Val d'Ega lies on the sunny side of the Dolomites, 20 minutes from Bolzano. The villages of Steinegg, Welschnofen, Karersee, Deutschnofen, Petersberg, Obereggen and Eggen lie between 830 and 1600 metres above sea level. The bike season starts around Easter and lasts until the end of October.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Val d'Ega offers accommodation in every category that specialises in mountain bikers: Information at eggental.com/bikehotels
HUTS
A selection of the huts along the tours: the loungey, modern Baita Gardoné at the middle station to Passo Feudo aims to create a "Riviera" feeling in the middle of the Dolomites: Palm trees, beach volleyball and fine cuisine.
Famous for its South Tyrolean specialities and Kaiserschmarrn pancakes: the small Mountain hut Weigler Schupf.
The Neuhütt on the way to the Jochgrimm Pass is a picture-book mountain hut with the best views, an idyllic pond and good food.
Vegetarian and vegan dishes are served by landlord Alexander at the Petersberger Leger Alm: natural, creative and very tasty. From the wide meadow, you can look up to the Corno Bianco (Weisshorn) and over to the Maria Weißenstein monastery.
BIKE SCHOOLS
Dolomiti Bike School, Welschnofen, www.dolomiti-bikeschool.com
Bike School Eggental, Deutschnofen, www.bikeregion.it and www.bikeguiding-eggental.com
SHOPS & RENTAL
E-bike rental Siegfried, www.skisiegfried.it. Paul's bike workshop, www.ghost-bike.it. Bike Rental Eggental, www.skirenteggental.com. Sport Laurin, www.sportlaurin.com. Bike Rent Welschnofen, www.ski-rent-service.com. Sport Carezza - www.skiservice-carezza.com.
LIFTE
With the MTB Card for 17 euros, you can use the lifts for the Latemar tour.
CAREZZA FLOWTRAIL
The Welschnofen cable car shuttles you to the start of the Carezza flow trail below the Rosengarten. Its 4.4 kilometres and 550 metres in altitude are fun even for beginners. Advanced riders can let off steam on countless jumps and berms. Open from mid-May to the end of October.
CAREZZA TRAINING PARK
You can practise your skills in the training park at the Carezza mountain station. In addition to a pump track and the jumpline, there are stations for practising hairpin bends, drops and curves, obstacles for bunny hops and balance elements.
BIKEPARK DEUTSCHNOFEN
The bike park in Nova Ponente/Deutschnofen is brand new and is also intended as a learning course. There are jumps, stairs, drops and steep wall curves as well as a rockgarden and the pump line in varying degrees of difficulty.
More information under: www.eggental.com
