The cattle in the mountains don't have it easy either. On alpine pastures and meadows, there is constant jealousy over food, even if the battle for the best places is rarely fought out in open conflict. However, whoever is after the freshest grass has to mark the top dog. It's a matter of putting the other eaters in their place. Otherwise the only option is to leave in the hope of finding a fat meadow somewhere else. Sometimes it's the same for bikers. The best trails in the most popular areas are often heavily frequented. But I don't like territorial behaviour and forming packs - I'm a peace-loving person. So on my last trip to South Tyrol, I stayed away from the main routes: It wasn't the Vinschgau Valley that was on my menu, but the much quieter Ultental Valley.
Chasing the green thumb
I already knew what to expect there from my research for the "Merano South" Supertrail Map: a large number of green thumbs can be found just behind the rocky bar of Naturnser Hochwart, Beilstoan, Rontscher Berg and Hoher Dieb. And only the best single trails are honoured with the "green thumb" symbol on this map.
The cable car takes you up the 840 metres in altitude from Rabland to Aschbach in no time at all. But that's not the end of the climb. Although the forest provides shade, I'm still sweating profusely on the way to the Vigiljoch. The short but particularly steep and root-covered ramps up to the Rauhen Bühel are really tough. The trail to the summit of the Bühel is indeed rough. However, the grassy ridge itself is more charming. On the one hand, there is the spectacular view of Bolzano and the Dolomites. On the other hand, the rich alpine grass provides a perfect place to sit during the short break, during which I replenish my carbohydrate stores. This is also necessary, because from here the trail fun really starts.
A head for heights is required
From the alpine meadow, the trail soon plunges into a sparse mountain forest. As soon as your eyes have adjusted to the play of light and shadow, they follow a perfectly laid out trail: it runs for several kilometres along the steep mountain flank towards Lake Falkomai. Even though only a few metres in altitude separate the Rauhen Bühel from the Alm Leger, the countless short counter-climbs and the more technically challenging sections ensure that your heart rate barely drops. The heart also beats at a high cadence because the trail is somewhat exposed in some places. It's not the spectacular rockfalls that inevitably make you weak-kneed and cause you to breathe heavily. No, it's these nasty, steep meadow slopes whose potential dangers are less obvious. But woe betide you if you've reached in vain for a tuft of grass after a fall - once you've picked up speed here, you should count yourself lucky if you only end up with a few serious scratches.
And what is the reward for skipping the Venosta Valley trail classics Tschilli, Bimbam, Tibet and Goldsee for once? Peace and quiet? Of course. Far-sightedness? Yes. Fun? Absolutely! The Supertrail is perfectly laid out and leads you from one off-road chamber to the next. The surface is well stabilised and dries quickly after a rain shower - thanks to its south-facing orientation. If the weather doesn't play ball, there are numerous opportunities to ski down to St. Pankraz ahead of time on the finest trails. Just as quickly as you reach the valley floor, the Vigiljoch cable car from Lana takes you back up again. The Vigiljoch for the second time - only this time we descend to Partschins via the quarry trail. This route is already a bit "worn out", but still worth six green thumbs!
