Mussolini would be turning in his grave. He went to great lengths to secretly build a monumental defence system along the Italian border, a protective wall of barracks, bunkers and anti-tank barriers, linked by a dense network of military roads. He expropriates thousands of people out of fear of his fake fascist ally in the north and pours tonnes of money into the defence apparatus - and then today, instead of tanks, bikes roll along the roads and the barracks become meeting places. He would be turning in his grave! But let him do that. He can turn round and round as he likes.
Meanwhile, an eagle circles above us. Or perhaps, says Arno, a vulture that has its eye on all the bikers travelling without an E. Although the gradient is pleasant (in military terms, it zigzags at a maximum of 12 per cent), the climb from Dobbiaco is a good 1400 metres. The Tornanti stretch up to our overnight destination, the Marchhütte, directly below the summit cross of the 2545 metre high Marchkinkele (or Markinkele).
A lot of sweat flows from the bikers. Not a single drop glistens on Mr Arno Feichter's forehead. In summer, he rides up the route through the Silvestertal valley at least once a week without motorised assistance. The former snowboard pro has been on his bike for decades and, together with Roland Stauder, is one of the MTB pioneers in Alta Pusteria.
The Marchhütte enriches the Stoneman original
Arno founded the BikeAcademy over 15 years ago, is a Rocky Mountain Ambassador and MTB instructor in South Tyrol. Roland, on the other hand, is a former UCI World Cup rider and the inventor of the Stoneman routes. The legendary (and gruelling) circular tours, which can be completed in one, two or three days, can now be found in four other countries. It all began with the Stoneman Dolomiti. Our tour also largely follows the original Steinmanndl route.
The fact that the Marchkinkele has been home to an overnight accommodation facility since summer 2021 also enriches the Stoneman. In general, says Arno, people in the valley are delighted that the building has been brought back to life. "Or that it has any use at all for the first time. Mussolini built the Alpine Wall with this gigantic military infrastructure, but it was never used - for decades it was simply a functionless building. No matter which way you look, you see old facilities, most of which are dilapidated. But everything has its good side: today we have the roads for biking and the Marchhütte for stopping off and spending the night."
A magnificent natural spectacle opens up on the road built for wartime purposes: the Sesto Dolomites stand in front of you - an almost unreal sight of steep, angular rock formations. The massive walls of the Haunold, two of the iconic Three Peaks and, further to the west, the mighty peaks of the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park.
We, on the other hand, are in the Villgrater mountains, the green, soft antithesis to the rough, grey peaks opposite. After many hairpin bends and a rapid gain in altitude, the Helm peeps out in the south. Sesto's local mountain, which, like the Marchkinkele, lies on the border with East Tyrol. We will ride along the Helm ridge tomorrow, over to the trails of Sexten. But now the Marchhütte appears in front of us for the first time. Two elongated buildings and a small central building are tucked into the summit of the Marchkinkele. Freshly whitewashed, they are no longer quite so inconspicuous, but exude an attraction - at least for us hungry bikers.
The brothers Albin and Andreas Innerhofer are responsible for the rebirth of the ruin. With the new old hut, the two have also given their lives a change of direction. Albin travelled the world as managing director of a biogas plant manufacturer and backpacked from South America to Georgia before buying the dilapidated building at auction in 2016. Andreas actually runs an architecture firm in Taufers. He now retreats to the mountains for the summer months, where he has found new fulfilment as a chef. The brothers managed the four-year renovation project largely on their own.
"The challenge," says Albin, "was of course to turn a warlike building into a cosy home." So far, only the sheep have felt at home in the doorless and windowless barracks. Andreas wanted to "retain the formal language - the simplicity and functionality." The cosiness comes from the wooden floors and ceilings. While the small windows were retained in the lower rooms, the large windows at the top offer a sensational view.
The border barracks have become a place where people can meet, share a table, talk and exchange ideas - "that was our main goal," says Albin. From the East Tyrolean side, they come up from Innervillgraten, from the other side (like us) from Alta Pusteria in South Tyrol. The guests are international - especially when they come on two wheels.
It's generally a place where everything comes together, explains Albin. One building belongs to San Candido, the other to Dobbiaco. And an important watershed also runs through here: from one side, the water flows into the Rienz and further west via the Eisack and Etsch rivers into the Adriatic Sea. On the other side, however, it drains eastwards into the Drava and reaches the Black Sea via the Danube.
After a restful night on the Black Sea side, we set off in the direction of the Adriatic - and directly on a nature trail that should be in the dictionary: it goes over meadows and stones, through babbling brooks and splashing cow pats, sometimes heavily blocked, sometimes wonderfully flowing, with round and sharp bends, with small lakes and a sensational view. Well rattled, we end up on a narrow forest path that leads straight on (with a view of the Dolomites) to the Steinbergeralm and finally to the Silvesteralm. In a long loop, we cycle beautifully through the forest until we reach Versciaco in the valley.
This is followed by 900 meditative metres of ascent to the Helm. Once you reach the summit station, you can see the Sesto sundial made of stone and the peaks of the Neuner, Zehner, Elfer, Zwölfer and Einser. The views on the high-level trail to the Sillianerhütte hut do not let up in terms of scenery: a spectacular ridge ride along the Italian-Austrian border. Shortly after the (East Tyrolean) Sillianerhütte, we join trail no. 134 and enjoy four kilometres of a scenic and technically varied trail to the Klammbachalm. Arno insists on stopping for a bite to eat and we don't regret it. Also because we need to shake out our arms again for the Erla: the natural trail is reserved for us mountain bikers and leads down a challenging descent through the forest peppered with root passages. Another four kilometres - in total, we have a good eleven kilometres of trails today! How much fun people can have here... Mussolini would go crazy!
The stages of the Marchhütten tour
Day 1: From Sexten to the Marchhütte hut
- Length: 33.5 kilometres
- Uphill: 1450 metres in altitude
- Journey time approx. 4 hours
- Trail riding technique: S0
From Sesto, you cycle along the idyllic cycle path alongside the stream to San Candido and on to Dobbiaco, where the ascent to the Silvesteralm begins. The next 20 kilometres are constantly uphill (just follow the Stoneman signs) - but always at a moderate gradient. It's worth stopping at the pretty Silvesteralm before continuing uphill on Mussolini's military road, gaining in panoramic wealth with every metre of altitude. The route belongs to mountain bikers - there are no hikers here. The route continues uphill, bend by bend, until the Marchhütte hut finally appears below the Marchkinkele.
Day 2: From the Marchhütte to Sexten
- Length: 42 kilometres
- Uphill: 1530 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 2730 metres in depth
- Journey time: approx. 5 hours
- Driving technique: S0-S2/S3
Collecting trail kilometres is the order of the day! Directly from the hut, the route follows a narrow path (S2/3), sometimes very rough, to the Steinbergeralm. From the Silvesteralm then uphill, past the chapel on the right and along lonely forest paths down to Vierschach. The main ascent of the day begins here at the valley station: a good 1300 metres in altitude on the way up to the Helm. Behind the Sillianer Hütte, turn right onto trail no. 134 (later 133) to the Klammbachalm (refreshments compulsory!). The tour ends with the very rooty Erla Trail (S2) from the Stiergarten mountain station down to Sesto.
What you need to know
Arrival
- You can get to Dobbiaco and San Candido by train on the Val Pusteria/Pustertal line via Fortezza/Franzensfeste.
- By car: Brenner motorway, exit Brixen/Pustertal and continue to Sexten. Or via East Tyrol, through the Felbertauern Tunnel and via Lienz into the Pustertal Valley.
The Stoneman Dolomiti
With the Stoneman, Roland Stauder has developed a concept that can now also be found in the Erzgebirge, Graubünden, Salzburger Land and the Ardennes. The original is at home in Alta Pusteria. The aim here is to complete the Stoneman route, which covers a total of 115 kilometres and 4000 metres in altitude, in one, two or three days.
The March hut and the Sillian hut can be perfectly integrated into the tour. It leads from Sexten via Toblach to the Marchkinkele and via the Sillianer Hütte and the Kreuzbergpass to Casamazzagno in the province of Belluno. Much of the route runs along old military roads that Mussolini had built along the Alpine arc from 1939. All information about the Stoneman Dolomiti: stoneman.it
Accommodation Marchhütte
The Marchhütte is open from mid-June to mid-October. You can sleep in three 3-bed rooms, one 4-bed room, two 5-bed rooms and in the dormitory with 6 and 12 beds. Some of the rooms have their own shower and WC. Bookings: Tel. 0039/320/3207993, marchhuette.it
Accommodation in Sesto
Accommodation tip for all those who have a longer journey or perhaps want to stay a little longer in Sesto: the Caravan Park Sesto. This luxury campsite also has tree houses for rent, pitches with their own bathhouse, a climbing hall and a spacious wellness area. Info: caravanparksexten.it
General information
Other accommodation, contacts and all other information about the Three Peaks region can be found on the tourism association's website: sexten.it
Download the GPS data
BIKE subscribers can download the GPX data for the Marchhütten tour free of charge at:
>> bike-magazin.de, "My area"
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