Trentino: Rabbijoch and Montozzo gap still open

In principle, all trails in Trentino are open to mountain bikes - unless individual trails are explicitly closed for nature conservation or safety reasons.

Since the new Trentino law came into force last autumn, Alpine crossers and Lago bikers have been trembling in anticipation of spring. This is because the Trentino regions will now gradually designate their mountain bike trails worthy of protection. In mid-January, rumours suddenly began circulating on the relevant internet forums that the trails on the Rabbijoch and from the Montozzo Forcella down to Lago Pian Palü would be closed in future.

All-clear from Trentino

The latter rumour would have caused difficulties for those crossing the Alps, for example, who wanted to cycle along the Albrecht Route 2 from Garmisch to Lake Garda. But now the all-clear has been given from Trentino, as the local tourist board assured us that they do not want to scare mountain bikers off with bans. In the case of particularly tricky routes, they will always look for an alternative route for bikers that is as similar as possible. This is also the case here. Here is the original message from Trentino:

The labour council responsible for the mountain bike trails in Val di Sole has imposed restrictions on two different routes that are particularly popular with hikers. Both restrictions have already been signposted and serve to protect hikers and mountain bikers.

1. on the route marked SAT O 111, which descends from the Sella di Montozzo (the connection between the high Val Camonica and the high Val di Peio) to the lake of Pian Palù, there are two different paths on one section. One of them is reserved for hikers, the other for mountain bikers. 2. on the path with the SAT marking O 108, which leads through the Stelvio National Park up to the Passo di Rabbi (the connection between the Val d'Ultimo-Val di Montechiesa and the Val di Rabbi) and the Lago Corvo refuge in the Val di Rabbi, an alternative route was made available to mountain bikers some time ago by the park administration itself. This leads from Passo di Rabbi to Malga Caldesa.

Minor changes to the well-known Transalp routes for bikers

Andreas Albrecht has already changed his Transalp route accordingly. You can find the new GPS data for the route here: http://www.transalp.info/albrecht-route/#news

Transalp pope Uli Stanciu from www.bike-gps.com has commented on the route rerouting and makes recommendations:

1st Forcellina di Montozzo: We have always offered the left of the two routes, which is open to bikers. But I no longer recommend this route because both are uphill and then downhill sections - at least for normal touring bikers. I now recommend the official Alta Via Camuna to the Tonale Pass and then downhill on the old military roads into the Val di Sole, which we have already done twice with the BIKE Transalp. It's all rideable and the panorama is much more beautiful. 2nd Rabbijoch: No problem here either. We no longer take the earlier route on Trail 108, but continue straight downhill to Malga Caldes Alta. From there we continue on a gravel road into the Val di Rabbi. We've already done this with the BIKE Transalp. Many bikers ride like this today.