542 km/16 442 m elevation gain - 8-9 stages - difficulty: ***** (max. 6 stars)
The route is suitable for: Dolomites fans who have the strength for steep climbs or have no problem with pushing passages
The highlights: Karwendel, Pfitscherjoch, Fanestal, Forcella Ambrizzola, Alleghe-Trails, Val Venegia, Kaiserjägerweg
The gravel bands glow as if to say: Drive me! The bizarre rock towers tell stories as if to say: stay a while! And on every pass you climb, you have to turn round again. Because you simply can't believe that it continues even more breathtakingly on the other side. They really are the most beautiful mountains in the world: the Dolomites.
The fruit hangs high
But the Dolomites are not only exceptionally beautiful, they are also particularly steep. If you take your route through the pale rocks, you will quickly notice this in your altitude metres. This Transalp route combines four Dolomite highlights: the Fanes Valley, the Forcella Ambrizzola, the Alleghe trails under the Civetta wall and the marvellous Val Venegia at the foot of the Pale di San Martino. For four days, you won't be able to wait to set off in the morning because you'll become addicted to this landscape.
Instead, we have slimmed down the rest of the route a little: from Mittenwald, we follow in the footsteps of the Transalp Challenge through the slightly ascending Karwendel valley up to the Hochalmsattel and then over the Plumsjoch and down into the Inn valley.
The easiest way to cross the main Alpine ridge on the third day is via the Pfitscherjoch. A long asphalt ascent from Finkenberg, which changes to gravel from the Schlegeis reservoir and has been completely rideable up to the top of the pass at 2,248 metres for three years. Hardy souls turn left halfway down to the Pfundererjoch. We speed down the tarmac road to Sterzing and follow the cycle path through the Eisack Valley towards St. Vigil - the gateway to the Fanes Valley.
After four days of Dolomite fireworks, the shimmering red-green Catena di Lagorei greets you on the right as you take the now much flatter ascent up to Malga Toniola. Up here, you will have to concentrate on the path anyway, as the stumbling blocks on this path can only be overcome with momentum.
In Val Sugana, it already smells of Lake Garda and a final 1,000 metre ascent (Kaiserjägerweg). After a challenging trail descent, you turn onto the cycle path to Lake Garda in Rovereto.
Bad weather?
Check the weather map one or two weeks before your Transalp start (www.alpenverein.at). A persistent area of low pressure not only gives you wet clothes and a cloudy view, but also the risk of thunderstorms and fog. And that can be really dangerous in the Alps, but especially in the defenceless rocky landscapes of the main ridge and the Dolomites. If the low-pressure system is a northern Alpine depression, then move the starting point of your tour further south. You could even be shuttled to the Schlegeis reservoir if you have the opportunity. From here, it is only a few metres up to the weather divide on the Pfitscherjoch.
However, if the rain clouds are hanging in the south, postpone the tour for a few days!
Photo above: Scenic cinema and single trail dream: the Forcella Ambrizzola. Later, the trails follow down to Alleghe!
Tour info
Stage 1: Mittenwald - Scharnitz - Larchet Alm - Hochalmsattel (1,803 m) - Eng - Plumsjoch (1,630 m) - Pertisau - Jenbach - overnight stay: Weerberg (FVA, tel. 0043/5224/683206).
Stage 2: Weerberg - Weidener Hütte - Geiseljoch (2,291 m) - Vorderlandersbach - Finkenberg - Schlegeisspeicher - Pfitscherjoch (2,248 m) - overnight stay: Pfitscherjoch Haus (tel. 0039/0472/630119).
Stage 3: Pfitscherjoch - Fussendrass - Sterzing - Vintl - Ehrenburg - overnight stay: St. Martin (FVA, tel. 0039/0472/765325).
Stage 4: St. Martin - Maria Saalen - Enneberg - St. Vigil - Pederü hut - overnight stay: Fanes hut (tel. 0039/0474/501097).
Stage 5: Limojoch (2,172 m) - Fanes Alm - Travenanzestal - Cortina d'Ampezzo - Malga Federa - overnight stay: Rif. Croda da Lago (tel. 0039/0436/862085).
Stage 6: Croda da Lago - Forcella Ambrizzola (2,277 m) - Rif. Citta di Fiume - Passo Staulanza - Coi - Alleghe - Pianezze - Forcella San Tomaso - Overnight stay: Passo Valles (tel. 0039/0437/599136).
Stage 7: Passo Valles - Val Venegia - Malga Venegiota - Baita Segantini - Passo Rolle - San Martino di Castrozza - Malga Toniola - Caoria - overnight stay: Rif. Refavaie (tel. 0039/0439/710009).
Stage 8: Rif. Refavaie - Passo Cinque Croci (2,018 m) - Agnedo - cycle path to Santa Giuliana - Kaiserjägerweg - Carbonare - Passo Sommo - overnight stay: Folgaria (FVA, tel. 0039/0464/721133).
Stage 9: Folgaria - Monte Finonchio - Moietto - Rovereto - cycle path to Torbole.
Maps: Compass maps (1:50 000) No. 26, 28, 37, 44, 55, 56, 57, 59, 75, 76, 101.
Info and literature: You can compile the road book with the CD Rom "Traumtouren Transalp" and request GPS data.
Guided tour: Unfortunately, this exact tour is not offered. Similar tours at www.bikeit.de www.jester-tours.com www.mtb-fahrtwind.de www.transalptours.de
You can also find this GPS data at our partner bike-gps.com:
- GPS data Weerberg/Nonsalm->
You can now find the GPS data for all the tours presented in BIKE in the professional tour portal of bike-gps.com. The data was created with pinpoint accuracy in high-resolution satellite maps and will also be available as RichTracks in future. For you, this means: no more procedures! For us, it means a considerable amount of extra work. That's why this service will have a price in future, but at 3 cents per kilometre, it's absolutely affordable.
From now on, you will receive this for every tour:
1. very precise and well-maintained GPS data
2. all waypoints of a tour
3. road book with arrow symbols and all tour data
4. very precise elevation profile with underground information
All this is conveniently stored in a single file.
You can also order the corresponding digital maps (1.8 cents per square kilometre). You will receive these directly in the RichTrack file (double-click on the file to open the map and RichTrack simultaneously in the RichTrack software).
IMPORTANT: To open the data, please download our free RichTrack Factory software, which is available free of charge from bike-gps.com can download. The software allows you to view and print the roadbook and elevation profile and download the GPS tracks and waypoints to all common GPS devices (Garmin, VDO, MyNav, Xplova).
We wish you lots of fun with the new touring system from BIKE and bike-gps.com
