[Closed] Dolomites Riding

How long are you going for. Apart from the EWS trails you will be hard pushed to make more than a few days in the Canazei area unless you plan on re doing alot of them.

Paganella looks great.

Other option could be Lake Garda, we had to cancel our trip in June, along with the Italian Alps, but its still on for next years early trip.

If you're in Canazei then look up the MTB version of the Sella Ronda, that's a good day. I reckon there another 2 days worth on the Enduro trails and bike park.

Plus cheap pizza and coffee and close to Marmalada if you want a day off the bike.

Loads of via ferrata is that's your thing.

Quality of info onlines from Italian centres is a variable quality to say the least, but interested to see what you find.
Pila (Aosta) is not in the Dolomites, but it's a big lift with a bike park that would be entertaining for 3 days. There are also natural routes to augment that. I think a day pass was €30ish, or a single trip €13.
There must be plenty to do at Val Di Sole although I've not been yet, and it's just round the corner from Paganella, about which people rave.

I've tried and failed to find out anything about riding from Monta Rosa lifts

Some great info here! Not heard of Paganella which looks promising. Val di Sole must have some good Enduro stuff.

Done Pila/Cervinia and Aosta Backcountry several times which is amazing but fancied a change.

We have a week and can either drive down through Belgium(no stop!) Germany and Austria
or change or GVA flight to Italian Northern City
2 days Canazei, 2 Garda , 2 paganella - i feel a trip coming on.

RE: garda - any recommendations on Uplift and trails. ?

Have a look at this

https://www.redbull.com/int-en/lake-garda-mtb-destination-guide

We were going to shuttle with these

https://velolake.com/torbole-shuttle-station.html

You can download a map from their website

Garda, check out the various shuttle companies in Torbole, they all operate similar trips in rotation. If you can do Monte Zugna, I'd recommend that. 4 different 1000m plus descents on natural, rocky footpaths. Tricky if it's wet.

I like Tremalzo too, but it does have a long , unpleasant descent that feels like a waste of height. Amazing finish though, down to and along the lake shore. There are plenty of variations.

Coast /601 / Skull are all classics. Go for a multi uplift day.

Val Di Sole - I found a bit disappointing, especially if you don't fancy the pure DH trails. I thought Paganella was better.

If you're driving through Bormio, there's a great trail there from the top of the lift down to Santa Caterina.

There's so much more to the Alps than Morzine and the French parks.

Thanks all - some excellent stuff to look at!

I had a day to play in Paganella last year. I was with my 11 yo though, so only rode the blue trail there. I did get a couple of hours in the afternoon to go round the corner to Molveno. I rode a couple of descents, one a very good Enduro route down to bottom and followed it up with a fun blue trail down. The lift access was pretty extensive, a lot seemed to be open. As was the trail map. Lovely towns and a nice lake at Paganella for the kids to play near. I reckon there would be enough there for a week, no probs.

Give up and go to Montgenèvre.

Not much use as in France!

Have added Livigno to possible list- although looks abit groomed???

Two parks on either side of the valley in Livigno, yes that one is groomed but motolino on the other side is pretty natural

We had 4 days in Livigno with quality riding- and it’s a special tax zone which makes petrol and shopping cheap. The local dish is buckwheat noodles and cheese which is delicious. One side of the hill is flow trails, the other more technical with some other bike park action. We added 2 days in Pila and 2 paddle boarding in Lake Como to make an excellent week+

Excellent

Just changed our flights to Milan!

so with some research

Monte Rosa (Gressony la Trinite) last day of the season
Pila Monday (last day of the season)
Cervivnia
then on to Motolino/Livigno
Paganella
Canazei to Finish

should be a good week! just need to keep Italy off the quaranine list ....

Sounds a good plan, enjoy

interesting stuff!

we are due to have a week in Val Di Fassa in a couple of weeks time (covid pending), which I believe is in the Canazei area (or that's where we are staying). But reading above, it doesn't sound like there is much to ride? I have seen the main trails advertised such as Tutti Frutti.

Is it easy to 'mountain hop' and visit other regions? Or is it a case of driving to other locations?

Do the Sella Ronda at the first opportunity, ie good weather for the views and a fairly early start so you aren't rushed. That will show you the wider area. Then you can always go back to Arraba etc and ride trails not on the usual clockwise loop.

If you are into hiking, climbing or via ferrata then there's loads of off the bike options.

And look out for the free bike map at the tourist office, we did a couple of days of more lift assisted xc rides, with stroodle and coffee. We didn't use our van once after we arrived.

RE:The Sella Ronda - presume its mainly for the views not the quality of trails?

Apart from the views it felt a bit bland for me, especially on a long travel bike.

The Dolomites cover several areas.

Canazei is one of the best known, but as Tracey says after a day or two you'll be getting itchy feet. The prepared trails for the ews are no longer looked after and not all have lift access.

Paganella is also in the Dolomites, the Brenta Dolomiti. Good park. Three distinct areas, all connected. Nice mix of flow, jump lines and tech. The techy trails are interesting when wet.

Sella Ronda sounds great, but it's more of a bimble, not gnar.

It can be gnarred up as much as you like, you don't have to stick to the exact published route.

Anyone that finds a ride on a sunny day in the Dolomites bland must have died a little inside 😭

The rest of the rides were good, as was the weather the food and the locals.
Compared to anywhere else I've riden in the UK and abroad it was a day on the bike but disappointing. I wish someone had told me to ride elsewhere. 😉

Well made it back from Italy yesterday

7 mint days of riding.

Caught closing day at La Thuile and Pila, and Cervinia in the Aosta Valley.
Then 4 days around Finale with backcountryfinale.com

Fell in love with the Finale biking/lifestyle!
rode most of next weeks Pietra Ligure EWS stuff and loads of little used tracks away from the main nato base stuff.

Brilliant week

Glad you had a great time. We are on our way down for a week in Finale next week, doing Sospel and San Remo later this week. Finale riding and the lifestyle is one of the reasons we keep going back 👍

Yep its a great place.
I highly recommend the guys at backcountryfinale.com
They really are superb and the service is great. we stayed at their little b&b up in the hills with an incredible restaurant.
but you can also just pick up day tours with them on their jacked up landrover. they can get you to stuff basically none of the other shuttles go to on the backside