An MTB adventure ride from Val Gardena to Alta Badia in the Dolomites

This was an ambitious route over Passo Gardena from one valley to another. A great mixture of singletrack, trails and using the gondolas and chairlifts that run in the summer. The idea came from the Alta Badia MTB website but had to be adjusted as some of the lifts weren’t open.
Starting from Ortisei, it’s a gentle climb of about 400m ascent to Selva where one catches the Dantercepies gondola. At the top there are superb views of the surrounding mountains. Then it’s a singletrack section of the Sellaronda clockwise MTB circuit: “Cir Giara”. The views from here are jaw-dropping and it’s a challenge to focus on both the track and the views at the same time.
After Passo Gardena it’s a section of singletrack followed by an easy run down to Corvara.
Next picking up a delightful cycle track that follows the river to La Villa where the Gardenaccia chairlift takes one up to a quiet purpose built trail through the forest until it joins the piste. Followed by a gentle downhill run into the small town of Badia. Here there is a great little hotel that welcomes all but is especially popular with cyclists: Ustaria Posta.
The two lifts La Crusc 1 & 2 were undergoing maintenance so it was a relentless climb of about 700m up to the church and rifugio at La Crusc.
After a lunch break the next section was initially quite daunting but eased after a kilometre or so. Then it’s a long varied descent into San Cassiano where the gondola whisks you up to Piz Sorega.
There are numerous tracks on this plateau and the route went to Piz Bioch before a meandering descent into Corvara. From there the Borest gondola moves you up to Colfosco where after a short climb the Plans / Frara gondola takes you up high into the Passo Gardena.
Dropping down towards Selva it was disappointing to find the anti-clockwise Sellaronda section closed but the run down the road was still enjoyable.
Getting off road again after Chalet Gerard to join a short section of the Trail Arena “Family Line” that leads into Plan De Gralba then down the Piste to Selva. The final section is a gentle downhill run on cycle track back to Ortisei. A great day’s ride of about 75k and 1500m riding ascent + lifts.
The hotel in Badia: www.ustariaposta.it/en/
La Crusc - Santa Croce: www.lacrusc.com
00:00 Starting from Ortisei
00:43 Dantercepies gondola
01:43 Cir Giara singletrack
07:02 River path to La Villa
08:27 Gardenaccia chairlift
10:20 Ustaria Posta
11:24 La Crusc
15:44 San Cassiano
16:17 Piz Sorega gondola
17:53 Descending to Corvara
19:30 Borest gondola
19:57 Plans & Frara gondola
20:56 Descending from Passo Gardena
26:53 Through Selva
27:14 Return to Ortisei
27:27 Track on map

[@kryten1021]

Stunning scenery and trails 🙂

[@ktm660smc6]

Are there any cafes or tavernas en route ? I think I would need regular breaks for refreshments !

[@juleskayak]

@@ktm660smc6 many wonderful mountain huts, it's just that riding alone with a long way to go I hardly stop, resting in the lifts and carry plenty of drink & cereal bars