Vom achten Weltwunder zum Monte Carone

Monte Carone (Gardasee)

Superlative e-MTB tour for technically experienced uphill riders. Here you can collect all the highlights on the west side of Lake Garda. The highlight of this super tour are the largely unknown trails on Monte Carone.

Description

The tour starts in Campione on the west side of Lake Garda. However, this small village can only be reached by car. It is best to take a shuttle from Torbole or Riva. The first highlight is right after the start: the Strada della Forra, known from the James Bond film "A Quantum of Solace" and from Winston Churchill, who described the road through the Brasa Gorge as the eighth wonder of the world. After a good four kilometers on this monument of asphalt, you turn onto a steep uphill trail towards Tremosine. The route now follows small roads through Vesio towards Passo Nota. However, this is not the classic route through the Val di Bonde, but first on gravel and later on super trails through six spectacular rock tunnels up to Passo Nota. From the rifugio of the same name, we first take the classic forest path over the Passo di Bestana to the Bocca dei Fortini. We pass the Rifugio Baita Segala and a little later turn left towards Monte Carone. A steep uphill, partly at the limit of what is rideable, leads up to the summit on the north-east side of Monte Carone. Even Stefan Schlie and Harald Philipp, who are certainly world leaders when it comes to E-MTB uphills, have to pull out all the stops in terms of riding technique here.

After enjoying the stunning view of Lake Garda and the Monte Baldo massif opposite, we set off on the downhill. The narrow trail winds downhill in various hairpin bends on the southern ridge of Monte Carone towards Passo Guil. Good technique in shifting the rear wheel is an advantage, otherwise you will descend at several hairpin bends. In the lower section, the trail becomes much gentler. We pass the meadows below Monte Guil and finally end up back on familiar terrain at Passo Guil. From here, we follow the classic route via Passo Rochetta and Pregasina, and later via the old Ponale road back to Riva. If you haven't had enough thrills in Pregasina, you can garnish the tour with a finale along the old Ponale trail (S3). But then you end up at the Gardesana and have to ride through some dangerous tunnels back to Riva (rear light!). Attention: The Strada della Forra above Campione is currently closed due to the risk of rockfall. It is accessible by bike, but at your own risk.

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