Doss Castel Diretissima

Doss Castel

The area around Mezzolombardo offers several opportunities for interesting and breathtaking trail descents. A very challenging, alpine and exposed variant is the circular tour over the ridge from Doss Castel to Mezzolombardo.

Description

Start in Mezzolombardo, right on the border between South Tyrol and Trentino. First, the route climbs steadily uphill on the SP64 until you reach the charming village of Fai della Paganella. After crossing the village, the ascent to the ridge follows, where the nature trail towards Doss Castel offers impressive views of the Adige Valley and the striking mountain formations of Trentino.

The first descent runs along the ridge and is not technically demanding (S1, S2 in places). A short section on forest and gravel roads takes you north back to Mezzolombardo, where the next trail begins. This section is already a little more challenging than the first and offers varied passages up to the picnic parking lot at the end of the Val del Rì via ferrata.

From here, things get serious: an artificially created Sentiero runs spectacularly through the rock faces above the cemetery and the Chiesa di San Pietro. The difficulty varies between S1 and S4, with some sections so exposed that the bike has to be pushed or carried - it would be too dangerous to ride here. In what feels like a "free fall", the trail finally leads back to the populated area, where you finish the tour at the cemetery.

Conclusion: An inviting round tour with around 800 meters of elevation gain, which offers plenty of trail fun and "fills you up" in terms of riding technique. However, the descent should not be underestimated: Sliding and carrying passages, alpine experience and surefootedness are absolutely essential.

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