Trail Hunter Transalp – Lift & Shuttle Included

Itinerary

Day 1: Gries am Brenner – Pfitscher Valley

Approx. 1 150 m ascent – 30 km

We meet in Wipptal near the Brenner Pass, park the cars safely for the week and go through bikes, equipment and the plan for the coming days. Soon we leave the busy border area behind and climb steadily on an old military road, with Wolfendorn (2 776 m) and the glaciers of the main Alpine ridge in the background.

At the pass we enjoy wide-open views towards the Stubai and Zillertal ranges and the valleys down towards Innsbruck. This area once served as a smuggler route for goods and livestock; today it’s a superb playground for mountain bikers. After a scenic lunch above the treeline we check our gear one last time and drop into the first real descent: a narrow alpine singletrack with rock gardens, loose sections and long stretches of pure flow.

The lower part of the trail leads us into the forest and eventually spits us out almost at the doorstep of our hotel in the Pfitscher Valley, where spa facilities and a well-deserved dinner await.

Day 2: Pfitscher Valley – St. Vigil

Approx. 1 150 m ascent – 30 km

The quiet Pfitscher Valley at 1 300 m offers a peaceful start to the day. After a solid breakfast we aim for one of the true MTB classics of the region: the climb to Pfunderer Joch. We follow old military roads that once formed part of the «Linea Badoglio» defensive system from the 1930s – now largely reclaimed by nature and mostly used by hikers and riders.

The final push to the pass, often with patches of snow, will test both fitness and technical climbing skills. At the top (2 568 m) we’re rewarded with views of the green Pfunderer mountains and the mighty Zillertal Alps – and, more importantly, one of the most legendary flow-trails in the Alps. On grippy soil the trail winds its way down with playful features and multiple line choices.

Further down we drop onto a fast gravel descent into the Puster Valley, then follow the cycle path along the Rienz river to the medieval town of Bruneck. From here a gondola takes us up to Kronplatz (2 275 m) for a 360° panorama and a purpose-built MTB trail: the Furcia Trail, with 124 turns all the way down to Furkel Pass. With efficient timing we can squeeze in a second lap before descending to our accommodation in St. Vigil.

Day 3: St. Vigil – Selva di Cadore / Alleghe

Approx. 1 280 m ascent – 52 km
Highlights: Fanes plateau, Limojoch, Valparola, Cinque Torri and Averau

We start the day by climbing up to the Fanes plateau and the Limojoch pass – an amphitheatre of rock towers and alpine meadows that feels like riding through a movie set. After about 500 m of ascent we take a lunch break to soak in the scenery. Limojoch itself is steep and demanding, but the views of the surrounding Dolomite peaks make every pedal stroke worthwhile.

Up here we still see many traces of WWI: old Alpini barracks, trench lines and remnants of fortifications. A varied and scenic traverse leads us to Col de Locia, where a very steep and stepped trail forces most riders to walk for a while before it gradually becomes rideable again.

A second climb takes us to Valparola Pass and the war museum at the top, followed by a narrow trail towards Falzarego Pass. Legends from the Fanes kingdom and the «false king» are woven into this landscape. From here we get long, flowing descents on grassy ridges and forest singletrack, before finishing the day on the historic «della Vena» route where bishops from Brixen once transported iron ore. More than 16 km of mixed trail leads us to a mountain village where we spend the night in the heart of the Dolomites.

Day 4: Selva di Cadore / Alleghe – Passo Rolle

Approx. 1 350 m ascent – 62 km

Rolling out after breakfast, we follow the road eastwards with Monte Pelmo dominating the skyline – one of the most distinctive peaks in the Dolomites. En route we hear the story of John Ball, the Irish naturalist who made the first ascent of Pelmo in 1857 and helped spark the «Dolomite myth» in European mountaineering.

With Pelmo behind us we drop into a flowing meadow trail that gradually steepens and becomes rockier. In Alleghe we continue along the valley, riding above the lake that was formed by a massive landslide in 1771, burying several villages and damming the river.

We then follow a forest road along the Biois river towards Falcade, before taking a gondola up into the Trevalli ski area. A mix of gravel roads and trails brings us via Passo Valles and into Val Venegia, past old border stones marking the historical line between Austria-Hungary and the Republic of Venice. An old military road leads to Baita Segantini, beautifully located right beneath the towering Pale di San Martino. In the warm afternoon light we descend on a narrow singletrack towards Passo Rolle, where we spend the night.

Day 5: Passo Rolle – Lago di Corlo

Approx. 1 050 m ascent – 68 km

Today we save our legs from the very start: a gondola from San Martino di Castrozza lifts us to Malga Tognola (around 2 200 m) with a stunning panorama in all directions. From the top we dive straight into a purpose-built MTB trail, with rock slabs, S2–S3-grade technical sections and plenty of flow, dropping about 450 vertical metres.

Back in the valley we follow a quiet gravel road through a remote, forested valley before climbing once more towards a high pass, where we see remains of WWI trench systems on the ridges around us. From here a long descent on alpine trails and old roads leads us towards the Brenta foothills.

In the afternoon we tackle the climb to Monte Totoga, partly with some hike-a-bike. The reward is a legendary gravel road descent with 48 switchbacks and roughly 1 200 vertical metres down to the valley floor. The last kilometres of the day follow the old road out of the valley until we reach the shores of Lago di Corlo, where we spend the night by the water.

Day 6: Lago di Corlo – Monte Grappa – Bassano del Grappa

Approx. 1 050 m ascent by bike (more if you pedal the full climb) – around 68 km

Finale day! After five days of trail riding we’ve saved the biggest classic for last: Monte Grappa. The keenest riders can pedal the full 1 700 m climb from the valley; otherwise we use a shuttle for part of the ascent and ride the final stretch to the summit.

At 1 760 m there is an enormous war memorial where more than 20 000 soldiers from WWI are buried – and one of the best viewpoints in the Alps. From here we look back towards the Dolomite peaks, and out over the flatlands stretching all the way to Venice.

We then get ready for our final, massive descent. We follow old military roads and steep singletracks through the south face of Monte Grappa, choosing between the classic Sentiero 151 with more than 60 switchbacks, or a slightly longer and more demanding combination via Sentiero Panoramico and Sentiero 153. The trails are narrow, exposed and technical – it’s absolutely fine to walk the most exposed sections.

After around 800 vertical metres of intense descending we reach San Liberale, where we refill bottles and cool down at the village fountain. From here it’s a gentle roll on gravel and tarmac down to Bassano del Grappa. The evening is reserved for celebrating six big days on the bike!

Day 7: Return

0 m ascent – 0 km

Return by shuttle to the starting point near Brenner / Wipptal. Travel home from there, or extend your stay on your own.