Declared by the UNESCO as a natural heritage of humanity already in 2009, thanks to their colors and shapes, the Dolomites are universally considered among the most beautiful mountains in the world. And in fact, the great grass pastures, the blue sky crossed by clouds of cream and their pink color, make this mountain a popular destination for tourists of all kinds, who come to these territories every year to enjoy a holiday full of charm and to fill their eyes with the uniqueness of their landscape.
The Dolomites offer different holiday opportunities and everyone can decide to live them in the way they prefer. This summer we have chosen mountain bikes. Fascinated by the idea of flanking glaciers and alpine lakes and jumping with two wheels on mountain trails, we entered the territory of South Tyrol with a European flavor event: “Master Travel Photography 2017 – Kronplatz Edition“, which brought us to the discovery of Plan de Corones / Kronplatz.
Together with 10 of the most influential and representative landscape photographers in Europe,
we decided to let bring us by mountain bike guides through the Fanes – Sennes – Braies natural park and the top of the Plan de Corones. With our cameras we portrayed the unforgettable views of Tyrol and photographed the infinite beauty of this territory: sky, clouds, colors, reflections on the beautiful waters and, of course, the Dolomites that face in front of our eyes, were the subjects of our magnificent shots.
The Fanes – Sennes – Braies Natural Park, one of the largest protected areas of South Tyrol, has an area of over 25,600 hectares and includes several municipalities, including Marebbe, the starting point of our paths and our natural explorations. From San Vigilio di Marebbe begins our climb to the Fanes refuge (2060 m.), here where we discover the strong vocation of the territory towards mountain biking and cycling in general. The lovers of the two wheels will find in South Tyrol several possibilities to move on the road or on less trained paths and routes. The territory of Kronplatz, as well as its accommodation facilities, is fully equipped to accommodate cyclotourist in the best way, whether they are families and amateurs or more experienced and demanding bikers.
From the town of San Vigilio to 1250 m. we take the path that leads us to the refuge Pederü (1548 m.), from here the trail to the alpine of Fanes becomes a typical high mountain route, steep and with a high level of difficulty, which requires good physical and technical preparation. By following the curves of the valley of Rudo we reach the Fanes refuge, at 2060 m., and we enjoy the first stop after the tiring climb. Immersed in a wonderful panorama we enjoy a snack and a bit of cool relaxation, and after a few minutes we re-ride in the saddle and continue, uphill, towards Lake Limo. A fascinating landscape is the frame of the beautiful alpine lake, which with its intense green color is able to excite us, despite the water level being unfortunately very low. Here too, we decide to stay and enjoy the warm sun in July, as do the many cows grazing in these meadows; we are at 2170 m. After the stop and some photos we resume the route, starting the descent to the refuge Gran Fanes (2100 m), in Fanes Valley. Here we get off the bikes and take our time to photograph and portray the many dolomite beauties. Hungry, we stop at the refuge before resuming the reverse path that will take us back to San Vigilio. The descent towards the refuge Pederü is particularly tricky, with an average slope of 21% and with a slippery gravel bottom that requires a lot of technique to be tackled. Some of us decide to get off the bike and walk on foot; all in the end we arrive at the shelter happy and fully satisfied with our challenging Mountain Bike tour.
Obviously this is just one of the many routes in the area. From the top of the Plan de Corones, for example, there are 3 breathtaking descents for downhill lovers, they can decide to go down to the Furcia Pass towards Riscone or to Olang, facing different paths with different difficulties that require high levels of experience. Thanks to the variety of tracks offered by this tourist area and the natural conditions of the territory, every type of bike and cyclist can find in Plan de Corones the most suitable terrain for their needs; these conditions and the preparation of the premises towards the mountain bike, make this area a paradise for any lover of the sport.
Although these valleys were initially considered to be a mere crossing point for Transalp (a challenging 540-kilometer crossing through the Alps) today they have become a real tourist destination, fully equipped for cyclotourism. On the ancient ways of communication that connected the surrounding valleys, in fact, numerous km of slopes and cycling routes have been created in recent years, which have transformed this area into a high interest region for bikers all over Europe.
Asphalt slopes, but also well-trod path and free ride, enduro and downhill routes; Plan de Corones / Kronplatz offers its tourists over 60 km of different difficulty tracks, which wind through the spectacular mountains and the fascinating dolomite peaks.
Challenging climbs and descents characterize this territory; do as we do and test yourself.
With arms firmly on the handlebars face the different types of terrain, the difficulties and jumps that the Kronplatz slopes offer to the most fearless and daring mountain bikers.
Or test your skills in the bike park to overtake and improve your level on two wheels, while having fun in parabolic curves, straights and bumps.
Throughout the territory, the slopes are always accessible without a tour guide and are divided by colors according to their level of difficulty; but it is important to recognize your limits and understand how far you can go, because, especially for the downhills, you need to have a good technique to get off with fun and enjoying the full time and experience.
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