Description
Three days of riding in a unique Alpine setting, discovering the wildest parts of the Engadine, Bregaglia Valley, and Spluga Valley!
DAY 1
We begin our first day by taking a shuttle to the Engadine Valley, just before St. Moritz.
Here, we start our ride along a dirt road beside the stunning Engadine lakes, a great warm-up before, once we reach the outskirts of St. Moritz, we begin the climb up the slopes of Corviglia.
The climb is partly on dirt, partly on asphalt, and partly on a trail, with some steep gradients. Reaching 2,500 meters after a 750-meter elevation gain, the first descent of the day awaits us, a fantastic flow of almost 5 km with a succession of burms and jumps!
At 2,000 meters, we begin to climb more gently on a dirt road and reach Alp Suvretta. From here, we begin to descend, initially on a wide and fast trail, then continue on a more technical, natural-style trail.
After a short while, the trail begins to climb, but remains fairly rideable. From here, you can enjoy a stunning view of the entire Lower Engadine and its lakes. Now we descend again, a fast trail, sometimes rough, but with some technical sections on fixed rocks that will be fun!
We end up on the road from Silvaplana up to the Julier Pass (2,280 meters), which we reach by climbing the last 4.5 kilometers.
From the pass, we descend on a trail, alternating with sections on the main road, which also features some steep climbs, until we reach Bivio (1,800 meters).
We begin the last climb of the day, along a beautiful dirt road that climbs for 7 km and takes us to the Septimer Pass (altitude 2300 m).
The Septimer Pass, also known as Settimo Pass, was used in Roman times to connect Chiavenna and Lake Como (and thus Milan and the Po Valley) with Chur, the capital of Rhaetia. The road, though quite difficult, allowed crossing the Alps with just a single ascent and descent.
Here we will spend the night at the Cesa da Sept, a beautiful, recently renovated refuge nestled in a unique setting!
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DAY 2
And here we are, the second day of riding!
After a delicious breakfast at the refuge, we begin the second day by descending the "Via Sett," a descent steeped in history, featuring fast mule track sections alternating with slower, more technical sections, with tight switchbacks where the mule track has, in some places, disappeared.
We'll then descend the final stretch of the Val Marotz until we reach Casaccia, at an altitude of 1,400 meters, and then ride through the entire Val Bregaglia, along dirt roads, single trails, and a few sections of bike path, to reach Chiavenna.
There, a shuttle will await us to take us to the other valley above Chiavenna, the Valle Spluga, and more precisely to Campodolcino.
Retrieving our bikes, we set off again, climbing the paved switchbacks of Fraciscio. Taking advantage of a typical restaurant, we recharge our batteries before tackling what is probably the most challenging climb of this three-day trip, a paved/dirt road with steep gradients that will lead us to Motta.
Here, the view of Pizzo Stella, the iconic mountain of the Spluga Valley, is truly magnificent!
We then continue climbing with gentler gradients, reaching Motta Alta and its characteristic Lago Azzurro, where a photo is a must!
A little further on, we'll continue downhill along one of the beautiful trails of the Made Bike Park, passing through the town of Madesimo where the last climb of the day awaits us.
Reaching the Andossi Plateau, where we'll enjoy a stunning view of the surrounding peaks, from Pizzi Quadro, Ferrè, and Tambò to the Suretta group and Pizzo Emet, we'll continue along a trail that will lead us to the Bertacchi Refuge and picturesque Lago d'Emet, our final destination for this amazing day!
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DAY 3
Our final day will take us back to Chiavenna, but not before enjoying some more fantastic high-altitude trails!
We leave Lago Emet and its refuge, riding back part of the previous day's trail, reaching the highest point of Andossi.
We descend towards Lake Montespluga and take a section of the Via Spluga, specifically the characteristic Cardinello.
As we travel through the gorge of the same name, we'll need to pay close attention to the exposed sections (some sections are mandatory on foot), but it's definitely worth it given the spectacular setting, overlooking the Liro stream.
We reach Isola, where the most challenging climb of the day awaits us: 900m of elevation gain over 8km, initially on a paved road, then a dirt road, and finally a trail with steep gradients and loose surfaces.
Our destination is Lago Bianco at an altitude of 2300 m, passing through Pian dei Cavalli, a vast green ridge used for pasture that features prehistoric sites (the area was frequented 10,000 years ago by nomadic tribes of hunters who populated the Alps).
Once we reach the beautiful Lago Bianco, a photo here is a must, framed by majestic peaks.
We then head downhill again, retracing a section of the trail we climbed, towards San Sisto, continuing on a fairly wide and fast path before entering a decidedly more technical trail, immersed in a dense forest.
Finally, a delicious lunch in a typical mountain hut is something we can't take away from us!
We set off again to reach Campodolcino and, passing through Starleggia, we'll encounter a fantastic new trail built in the summer of 2024, with technical sections on rock alternating with steep sections, but with a lovely coniferous surface—fun guaranteed!
The return from Campodolcino to Chiavenna will take place partly along the Via Spluga (some sections recently renovated!) and partly on the main road.
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POSSIBILITY TO DECREASE MILEAGE AND ELEVATION DIFFERENCE BASED ON THE GROUP'S NEEDS
About us
Adam's Bike Tours organizes all kind of mountain bike tours in the amazing area of Valchiavenna, Northern Lake Como and Lower Valtellina