Sud Tirol Day 5 – Dolomites Mountain Biking 2014 – Valle Aurina Speikboden

Valle Aurina

Waking up again to yet again spectacular weather it’s time to get up high and stay high. Our guide again was Willi Steger from Ahrntal Aktiv. We were picked up from our accommodations at Hotel Linderhof at a very civilized time after yet another huge breakfast and drove about 10km down valley but this time to the west. Our destination today is to be ridgelines in the alpine winding on a spine with views of both the Tyrolean Zillertal Alps to the north and the Dolomites to the south.

Specifically, todays will take us up the Speikboden and Sonneklar lifts for some South Tyrol views and single track. Splitting off from this big alpine traverse there are other routes to the valley floor and lots of possibilities to summit other peaks. It then culminates with a 1600m descent (another brakeburner) back to Weissenbach at the valley floor.

Speikboden in Valle Aurina, South Tyrol from Lee Lau on Vimeo.

WanderKarte/Hiking map of Speikboden, we rode trail 27 (which is in the back side of this map) and down to Weissenbach

We climb

and climb some more

Tough climbing with all the views. Very distracting. First world problem with all the scenery at which to gawk and the sunlight being too bright and the day too warm

Dropping off the Speikboden

Nice detour and more views of the Alps as we head to the Sonnklarnoch peaklet to take in some views

Dolomites on the other side

More Dolomites views

Then coffee as reverse out ride back to the restaurant at the top of the Sonnenklar chair

And then back on the climb towards the alpine traverse

Before we continue the traverse on wanderweg 27 – the Kellerbauerweg

These trails seemed to have just received a manicure, considering how popular that’s are probably not a bad idea. There are many optional loops in this area. This one heads down valley halfway through our traverse and will dump you out on valley floor with a 8km road ride back to the startpoint

The views are spectacular. This one looks SW towards the Tyrolean Alps

More traversing shots with this one looking S towards the Dolomites

Approaching the saddle before you either climb towards another side peak (henna) or drop down

Guenther, Willi and Sharon with the Zillertal Alps

A group of kids hiking up the trail, I think they were jealous of our bikes!

We go down

Nuggy shot before the descent to beer!

Pircher Alm is a nice place to chill after a long descent from the alpine

More Kaiserscharrm – we are addicted

Descent in the trees, by some waterfalls. This can be a wet-weather potential choice and also one of Ahrntal Aktiv’s easier guided rides

Then Lee went native and bought some Lederhosen at the leather goods store at Luttarch!