An extraordinary tour that offers everything and more for mountain bikers. A long and varied climb with almost 2,000 meters of elevation gain, which is a stimulating challenge for even the most experienced cyclists. It also offers numerous opportunities to stop off at some of the most beautiful mountain huts in the region. The final destination is the Tireseralm, which lies at the foot of the spectacular Denti di Terrrarossa/Rossteeth and can be reached by mountain bike. The descent, especially the second part, is technically demanding and offers sections suitable for advanced riders. A dream for well-trained cyclists, both physically and technically!
The tour starts at the tourist office in Siusi/Seis. The first few kilometers, which lead to the info point in St. Valentin and the panoramic road to Wasserebene, can be used as a warm-up. The challenge then begins with a demanding climb to the Schafstall. The road from Marinzen to Gstatsch is very flat with an additional 200 meters in altitude.
The next section is a real challenge. You ride the next 250 meters in altitude on the Seiser Alm road, which is closed to traffic from 9 am until you reach the parking lot. There is no sensible alternative to this road. After the Spitzbühel parking lot, the tour becomes steeper again. With an average gradient of 15 percent, the route follows a narrow asphalt road up to the mountain station of the Spitzbühel chairlift. The hut of the same name dominates the valley and offers a breathtaking view of the Santner/Santnerspitze, which represents the north-western end of the Schlern and appears so close that you can almost touch it with your finger.
From Spitzbühel, a marathon full of views begins between huts, mountain pastures and refuges on the Seiser Alm. On the way to the Laurin hut, the Alpenotel Panorama, the Rosa Alpina hut, the Molignon hut and the Dialer church, the Seiser Alm and the surrounding peaks, such as the Langkofel, the Plattkofel, the Marmolada, the Sellastock group, the Sas Rigais, the Geißler, the Denti di Terrarossa/Rosszähne, the Schlern/Schlern and the Punta Santner/Santnerspitze, will never cease to amaze you. On particularly clear days, your gaze can wander as far as the Zillertal and Stubai Alps in Austria and even as far as the Ortler/Ortler.
A section of 300 meters in altitude separates the Diallerhütte from the Alpe di Tires hut, with a fairly steep ascent. Some sections reach a gradient of 20 %, which can be a challenge if you have already conquered many meters of altitude. However, the Tierseralm hut is definitely worth a stop and offers a magnificent panorama, especially of the nearby Rosengarten. The hospitality of the hosts and the quality of the food are exceptional, so an overnight stay is also inviting.
On the way back along panoramic paths, we descend towards Giogo Molignon and have the opportunity to admire the Marmolada on a clear day. A panoramic path leads from the Dialler church to the Zallinger. On unpaved paths and further on a narrow asphalt road, you reach Saltria, where the last ascent of the tour begins. You cycle along the asphalt road, past the beautiful Rauch hut, to Compaccio.
Just below Compaccio, at the Hotel Zorzi, a path leads to the Spitzbühel parking lot. After the Jagglalm, the path becomes fun and leads you directly to the Spitzbühel parking lot. Advanced riding skills are required on this stage. The single trail to Gstatsch is narrow, uneven and partly follows an old cart track. This section can be very slippery when it rains or the ground is wet. From Gstatsch, the fun continues on a narrow, secluded path to the Razzes baths. Only at the height of the Frommerbach stream does the path become a gravel road again and we return to “civilization”.
A flowing path begins below the ruins of Castelvecchio and ends at the parking lot of the Alpe di Siusi cable car. From here it is only a few minutes to the starting point at the tourist office in Siusi.
Variants
- Easier ascent on the road to the Seiser Alm: do not turn left at the San Valentino info point, but continue straight on towards Gstatsch.
- Bypass the Tierseralm: For those who are not in good physical condition, who are running late or if the weather turns bad, it is possible to deviate from the tour and break it off at the Dialer church. Then, instead of heading towards the Tierseralm hut, turn left towards Zallinger. This saves you 320 meters in altitude and just over an hour’s walk.
- Ascent with the Seiser Alm cable car: The tour is much easier and shorter if you take the cable car to Kompatsch and cycle past the Seiser Alm information office on the asphalt road.
