Nearest bike assistance: PonteTonale.Bike and Centro Bike Val di Sole, both operating at Passo Tonale.
As you can imagine, the passability of routes in a mountain environment is strictly linked to contingency conditions and therefore depends on natural phenomena, environmental changes, and weather conditions. For this reason, the information contained in this sheet may have changed.
Before setting off, check the route status by contacting the tourist offices.
Departure from the village of Ossana and ascent along the old road leading to Passo del Tonale, passing through the Vermiglio Cross-Country Centre, a pleasant sports area with small lakes, following the cross-country track towards Volpaia and then continuing on a dirt road ascending towards Velon. After the bridge over the Vermigliana stream, turn left towards Maso Cadin, next to the ruins of ancient military barracks from the 1914-1918 War.
After passing the farmhouses, continue right on a path until intersecting the dirt road leading to Forte Tonale. Descend it for 100 meters and to the left, shortly, you reach the beautiful hut of Velon; beyond it, the road gradually climbs towards Passo Tonale; first crossing the stream and then continuing flat through some clearings until reaching Malga Pecè.
During the First World War, the hut was the seat of an Austro-Hungarian sub-command. The oldest trees around still bear the shrapnel from Italian grenades. Past the hut, the compact road, often crossed by streams, climbs through dense fir woods. After some hairpin bends, the forest thins, allowing a view of the valley, and after some steep stretches, you reach near State Road no. 42. Shortly before it, turn left uphill towards Località Cantiere Presena, and after 1 km, on the right, continue along a fitness trail (“Path of Peace”) crossing the slopes and arriving at Passo Tonale.
A visit to the Ossuary, built in 1924, is recommended; it houses the remains of 831 soldiers who fought in the Tonale area; here is the border with Lombardy, once a state border with the Kingdom of Italy.
Follow SS. N. 42 for about a hundred meters to the Adamello Ski ticket office on the opposite side of the road; from here, take a path, in some stretches quite steep, towards Malga Cadì - Ospizio San Bartolomeo (1,971 m - the hospice, possibly built as early as 1127 and managed by a Prior, offered hospitality and shelter to passersby) crossing the bike park and then again flat towards Val di Sole across high mountain meadows facing the imposing icy peaks of Presanella. Descending slightly, you reach the ruins of the former Forte Mero (1,841 m - equipped area), surrounded by a beautiful larch forest, which, together with Forts Tonale, Strino, Zaccarana and Pozzi Alti (built between the late 1800s and early 1900s), formed the defense belt of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with numerous cannons, mortars, and machine guns. The road continues with some ups and downs to a fork from where, on the left, you can climb to former Forte Zaccarana (2,026 m - about 40 minutes) situated dominantly on the slopes of Mount Tonale Orientale. Descend continuing beyond the fork entering Strino Valley after a slight descent until intersecting a valley-bottom path leading to Malga Strino. The route continues slightly uphill for a short stretch to a fork that, taken right, leads to Masi di Strino - Malga Mezzolo, after crossing the Rio Strino following the slopes of the mountain. This is a very panoramic site where you can observe, on the opposite slope, the Adamello-Presanella ridge. At the end of the forest road, you can admire a glimpse of Val di Sole before entering a slightly steep and quite demanding trail to reach Val Verniana. Cross the stream and turn right along the meadows until reaching the homonymous farmhouses; at the last hut, regain the forest road climbing towards Val Saviana and continue on a trail (about 600 meters) that crosses the stream and meadows.
Continue climbing left towards Malga Boai, then a descent leads to the forest road that replaces the path on the ridge. From here, you can admire the beauty of the peaks on the opposite side descending from Tonale along Val di Sole. Descending along the forest road, you reach the valley floor and cross the historic center of Cortina. Take the "pendege" road and through an up and down, return to Fucine di Ossana.
From Bergamo-Brescia: follow the SS42 of Tonale.
From Bologna-Verona and the Brenner: Brenner A22 motorway exit Trento Nord if coming from the south, exit San Michele all’Adige if coming from the north. Continue towards Cles, Val di Non, along the SS43 and, after passing Cles, take the SS42, direction Passo del Tonale, Val di Sole.
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