Sellajoch & Stony Town Tour

Difficulty:

Distance: 18.38 km - Altitude: 1403 m

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Description

Characteristics
The Sellajoch with its staggering panorama of the Dolomite Mountains and the rocky ruins of the stony town at the foot of the Langkofel are magical points of attraction for skiers, hikers and mountain bikers. Whoever has worked his way up with his own muscular strength from the Gardena valley, experiences this particularly intensively. The ascent in the upper part shortly before the stony town is easy, even if momentarily steep. The way through the stony town as far as the Rifugio (mountain cabin) Comici offers a lot of fun on the trails directly below the mighty Langkofel. The Rifugio Comici is an appropriate place for refreshments where even gourmets will get their money's worth. The long and varied descent back to Wolkenstein is a short but very worthwhile end to this tour.
From the tourism association in Wolkenstein you can warm up perfectly on the gently rising former railway line. Then for just under 2.5km you follow the pass road that has more traffic in the season as far as Plan de Gralba. Here there is no realistic alternative for mountain bikers. But the less than 200m difference in altitude are soon completed and from Plan de Gralba it becomes noticeably steeper uphill still heading for Sellajoch. At first, the way leads over a gravel path, but changes in the upper part to a fantastic narrow trail with some narrow switchbacks. Here you can already see the outskirts of the stony town. Fit bikers with a good technique will be able to do everything. Those who want to or have to dismount can enjoy here already the impressive view of the steeply towering Langkofel.
The path still gently rising through the midst of the stony town begins from the car park of the cable car to the Langkofelscharte. In the season and on fine weekends, you are bound to share this section with many other hikers and bikers. That does not matter. You should go slowly here anyway and marvel at the stony witnesses of several centuries of rock-slides of the Langkofel in its various forms.
The following descent begins with a supertrail in the shade of the Langkofel. You could continue on this, but the Rifugio Comici is located one and a half kilometres further on on the edge of the trail, a refreshment stop that bikers find difficult to ride past. You may find it difficult to believe, but you can eat excellently in this stunningly located mountain cabin. It remains a secret from where the innkeeper gets the fresh fish for which he is, among other things, highly renowned. In any case, in accordance with all the rules of the culinary art, gourmets can let themselves be pampered here.
It is good that the rest of the way to Wolkenstein is now almost only downhill because a full stomach adds speed to the journey down to the valley. But take care! This varied descent branches off into a hardly-noticeable track that you are guaranteed to rush past if you do not look closely at the road book or GPS equipment (waymarker 36).
Somewhat surprisingly you climb yet again uphill 50m in altitude before La Selva, then however you roll along relaxed and happy back to the starting point of the tour in Wolkenstein.