Fatbike extreme to Monte Cevedale (3769 m)

By Adam Quadroni and Nicola Giacomelli. Photos: Giacomo Meneghello.

Just a little more than a week has passed but the sense of thrill is still strong! Taking the “fat tires” to the top of one of the mountains, symbol of the Alpine range, was a challenge we had dreamt about for a long time, and also the first time that anyone had attempted to do it during the winter season.

After some qualms about the weather forecast, we took the decision however to attempt it the 28^th and 29^thApril, also at the risk of finding adverse conditions. The first day in fact, on departure, it all seemed anything but positive: after leaving our transport at the “Rifugio dei Forni” mountain lodge (2200 m), a light rain promised anything but good weather.po.

Accompanied by our photographer Giacomo Meneghello with his mountaineering skis, we reach the “Rifugio Pizzini” (2706 m) cycling the entire stretch, half on a dirt track and half on the snow. Greatly restored with a wonderful plate of pasta (thanks to the owner Claudio for offering it to us!), we started out again heading for the “Rifugio Casati”.

Here things started to become really tough! We had to climb on foot along a trail used by mountaineering skiers through valleys and gorges, without the help of snow shoes, which would probably have been useful! With more than a little difficulty (in a blizzard, non the less!) we managed to reach the “Rifugio Casati”(3269 m), climbing the last part over the rocks of the summer trail.

On arrival at our destination, a well-earned rest preceded our dinner, where the Alpine guide Giuseppe Bianchetti, joined us, who in the meantime had arrived with his skis, to accompany us the next day, even if at that moment the expectations for a nice sunny day were anything but on our side.