Altaquota Adventures
Top-notch active tours for small groups of friends
Enjoying a short break at Passo Giau before descending back to Cortina.
Cortina - The heart of the Dolomites
Cortina d'Ampezzo, long famous for its hiking and climbing, became world famous by hosting the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Today, wonderful road cycling and mountain biking make Cortina a "must go" destination for active sports enthusiasts.
Picture yourself riding, hiking, and mountain biking among the Dolomites' shear rock faces!
Bormio - Big Giro d'Italia Passes
The Mortirolo, Gavia, & Stelvio–These famous Giro passes challenge you with their long climbs and fast descents!
Bormio's picturesque alpine setting is perfect for tackling these passes, and its quiet old town center provides a true "Italian" experience!
Less famous, Bormio's hiking and MTB are equally world class!
Bellagio - Lakes and Mountains
There's nothing like the water, sky, and mountains of Lago di Como!
Popular with Italians for their summer vacations, countless boats of all varieties dot the deep blue water.
After cycling and hiking among the lakeside villas and gardens, we "get out on the water," with a ferry ride back to our hotel!
Massa/Carrara - The Italian Riviera
Wonderful biking and hiking around the Apli Apuane marble quarries of Michelangelo fame!
Appearing snow-capped in summer, due to the bright-white marble, we hike and bike trails and roads built over 2000 years!
With a scant 5 Km between alpi and mare–and the beach–our apres sport is a nap in the sun, and a dip in the Mediterranean!

Passo Giau Out and Back

Our tours offering this Road Bike Ride:
The Passo Giau Out and Back ride is great for an "off day," or one with threatening weather when the window for riding is likely limited. While Passo Giau (2233m) is still a substantial climb of 1051 meters from Cortina (1258m), it's only 16 kilometers each way (10 miles), so the retreat from bad weather is short and easy!
As an off day ride in good weather conditions, climbing Passo Giau from Cortina is a distinct pleasure, even if the first 5 kilometers climbing to Pocol repeat a ride we've already done, as it serves as a good warm-up for the steep sections we'll face after we turn on SS 638 toward Passo Giau.
Climbing the less famous north side of Passo Giau is more varied than the south side with its numbered 29 switchbacks, as there are more steep, narrow, and twisty sections. It's also a bit more total climbing—from Cortina (1258m)—than from Selva (1330m).
In any case, whether the descent is a repeat or not, it's technical enough to keep you alert, and always fast and fun!

Cortina Road Bike Rides: Map of Passo Giau Out and Back

 

Cortina Road Bike Rides: Profile of Passo Giau Out and Back

Passo Giau Out and Back Road Bike Ride Profile: 32.0 Km/19 miles with 1051 meters/3457 feet of climbing.
Note: Route information comes from a variety of sources, including commercial products, personal experience, and from the public domain, and is always subject to errors, whether at the source, during computation, or at transcription, and is provided "as is"—to be used "at your own risk."