Difficult enduro MTB route in Malcesine on Monte Baldo at Lake Garda.

Steep uphills and technical downhills in San Maggiore and Fiabi

Tommaso Toninelli

Climbing, trekking and mountain bike

We suggest this trail if you are looking for a challenge; a good training for the up hills and a good technique for the downhills are required. The uphill to Fiabi is a very steep road, partly on dirt and partly on concrete; whereas the descent alternates technical parts in the undergrowth, mule tracks and loose rocks.

We offer you this trail in two variants.
Take 5 minutes to compare the GPS tracks before leaving and choose the cuts that you prefer.

Technical information

Technical characteristics
- Starting point
  Malcesine
- Endpoint
  Malcesine
- Route
  Malcesine – S. Maggiore – Fiabi – Malcesine
- Starting height
  90m
- Highest point
  580m
- Altitude – ascent/descent
  490m/490m
- Distance
  10 km
- Duration
  1 hrs on car – 2.30/3 hrs on bike
Difficulty
- Difficulty
  medium/difficult
- Technical difficulty (1 to 5)
  3
- Physical training (1 to 5)
  3
Scenic appeal
- Experience (1 to 5)
  3
- Landscape (1 to 5)
  3
Type of route
- Panoramic route
Best time of year
- All year over
  without snow

Partner

First variation description

Starting from the bus station, ride along the Via Gardesana heading south and then take the second street on the left entering the Panoramica road. Ride for about 3,5km on a light/medium paved uphill road until the Hotel Panorama. Take the paved and slightly steep road on your right, and that will lead you to San Maggiore where the dirt road starts.

Once in the wood, there is a short flat stretch and a light downhill. Before starting the long uphill to Fiabi (see the description of the second variation), shortly after the bar, a single track on your right hand side and that will lead you up to trail 659 along a fun up and down (poorly marked and with some fallen trees) in the middle of nature over a soft terrain which slows you down a bit.

Once you leave the cut, you start your downhill on path 659, a mule track at first(be careful if wet!), to be followed until the road sign to Malcesine.

Turning left a narrow trail starts. It is in the undergrowth, full of turns and change of directions, with some exposed rocks but it’s definitely good fun and fast even if it’s not too steep. Halfway through, there are some quite challenging rock slabs: face them carefully especially in wet conditions. From here on the ground becomes very stony (due to winter rains) and loose until the end of the route.

When you reach the concrete path, follow the road downhill to Malcesine passing through Colombere on the Via Panoramica.

Map and GPS track

Second variation description

Starting from the cable car station, go towards the centre for 50 meters and immediately turn left entering Via Sant’Antonio. At the crossroads always keep your right and go up on a paved road for about one kilometer following the hairpins of the via Panoramica. Go on via Panoramica until the Hotel Panorama. As for the first variant, take the paved road on your right, slightly steeper, that will lead you to San Maggiore where the dirt road starts. There is a short flat stretch and a light downhill before starting the uphill that leads to Fiabi, on a mixed and challenging ground among rocks and concrete with some quite steep parts and a very steep final stretch. The distance between San Maggiore and Fiabi is about 1,5 kilometers.

At the meadows of Fiabi take the trail which cuts into the field on the left of the house and enter the trail on the right, first on dirt and then a mule track. Follow it up to about 50 meters before the entrance of the first variation and you will find it again on the right after a short flat section. Short uphill stretch and then flat on a narrow path in the undergrowth with the typical stones of every trail of the area.

The downhill runs fast, despite being not too steep, with fun turns and some ups and downs for three quarters of the trail. After that the undergrowth begins again and the steepness increases with some narrow passages between the trees.

Pay attention to the rock slabs underneath, slippery even in dry conditions: better face them frontally or get off the bike. The last meters include a narrow passage between two rocks and then a turn with three steps to get out of the trail. You are now at the top of the Colombere, follow the road downhill on the left to via Panoramica and that takes you back to Malcesine.

Map and GPS track

What we suggest

The ascent up to Fiabi is really tough but with an e-bike you can easily reach the beginning of the downhill. But take care because the downhill is also tough and technical and requires good driving skills.
If you just like to go downhill instead, you could reach the meadows of Fiabi without pushing your bike by using a jeep car.
Avoid the ascent in the summer during the hottest hours, the Via Panoramica and the uphill to San Maggiore are paved road and under the sun.
Pay extra attention if the road is wet