If you’re a lover of mountains and adventure and you ride a mountain bike, then you’ll love the Stoneman Trail in the Dolomites. The route sits neatly in the mountains in the north of Italy and briefly crosses the border in Austria. With a distance of over 100km, this mountain bike challenge has a number of days in which to complete the ride, visiting certain checkpoints along the way, so that your ride can be verified. It’s a challenge and a tough one, but ultimately it’s up to you.
Sesto in the Tyrol is a wonderfully beautiful location and excellent small hamlet with all the usual tourist facilities on hand. It’s our recommendation for starting the challenge.
Remember, this isn’t an event on a set day, nor a festival. It’s simply a route created by amazing character that is Rolan Stauder.
You can simply turn up at any time and decide not to log on at one of the 4 designated start points for this well signed route, and to ride it at your own pace and explore the beauty of the Dolomites – and of the course the extreme challenge that these mountains offer to the adventurous spirit.
Route Information
Stats 108 km (minimum – officially 115 km) 3995 metres
Refreshments & Where to Stay
This area of the Dolomites has several options. We’ve created links on our map below, giving you some excellent choices for accommodation and food. Our choice of main base is the mountain tourist hamlet of Sesto.
Character
It’s a tough and epic mountain challenge. Be sure that your skills, fitness and knowledge are up to the challenge. You’ll be heading into the mountains, so be prepared for steep bike hikes and technical descents that require care.
Information
The trail is a 120 km long marked trail in the Italian Dolomites, with around 4,000 m in altitude. Having registered your challenge, you can leave the Alta Pusteria at a time of your choosing, with the Stoneman-Dolomiti card for the collection of stamps. The goal is to collect the stamps that you will find on five points – the so-called ‘checkpoints’ along the route. There are four points of sale for you to buy your Stoneman challenge package, including the card, the map with the profile of the altitude differences and a gift.
The riders who manage to collect the five checkpoint stamps will be named on the Stoneman website and will be awarded with a unique trophy, specially created by Roland Stauder.
The cost of the package starts at 25 Euro, and for this you get:
• Water bottle – Multifunctional Fascic silicone bracelet
• Stoneman-Dolomiti card for the collection of stamps
• Map with profile of the differences in height
• Registration of finishers on the website www.stoneman.it
+ Basic Wooden Trophy with the logo costs 20 €
Where to buy the Stoneman starter package
The 4 places that are designated to sell the Stoneman package are:
• Sesto Cableway Mt.Elmo open 08.00-10.00 & 16.30-20.00
• Hotel Bergland: Sillian center (Austria) open 08.00 to 20.00
• Padola Tourist Consortium: info below: info@stoneman.it
• San Candido Acquafun ( for the moment is not a selling point)
Once you set off, you have 4 days to complete the Stoneman challenge, collecting your stamps at the 5 checkpoints, before returning to your start point. For the final check and the award ceremony you will have to go back to your starting point. You can also pick up the ‘departure package’ the evening before departure, after 5pm. As the day of departure it will be registered the next day. Those who finish the “Stoneman-Trail” in the evening after the closing time of the store, can also deliver the bracelet the following day by 9 am.
There’s a wealth of useful information on the Stoneman website. Click the link at the foot of this page to visit and find out more. Here are a few very useful tips from the website, which will help to keep you safe on this epic mountain bike adventure.
Important tips
To complete the “Stoneman” adventure in three days, you need to be able to make daily stages of 2,500 m in altitude. The ascent to the “Sillianerhütte” (3 km) is very steep. The most difficult part of the route is the “Demut” transit (10 km), which will excite above all experts on the subject!
On the other hand, for less experienced cyclists, Roland recommends the following variant:
1st day: Sesto – San Candido – Dobbiaco – Lachwiesen refuge – Piazza San Silvestro – Markinkele – Hochrast – Prato Drava – San Candido-Sesto (1 stamp)
2nd day: Sesto – San Candido – Prato Drava – Sillian – Leckfeld hut – Sillianerhütte – Hornischegg – Klammbach hut – Moso – Sesto (1 stamp)
3rd day: Sesto – Moso – Malga Nemes – Passo Silvella – Col Roson – Dosoledo – Padola – Valgrande – Passo Monte Croce – Prati Croda Rossa – Moso – Sesto (3 timpro)
Gold Stoneman: If you reach 5 checkpoints in one day.
Silver Stoneman: if you reach 5 checkpoints in two days.
Stoneman bronze: if you reach the 5 checkpoints in three days.
Image courtesy of Italy Bike Hotels – Let them help plan your trip
Important Information & Advice from Stoneman
1. Give yourself adequate physical preparation for a 120-kilometer MTB marathon on difficult terrain and with an altitude difference of over 4,000 meters (5,000 meters of height difference felt);
2. Present a recent medical certificate attesting your aptitude to support physical effort;
3. Start the excursion very early, already at the first light: for the Stoneman-Trail even the professionals charge a whole day;
4. Calculate the times generously, taking into account the push sections and the descents to be covered slowly;
5. Stop in time, before it gets dark;
6. Make sure you are perfectly familiar with the driving technique in the high mountains, in particular on singletrails, partly obstructed and on a ridge and exposed surface (in particular the Demut-Passage and the descent of the Cornetto di Confine / Marchkinkele);
7. In order to be able to give you mutual help in the home of necessity (for example in the event of a fall or situations that may involve dangers), never travel the Stoneman-Trail alone, but always in two or even better in three;
8. Equip yourself for the high mountains, for example with warm clothing, waterproof and windstopper, MTB suitable for high mountains, enough food, plenty of drinks, backpack with repair kit and spare parts;
always check the route with the map, compass and GPS;
9. Respect the rules of the road and the rules of behaviour in the mountains.
Further Advice
1. Follow the rules of the Highway Code.
2. The Stoneman-Trail develops on paths and public roads with some dirt sections. The route is at your own risk.
3. Some sections are high in the mountains. Find out in advance about the weather conditions by taking the appropriate clothing with you.
4. Respect other people, safeguard nature and do not disturb the animals around you.
5. Remember, whoever is on foot takes precedence.
6. Close every gate you find.
7. Don’t leave trash lying around.
Equipment & Bike Check Advice
Equipment checklist:
• spare inner tube
• pneumatic pump
• helmet
• gloves
• mobile phone
• water bottle
• energy bars
• windstopper
• sunglasses
• money
• information sheet with map and useful telephone numbers
• repair kit
Bike-Check:
• Check the pressure status and the profile of the wheels
• Check the rims – Check the brake pressure and brake shoes
• Check the spokes
• Check the suspension fork
• Check the handlebars
• Adjust the saddle height
• Check the gearbox
Useful Telephone Numbers
Useful telephone numbers
1. First aid 112
2. Alpine rescue 0039 340 7967883
3. Police 113
4. BikeTaxi 0039 348 2688899
5. Taxi 0039 0474 710650
6. Taxi 0039 348 8423779
7. Info STONEMAN 0039 348 9055460
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