Pass da Costainas & Val d‘Uina

After yesterday's leisurely warm-up, today's itinerary was pure adventure. And it was pure adventure: impassably steep ramps, narrow paths with direct views into the abyss, snow and ice – and in between: breathtaking landscapes that almost take your breath away. This tour would later turn out to be one of the best ever – but one thing at a time. We started off quite relaxed, heading uphill on the road. I like that – steady pedaling, you get into a good rhythm and gain a decent amount of elevation. At some point, we continued on gravel, and in the distance, our destination became visible: an imposing rock face with a mighty waterfall. That's where I wanted to go – to the Schlinig Pass, through the Val d'Uina and the legendary Uina Gorge. The sun slowly broke through, and the view back into the valley became the first little highlight of the day 🌄. The closer I got to the waterfall, the wilder the path became. First a 10% gradient, then 13%, then 18% – at 20%, the fun was over. Dismount, push, and pant. And from the waterfall onwards, it got even more brutal. Anyone who pedals up this without an e-bike deserves my absolute respect! At the top, I took a short photo break – the view into the valley was simply epic. A strong north wind whistled around my ears; luckily, I had my windproof jacket with a hood. The Schlinig Pass itself is at 2,309 m – beyond the tree line. Just rock, meadow, wind, and this incredible silence. I love this feeling of being somewhere "up there" – in the middle of nowhere and yet so in the middle of it all 🏔️. From there, it was downhill, roughly towards the Uina Gorge. The path was rough, but mostly rideable. The gorge itself, however – phew. They push their bikes, no argument there. The path is carved directly into the rock face, only half a meter wide in places, and next to it: nothing. Absolutely nothing. It drops vertically. There wasn't even a railing here before – luckily there is now. Still: Riding? Never. One mistake, and that's it. But when I walked through it, I was completely amazed. The pictures I'd seen before hadn't exaggerated. It's a surreal experience to cycle along it on foot. In two places, there was actually still snow or ice, which made it even more difficult. After the gorge, I continued on foot, steeply downhill over rough stone steps until the trail slowly became rideable again. In total, I walked about 9 km – up, through, down. My cycling adventure flow briefly switched to hiking mode 🥾. My stomach was starting to rumble – high time for the more civilized side of the adventure. At the next alpine pasture, I received a well-deserved reward: coffee and cake with a perfect view of the mountains. The descent then led down a perfect gravel path that meandered through the coniferous forest parallel to a rushing river with crystal-clear water – the next highlight, pure bliss. Arriving down in the village: a quick reality check. It was already after 2:30 a.m., I'd taken tons of photos, done a lot of walking – and yet I still had over 65 km and around 2,000 meters of elevation gain to cover. I checked the weather – dry. I estimated my time – tight, but doable. So let's go! 💪 And it's a good thing I rarely change my plans once I've set my mind on something – because the Passo da Costainas was another absolute highlight. First, back on the road, gaining elevation, then through the sleepy mountain village of S-charl, refilling my water, and on we go. The "Via da Tamangur" – what a path! Lush meadows, a glittering stream to the right, a coniferous forest behind it, and the peaks above – and in the middle of it all: me, grinning in the saddle. And cows! They stood there, almost seeming a little proud to live in this idyllic setting 🐄. The alpine pasture romance slowly gave way to high-alpine scenery, and the view expanded toward the top of the pass at 2,251 m. A small, playful singletrack trail followed, slightly rocky but never too wild – almost too boring for a mountain bike, but just right for my gravel bike. And then: the descent! First technical, steep, and demanding, then wide gravel where the brakes had to work sensitively – and finally, buttery smooth asphalt with visible curves. Meaning: fire at will! It was time for the speed session! 🌀 I rushed down into the valley, grinning like a Cheshire cat, and just thought: Wow. At that point, I realized: This was probably the most varied tour I've ever ridden. From smooth asphalt to exposed rocky paths where you have to carry your bike on your shoulders. From the barren lunar landscape of the passes to kitschy-beautiful alpine meadows with panoramic overload. Maybe it was the sun that shone more today, maybe it was the combination of factors – but this day simply had everything. Tomorrow will be a challenging one, as the Stelvio Pass with its 48 hairpin bends awaits.