South Tyrol: The top 3 MTB tours at Kronplatz - on the recommendation of the trail builder
Text: Kirsten J. Sörries
On this October morning, the gondola is heavily fogged up on the outside and the landscape below us is initially just a hint. Then the light changes, the fog lifts - sun, clear contours, a wide view. Makke knows this journey. And also this alternation of grey and sharply defined mountain panorama, because for him this is not an excursion, but a journey to work.
This weekend, I'm travelling to Kronplatz to get an insight into the everyday life of trail builders. Makke takes me with him: on inspection rides, to construction sites in the forest, to places where bends need shaping and water needs to be channelled away from the trail. And he also shows me his favourite tours in the region. His real name is Markus, but hardly anyone at Kronplatz says that. Almost everyone calls him Makke. He is part of the Kronplatz bike park's trail building crew. From the summit plateau, the lines stretch down to Bruneck, over to St. Vigil and to Olang.
On the Bruneck side, Makke and his colleague Monty are responsible for building and maintaining the routes. Once we reach the top, we roll into the first section of the Herrensteig. Makke rides ahead, stopping every now and then to inspect the trail. After a few minutes, we meet Monty, who is travelling with the equipment pick-up. On board: tools, equipment, everything you need to work on the trail.
Makke swaps the bike for a shovel and pickaxe. Without much preamble, the two set off on a combination of bends that needs to be reshaped. "We've been converting the Herrensteig into a bike trail step by step since 2010. We don't bring in any new soil here at Kronplatz, but work with the material that is available on site. This protects nature, but also means a lot of manual labour. But it's worth it."
Bike holidays in Canada - a kind of further training for Makke
I got to know Makke years ago through his wife Michi. At the time, he was still working for the local forestry service. His traditional forestry work also included creating and maintaining trails. "I learnt a lot about the trails here, especially in the Ahrntal Valley," he says. He got into mountain biking through his father. Together, they gained many metres in altitude at Kronplatz and in the surrounding mountains.
It quickly became clear that Makke was particularly attracted to the descents. With every new bike, the suspension travel became longer - and that was necessary on the Herrensteig back then: steep, with high drops and choppy bends. Today we would say that the trail needed more flow. Then there was the biking holiday in Canada in 2015: for Makke and his wife Michi, it was not just about relaxation, but also about further training.
On site, they became friends with trail builders, Makke absorbed their knowledge and spirit and brought both back to the Puster Valley. Later, the cable car company in Reischach hired him as a trail builder for their side of Kronplatz. A single trail gradually became a network of the finest natural trails and variants. The offshoots of the Herrensteig are now called Hans, Franz and Sigi.
"Yes, not very fancy, but psychologically valuable," says Makke and grins. "What landowner wouldn't be more favourably disposed towards a trail through their forest if it bears their name?" The two of them spend an hour and a half working on a single combination of bends - a job that you later ride over in less than a second.
Doesn't that already make you angry at the person who pulls the next skid mark here? Makke shakes his head. "No, quite the opposite. I'm happy for everyone who rides here. Sure, after an enduro race or a long weekend there's always a lot for us to do. But the water is worse than any bikers slowing down." To be on the safe side, he takes another look up the upper section of the trail: "Functioning drains are the most important thing. The rainwater always has to be channelled away quickly."
We pack up and roll down to excavator driver Stefan. He's steering his small excavator through precariously steep terrain to reach a large slope behind it. There he is modelling new earth into the bend with his boom and shovel - so precisely that I am reminded of the work of a confectioner.
Then it's Monty and Makke's turn again: the new surface must also be compacted in the hairpin bend with the vibratory plate. Monty guides the device at the upper edge, Makke pushes against it from below with everything he has. That doesn't just look exhausting. When the bend is finished, there is just enough power to lift the bikes onto the pick-up. Then it's up to the summit restaurant for lunch.
The top tours of a trail specialist
We've had a hard week at work, and yet the next morning we load the bikes onto the rear rack of Makke's car. "Music?" he asks, but doesn't wait for my answer. You need to know that: Makke is the lead singer of the heavy metal band Suncold. To my reassurance, the volume remains moderate for the early hour.
Together with Arno, he wants to show me one of his favourite tours: the Drei-Jöchl-Runde. On the ascent to the first espresso stop, we talk a lot about the annual rhythm that the two of them live by. When autumn turns to winter, they swap their shovels and bikes for skis. They both work as ski instructors in winter. After the stop at the Trejer Alm, a climb begins over stone slabs and we quickly gain altitude.
Above the forest, the landscape opens up, with views across to the Tauferer Ahrntal valley. Arno promises me a tremendous panorama at the top of the ridge path between the Jöchln peaks - and he hasn't said too much. After the Sonnenklarhütte hut, the path delivers exactly this programme of contrasts: green high alpine landscape on the left, blue and brown rock formations on the right. We've been walking up here for over an hour without meeting another person. Now, at the latest, I understand why Makke wanted to show us this tour.
I have known Makke for many years and know how much work goes into his trails. These trails are not just there - they are the result of experience, routine and a lot of manual labour. While he's shovelling and repairing, his thoughts are often already circling around the next trail, the next variation, the next idea in the forest. Perhaps this is exactly what makes Kronplatz so special: this offer does not come about by chance. It is created - by people like Makke, with an eye for detail, perseverance and a lot of passion.
Kronplatz - what you need to know
The 2274 metre high Kronplatz is not just a bike park. Its cable cars lift you to the summit from three sides and also help you on epic tours in the Fanes-Sennes-Prags Dolomites Nature Park.
Travelling by train
What few people know: South Tyrol can also be easily reached by train: The easiest way is via Franzensfeste/Fortezza (or Brixen/Bressanone) and change there to the Pustertal railway. The railway stops in Bruneck and Olang/Valdaora. From there it's just a few minutes by bus or taxi to your accommodation or to the cable car valley stations at Kronplatz. Info: bahn.de or oebb.at
Best time to travel
The season in South Tyrol naturally starts when the snow melts. But if you want to use the cable cars at Kronplatz: the lift season (Kronplatz 2000, Olang 1+2 and Piz de Plaies) lasts from 20 June to 4 October, daily 9am-5pm
Bike parks
The Kronplatz Bike Park is one of the best trail areas in the Dolomites. The 2274 metre high local mountain can be reached by cable car from three sides and its many trails have been shaped by hand by various trail builders. This guarantees a good variety of difficulty levels. Beginners are best off taking the long and flowing lines down towards Olang and St. Vigil. In addition to the classic day tickets, the Dolomiti Supercard (Dolomiti Supersummer) and the Gravity Card are also valid here. Info: kronplatz.com
Food & Drink
At Kronplatz and in South Tyrol in general, there are great places to stop for refreshments on almost every mountain. Here are three tips for a visit to Kronplatz: The CAI Panorama Hut is run by the Alpine Club and is good for every stop, info: caibrunico.it. Pizza location in the valley: Umami also serves sushi, umamifusionkitchen.com. For cosy, classic South Tyrolean cuisine: Hardimitz'n, hardimitzn.com.
Overnight stay
From Reischach and Bruneck, the quickest way to get to the Kronplatz lift is in the morning. Bruneck offers the greater choice of hotels, restaurants and evening programme. The Hotel Innerhofer in Gais is also a good bike base, hotel-innerhofer.com. Campers are sometimes tolerated in the cable car car park, but overnight stays are not permitted, so be sure to use official pitches.
General information
reischach.org and bruneck.com
The 3 top tours at Kronplatz
From the flow circuit on Kronplatz to the untamed trails over Fadner Jöchl or Kreuzjoch - these are the three tour favourites of a trail architect.
1st Three-Jöchl-Tour
Tour dates
- Length: 41.7 kilometres
- Uphill: 1783 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 36 per cent
- Difficulty: S1-S3
Starting point
Sand in Taufers, Speikboden cable car car park
The tour
By cable car or forest path towards the Speikboden middle station. Continue on narrower paths towards Trejer Alm/ Hühnerspiel (good refreshment stop!). A biotope with a wooden bridge and a steep trail climb await you behind the alpine pasture: apart from 2-3 serpentines, this climb is surprisingly easy to ride, even with a light e-MTB. At the top, an alpine trail takes over, which is partly paved with natural stone slabs and leads over the tree line: grippy, rhythmic, fun - and soon with a great view over the Ahrntal.
The ridge path towards Mühlwalder Jöchl is even more beautiful. Technically S2, but some passages are exposed. Between Mühlwalder Jöchl and Fadner Jöchl you will have to push from time to time. But it's worth it: the descent from the Fadner Jöchl starts out rough and alpine. After the Gornerjoch, the trail descends more steeply and plunges into the forest.
The closer you get to the valley floor, the more frequently the surface changes to forest tracks or roads. From Mühlwald, take the cycle path or the main road along the river, past lakes, towards Mühlen in Taufers. From there, take the side roads and cycle path back to the starting point in Sand.
Key points
Between Mühlwalder Jöchl and Fadner Jöchl, the uphill includes some challenging hairpin bends. If in doubt, better push! From the Fadner Jöchl, short S3 sections lurk in the descent. Overall, however, the trail is easy to read if you ride carefully and with reserves.
Retreat
Trejer Alm for coffee and snacks, the Sonnklarhütte is the classic stop-off point on the Drei-Jöchl tour (June to September).
2nd Kreuzjoch - Prags
Tour dates
- Length: 63.2 kilometres
- Uphill: 1044 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 3447 metres in depth
- Trail share: 24 per cent
- Difficulty: S1-S3
Starting point
Cable car car park in Reischach
The tour
The cable car saves you 1300 metres in altitude to the summit of Kronplatz, then it's past the Messner Mountain Museum on flow trails towards St. Vigil. On the forest path to Kreuzjoch, the forest soon thins out and after 880 metres in altitude, the landscape seems to have been replaced: red-blue rocks dominate, wide and rough, almost surreal.
And this is where the kilometre-long trail shoots across the plateau. At first it is flowy and easy to ride, before it becomes narrower after 2.7 kilometres and cuts through a steep slope. With a view of the Munt de Gropes, the trail climbs slightly until the real descent begins at the end of the canyon: a technical, often rough natural trail framed by steep walls.
After a 320 metre descent, gravel fields appear. The trail winds its way sometimes over scree, sometimes along the edge into the valley - the ride feels like surfing on a bike and is really fun. After a river crossing, a forest path leads through the next valley to the Pragser Wildsee lake.
Important: Biking is not permitted on the entire lakeside road - please push your bike the 800 m to the visitor centre! From there, take the cycle path towards Olang Lake and on to the Olang valley station. The gondola to Kronplatz makes sense here too - so that you can enjoy the grand finale on the Herrensteig trail.
Key points
The trail towards Grünwaldjoch is well secured with a handrail - but don't take any risks, it's better to ride cleanly and under control. The canyon trail below the Grünwaldjoch can be challenging depending on its condition, for example if large stones have rolled into the trail. Ride with foresight!
Retreat
CAI hut at Kronplatz (perfect for the start or after the tour), Grünwaldalm (just before Pragser Wildsee), Messnerwirt in Oberolang
3rd Makke's house round
Tour dates
- Length: 10.5 kilometres
- Uphill: 500 metres in altitude
- Trail share: 28 per cent
- Difficulty: S1-S2
Starting point
Cable car car park in Reischach.
The tour
After 200 metres of uphill forest road, you enter the final section of the Sigi Trail. Its wide woodland sections immediately create a sense of flow. The next climb leads to the "Andreas" and the third to the Alex Trail. Then follow the signs to the Korer Trail, the technical centrepiece of the loop: narrow, playful and with lots of hairpin bends, some of which you have to negotiate cleanly.
After the Korer, you cross the forest path again and then take the last trail of the tour: the Uschi. Here you'll find another really nice, deep forest floor that makes your tyres and suspension work until the trail leads out of the forest and you arrive back at the bottom - grinning because it was just the right dose.
Key points
The Korer Trail has many technical hairpin bends.
Retreat
The Hardimitzn near the valley station.
The GPS data for the 3 Kronplatz tours
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