Characteristics
The Sellajoch with its staggering panorama of the Dolomite Mountains and the rocky ruins of the stony town at the foot of the Langkofel are magical points of attraction for skiers, hikers and mountain bikers. Whoever has worked his way up with his own muscular strength from the Gardena valley, experiences this particularly intensively. The ascent in the upper part shortly before the stony town is easy, even if momentarily steep. The way through the stony town as far as the Rifugio (mountain cabin) Comici offers a lot of fun on the trails directly below the mighty Langkofel. The Rifugio Comici is an appropriate place for refreshments where even gourmets will get their money's worth. The long and varied descent back to Wolkenstein is a short but very worthwhile end to this tour.
From the tourism association in Wolkenstein you can warm up perfectly on the gently rising former railway line. Then for just under 2.5km you follow the pass road that has more traffic in the season as far as Plan de Gralba. Here there is no realistic alternative for mountain bikers. But the less than 200m difference in altitude are soon completed and from Plan de Gralba it becomes noticeably steeper uphill still heading for Sellajoch. At first, the way leads over a gravel path, but changes in the upper part to a fantastic narrow trail with some narrow switchbacks. Here you can already see the outskirts of the stony town. Fit bikers with a good technique will be able to do everything. Those who want to or have to dismount can enjoy here already the impressive view of the steeply towering Langkofel.
The path still gently rising through the midst of the stony town begins from the car park of the cable car to the Langkofelscharte. In the season and on fine weekends, you are bound to share this section with many other hikers and bikers. That does not matter. You should go slowly here anyway and marvel at the stony witnesses of several centuries of rock-slides of the Langkofel in its various forms.
The following descent begins with a supertrail in the shade of the Langkofel. You could continue on this, but the Rifugio Comici is located one and a half kilometres further on on the edge of the trail, a refreshment stop that bikers find difficult to ride past. You may find it difficult to believe, but you can eat excellently in this stunningly located mountain cabin. It remains a secret from where the innkeeper gets the fresh fish for which he is, among other things, highly renowned. In any case, in accordance with all the rules of the culinary art, gourmets can let themselves be pampered here.
It is good that the rest of the way to Wolkenstein is now almost only downhill because a full stomach adds speed to the journey down to the valley. But take care! This varied descent branches off into a hardly-noticeable track that you are guaranteed to rush past if you do not look closely at the road book or GPS equipment (waymarker 36).
Somewhat surprisingly you climb yet again uphill 50m in altitude before La Selva, then however you roll along relaxed and happy back to the starting point of the tour in Wolkenstein.

Variations
1. Ascent with the cable car: You will not see the Sellajoch and the stony town on this alternative route, but in Wolkenstein you can also take the cable car to Ciampinoi and from the mountain station follow the signposts to Comici. You join the tour described here at waymarker 30 right next to the refreshment station.

2. Extension via Monte Pana: Do not turn sharp right at the easily overlooked waymarker 36, but go straight ahead on the gravel road. After exactly two kilometres, turn sharp right in the direction of Monte Pana. Continue downhill and take the beautiful trail to Cislat and La Selva. There you join the tour described here at waymarker 46.

3. Complete ascent to the mountain pass road: The ascent from Plan de Gralba as far as the car park of the cable car to Langkofelscharte on the mountain pass to Sellajoch is conceivable, but only to be recommended when there is light traffic. To do this in Plan de Gralba at waymarker 10 continue uphill straight ahead on the main road. The car park for the cable car is located on the right shortly before you reach the Sellajoch. You can continue the tour described here at waymarker 23.

Physical condition Overall condition 2,7 Total height variation 3,0 Total distance 2,0 Maximum altitude 4,0

Riding technique Overall riding technique 3,6 Surface 3,3 Average climb gradient Ø 4,0 Average descent gradient Ø 4,0

Getting there
Take Brenner motorway A22, coming from the north via Innsbruck-Brenner, or from the south via Verona-Bozen.
The best motorway exit is Klausen/Gröden. From there in about 20 minutes you can reach St Ulrich and a few kilometres further on St. Christina and Wolkenstein on a clearly signposted mountain road.

Starting point
The tourism association is located on the left about 500 m after you enter the village of Wolkenstein.
Parking is available at the the beginning of the village centre of Wolkenstein. Turn left before Nives Platz and then immediately left again into the Nives car park.
The tour begins at the tourism association Wolkenstein.

1

0,00

0,17

1557

Tourist information office in Wolkenstein/Selva

Straight on uphill

A 5%

00:00

00:00

2

0,17

0,09

1566

Bottom of Ciampinoi lift

Straight on

A -0%

00:00

00:01

3

0,25

0,04

1566

Hotel Krone

Bear right onto main road

A 3%

00:00

00:01

4

0,29

0,09

1567

Junction with Str. Dantercepies

Sharp left Langental/Vallunga

R 12%

00:00

00:01

5

0,38

0,28

1577

Hotel Sun Valley

Sharp right onto course of old railway

00:01

00:02

6

0,65

0,77

1581

Hotel La Tambra

Bear left on course of old railway

R 1%

00:01

00:03

7

1,43

0,14

1593

Casa Alpina

Bear left to Grödner Joch/Passo Gardena

A 10%

00:03

00:08

8

1,57

0,91

1606

Hotel Plan Alpino

Straight on following main road

A 7%

00:04

00:09

9

2,48

1,34

1675

Junction with hiking trail 654 in bend

Sharp right following main road

A 8%

00:06

00:14

10

3,82

0,07

1780

Junction

Bear right to Piz Sella lift

R 1%

00:10

00:22

11

3,89

0,15

1781

Junction to Plan

Bear left bottom Piz Sella lift

R 1%

00:10

00:23

12

4,04

0,14

1783

Bottom of the Piz Sella lift

Right

R 3%

00:11

00:24

13

4,18

0,27

1787

Bridge over Rio Gardena stream

After bridge bear left over car park

S 8%

00:11

00:25

14

4,45

0,69

1805

Junction to Jeuf de Frea (near bottom of drag lift)

Straight on

S 17%

00:12

00:26

15

5,14

0,60

1910

Wayside cross

Follow main path

S 11%

00:14

00:30

16

5,74

0,63

1975

Junction

Bear left

S 11%

00:15

00:34

17

6,38

0,53

2047

Crossroads

Straight on

W 10%

00:17

00:38

18

6,90

0,05

2108

Crossroads

Straight on

00:18

00:41

19

6,96

0,03

2111

Junction by hut

Straight on between hut and barn

S 6%

00:18

00:41

20

6,99

0,49

2113

Meadow fence after hut

Straight on

P 12%

00:19

00:41

21

7,48

0,10

2171

Crossroads by hut

Straight on to Naturonda

S 9%

00:20

00:44

22

7,58

0,06

2180

Junction

Left to car park

S 2%

00:20

00:45

23

7,64

0,06

2181

Car park at bottom of Langkofelscharte gorge lift

Bear right towards bottom of lift

S 4%

00:20

00:45

24

7,70

1,27

2183

Bottom of Langkofelscharte gorge lift, beginning of City of Stone

Straight on

W 5%

00:20

00:46

25

8,97

0,06

2235

Beginning of pushing section (uphill)

Straight on

P-14%

00:24

00:53

26

9,03

0,53

2226

End of pushing section (uphill)

Straight on

P-16%

00:24

00:54

27

9,56

0,74

2148

Intersection

Bear left (marked red-white)

S 0%

00:26

00:57

28

10,30

0,02

2152

Junction

Straight on

S 5%

00:28

01:01

29

10,32

0,11

2153

Comici Hut

Straight on to Wolkenstein/Selva

S-13%

00:28

01:01

30

10,43

0,47

2137

Junction to Ciampinoi

Bear right to Wolkenstein/Selva

S-13%

00:28

01:02

31

10,90

0,52

2077

Junction downhill

Left downhill across meadow

00:29

01:05

32

11,43

0,34

2008

Intersection with hiking trail (snowgun connector)

Bear right downhill

W-13%

00:31

01:08

33

11,76

0,06

1965

Junction 22c (gate)

Straight on

W -3%

00:32

01:10

34

11,82

0,19

1963

Junction

Bear right La Selva 22

W -7%

00:32

01:10

35

12,02

1,21

1947

Crossing (towards Cason Hut)

Straight on

S-18%

00:32

01:12

36

13,23

0,13

1750

Inconspicuous junction with hiking trail

Sharp right towards bridge over stream

P -6%

00:36

01:19

37

13,36

0,22

1742

Intersection with hiking trail

Bear left downhill 23

S-10%

00:36

01:20

38

13,58

0,01

1720

Junction

Bear right

S 0%

00:37

01:21

39

13,59

0,45

1720

Junction

Bear right

S 7%

00:37

01:21

40

14,03

0,50

1743

Cross ski piste (near camelback)

Straight on

S 5%

00:38

01:24

41

14,54

1,19

1764

Intersection with gravel road

Left Wolkenstein/Selva

S-13%

00:39

01:27

42

15,73

0,32

1615

Junction to bend

Bear right uphill

S -4%

00:42

01:34

43

16,04

0,10

1598

Hotel Pozzamanigoni

Straight on

R-11%

00:43

01:36

44

16,14

0,19

1589

Junction with gravel road

Straight on downhill

00:44

01:36

45

16,33

0,02

1568

Junction with hiking trail

Straight on downhill

R -6%

00:44

01:37

46

16,35

0,51

1567

Transformer, bus stop La Selva

Sharp right

R -7%

00:44

01:38

47

16,86

0,18

1535

Junction with hiking trail

Straight on following road

R 3%

00:45

01:41

48

17,04

0,43

1541

Junction with path signpost 30

Straight on

R -0%

00:46

01:42

49

17,47

0,08

1540

House of Culture

Bear right along stream

R 4%

00:47

01:44

50

17,55

0,20

1543

Fire station

Straight on

S 3%

00:47

01:45

51

17,75

0,06

1548

Beginning of tarmac

Straight on

R 4%

00:48

01:46

52

17,81

0,05

1550

Casa Elisabetha

Sharp left over bridge over stream

R 8%

00:48

01:46

53

17,87

0,05

1554

Café Mozart

Sharp right uphill to main road

A 6%

00:48

01:47

54

17,92

0,00

1557

Tourist information office in Wolkenstein/Selva

End of tour

A 0%

00:48

01:47

Explanation of evaluation factors
• Overall difficulty based on climb difficulty (60%) and descent difficulty (40%)
• Climb difficulty based on total distance uphill (30%), overall height variation uphill (30%), surface uphill (10%), average slope   uphill (25%), highest altitude reached (5%).
• Descent difficulty consists of total distance downhill (10%), overall height variation downhill (10%), surface downhill (50%),   average slope downhill (30%).
• Physical condition based on total distance (40%), with overall height variation (50%) and highest altitude reached (10%).
• Riding technique based on surface (50%), with average slope uphill (30%) and average slope downhill (20%).
• Writer’s subjective evaluation of panorama and riding fun.

Explanation of surface and slope
A = Tarmac road		steep uphill	from + 15%
R = Tarmac cycle path		uphill	up to + 14%
S = Gravel		level	ca. +/- 4%
W = Hiking trail		downhill	up to - 19%
P = Path, Single Trail		steep downhill	from - 20%
T = Carrying / pushing
X = Cable car / transfer

Route: the percentages indicate the average climb (+) or the average descent (-) to the next waymarker.