This is a fairly hard climb from the turn-off (725m) at the misplaced sign for Passo dell’Ampola (747m) (which nonetheless states the height of where the pass really is located near Tiarno di Sopra and it is a rather flat pass that often otherwise would have only been noted as a plain, but it shows that a plain could also be a pass). After reaching the Chiesa di Santa Croce (1135m) you get out of the woods and the scenery improves a lot and the road becomes a little less steep. The most natural starting point for the climb is in Storo (390m). From Riva del Garda (119m) (you would start lower) it is a long climb with the long flat section along the busy road over Passo dell’Ampola.

One could avoid the long boring tunnel above Riva del Garda on the old Pregasina road, which is now accessible again after having been closed for many years due because the road was destroyed. However, the road has not been restored and it is only a footpath for something like 2 km, where it is frequented by a lot of mountain bikers and walkers, and might be hard to negotiate anyway, so I did not bother to indicate the choice here even if the asphalted hairpins up from the path are great. At the Tremalzo pass you could turn right to Passo del Dil (1723m), but it becomes a bit bad gravel road 600m before the pass (asphalt ends at 1710m) and no special scenery. At the pass there is a private gravel road that goes down the other side of the pass (not sure if it is easy with a road bike). The ridge road that continues is one of the most interesting roads in the Alps, but unfortunately it is kept in such a state that it is only worthwhile to consider if you got a mountain bike.