Difficult Level Ski Touring Routes

This beautiful ski mountaineering route climbs one of the most fascinating mountains in Alta Valtellina. The route up from Val Campaccio is very varied and requires good snow conditions in the upper, steeper section. The short final section is mountaineering without any particular difficulty. From the summit, a 360-degree panorama will surprise you.

From Monte, you ascend, following the little road to Campacciolo, passing by the Campello and Campello Alto huts. You then enter the Campaccio valley and arrive near the lake of the same name after overcoming a steep section. From here, continue westwards on terrain that gradually rises and then bends to the right over a steep section that leads to a small plateau; then climb up a gully to the right that narrows to a flat area. Now, diagonally to the right for a few hundred meters, climb up a steep, slightly concave slope leading to the southern ridge of Cima Piazzi. From here, staying to the left of the ridge, you will reach the eastern shoulder of the summit. Traverse the horizontal ridge westwards for about fifty meters to reach the base of the final rocky cusp. Leaving your skis on, you ascend more or less on the edge (grade II steps with anchors in place) and arrive briefly at the summit. DESCENT: along the ascent route.

The Cima Piazzi is the ski mountaineering route par excellence in Alta Valtellina. Its long ascent, isolated and challenging environment, and wide and steep slopes are some of the ingredients that will make this climb unforgettable. The 360-degree panorama from the summit is spectacular.

From the parking area at Isolaccia, climb following the beautiful little road that passes by the Baite di Pezzel huts and leads to the little church of the Madonna di Precsedont at 1750 m altitude. Following the signs for the Malga Boron hut, we again enter the beautiful larch and fir forest and shortly afterward begin to see the imposing northern slope of Cima Piazzi. Having passed the Boron huts, we continue along the hillside to a vast plateau. From here, cross the stream on the right and climb halfway up the vast slope facing east, arriving on the final stretch on the broad ridge of Dosso Peneglia. Now bending slightly to the right and returning slightly above, you arrive on the edge of the glacial moraine near the Cantoni bivouac. Slightly lose altitude by descending to the right to enter the amphitheater at the base of the glacier and ascending a steep gully on the left to reach the glacial falsopiano at the base of the central edge of the wall. One moves to the left of the edge and ascends along a steep slope that, with some very steep stretches, overcomes the most impervious glacial zone, arriving near the anticlimax. Skirting the small rocks to the right, one briefly reaches the summit. From the plateau after Boron, it is possible to continue to the left, climbing with a more direct route to the gully that leads to the left of the central edge of the wall, and from here, continue the ascent as for the previous itinerary.

It is a beautiful ski mountaineering excursion with a medium altitude difference, which develops on steep slopes once you leave the wooded boundary. Although it does not reach an altitude of 3000 meters, Monte Solena is a fascinating mountain that forms the backbone at the end of the south ridge of the more famous and imposing Piz Schumbraida. Its squat triangular mass is already visible from the Bormio basin. From the summit, one can enjoy breathtaking views of the Val Fraele below with its artificial lakes of Cancano and S. Giacomo di Fraele, and of all the peaks in the surrounding area, in particular of the stratified and jagged Plator and Doscopa peaks, the beautiful northern slope of the Cima Piazzi, the Bernina group and the Ortles area, and further south, the Orobie Valtellinesi.

From Ristoro Solena, located near the little church of Cancano, we head to Grasso di Solena, following the lovely flat road. Then we climb up to the well-marked farmstead and, as soon as we pass it, take a few dozen meters to the right, where the summer path begins to climb into the dense thicket of mountain pines. After passing a hairpin bend, you arrive at a beautiful flat clearing. After crossing the entire clearing to the north, we again enter the forest until we reach another small clearing at the edge of the tree line. Continue climbing over open, steep terrain to reach a broad falsopiano, followed entirely to the left. From here, the terrain becomes steep again and is overcome by staying mainly on the right-hand edge, thus reaching a saddle located to the right of the gully. Circling the base to the left of the small rocks, you return to the ridge again and shortly reach the summit.