Hikes in Vallespluga

a hiking route page

Just a tribute to the valley where I started to climb about 45 years ago and where I often return to enjoy the panoramas and the peace of the sites ...

Here under some cards about the fine hikes to the lakes and other fine sites of the valley ... just some suggestions about how to spend fine autumn days

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Lago Azzurro del Suretta

The Lago Azzurro del Suretta (2445m) is the finest of the whole valley.
It lies on the west side of Cime Cadenti, in the saddle between them and the Pizzo della Casa.
2 different routes to arrive here :

from Montespluga : at the East border of the built area there is a big isolated building (Casa Alpina) - beside it a track starts toward north pointing to the wide channel between the Pizzo della Casa (to the left) and the S spur of the Cime Cadenti (right) ... not so fine ...
difference in elevation = ~ 550m - for Hikers

from Passo Spluga : just before the customs house, on the right part (coming from Italy) there is a good car parking.
Here starts a well marked path that, after the first short step and crossing some sweet meadows, arrives to the steep part that, in less than half an hour, leads to the Bergseeli (a small lake).
On its S side, along a slope of scree (red dots) goes up to a small notch that is the door of the wide plain hosting the lake. (about 1 hour from the car)
Boarding the right side, in less than half an hour you can easily get the summit of the Pizzo della Casa wherefrom you can enjoy a very fine scenery upon Montespluga plain.
difference in elevation = ~ 300m - for Experienced Hikers

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Lago Ghiacciato

The lago Ghiacciato (2508m) is the wildest lake of the whole range.
It lies on the western part of the Val Ursareigls (Switzerland), in a basin surrounded by the Punta Levis (W side) and the Pizzo Veneroccal (N)

This lake can be reached using 3 different routes :

the shortest - from Montespluga passing from Lago Nero dello Spadolazzo - from the Lago Nero (see section 4) a track (red dots) climbs along the very steep scree channel on the left side of the walls of Spadolazzo, crosses (very narrow and somewhere exposed) toward N, and turning to East, arrives to the Passo del Lago Nero : in few minutes, along a big scree slope, to the lake (1 hour from Lago Nero)
difference in elevation = ~ 600m - for Experienced Hikers

the finest - from Montespluga through the Suretta Pass - from the E limit of the viaduct, on the N side of Montespluga lake follow the path that goes along the wide valley under the Suretta (marks for Bivacco Suretta)
Follow the path, leaving to the left, in the last part, the path leading to the Bivouac and get the Suretta pass (2580m) - A path marked (Rifugio Bertacchi) with white and red lines and yellow dots leads down to the western bank of the Lake. (2 ½ hours)
difference in elevation = ~ 600m - for Experienced Hikers

the longest - from Rifugio Bertacchi (see Lago d'Emet) along the slopes on the NE sides of the Spadolazzo.
From the path to Niemet Pass a mark indicates the Bivacco Suretta - follow using cairns and blue dots (difficult to find in the early season with snow) (2 ½ hours)
difference in elevation = ~ 300m - for Hikers

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Lago Nero dello Spadolazzo

The Lago Nero dello Spadolazzo (2310m) is a dark lake in a small basin under the Western wall of Pizzo Spadolazzo, surrounded on all sides by more or less big scree.

It can be reached in a short time (less than 1 hour) along an easy and not tiring path starting from the E limit of the viaduct, on the N side of Montespluga lake, (mark).
difference in elevation = ~ 400m - for Hikers

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Lago d'Emet

The Lago d'Emet (2144m) is a fine blue lake just near the Rifugio Bertacchi.
It lies on the west side of Pizzo d'Emet (Piz Timun).

2 different routes to arrive here :

from Montespluga : from the East bank of the lake, a white road starts near 2 houses very near the road - car parking - follow the road (better the short cuts), cross the gate of "muretto" and walk on to arrive to the wide saddle everlooking the Val Scalcoggia (Madesimo).
Here, on the left, a marked path goes almost horizontally, crossing the whole high part of the valley (some exposed passages with fixed ropes, useful with ice or snow) to arrive to the plain of Emet.
In few minutes down to the lake.
difference in elevation = ~ 200m - for Hikers

from Madesimo : follow the road till it ends (Macolini - car parking).
A marked path enters the last part of the Val Scalcoggia and, going along the spurs on the right side (dangerous with snow) arrives directly to the small dam of the lake
difference in elevation = ~ 600m - for Hikers

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Lago di Angeloga

A small lake (2042m) placed in a basin bordered by the lower slopes of Pizzo Groppera (S), Pizzo Peloso (E) and Pizzo Stella (S).
This is a classic, popular destination for tourists spending summer holidays in Madesimo and Campodolcino.

2 different routes to arrive here :

from Madesimo : road to Alpe Motta Bassa (1725m) then, on foot up to Alpe Motta Alta.
After the first houses you have to turn to the right, following a dirt road till it ends (fountain) - here is the starting point of a well marked path that, crossing the steep and somewhere exposed western slopes of Pizzo Groppera arrives to the ruins of a big structure of the telpher used to build the Val di Lei dam.
In few minutes, descending for some 100m you arrive to the Rifugio Chiavenna and the near Lake. (1½ hours)
difference in elevation = ~ 550+100m - for Experienced Hikers

from Campodolcino : road to Fraciscio (car parking at Soste - 1442m)
A very well marked path goes on, toward East, along the wooden Val Rabbiosa up to the western border of a wide plain.
In few minutes, through fine meadows and granite flat slabs to the W border of the lake (2 hours)
difference in elevation = ~ 600m - for Hikers

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Surettaseen

.. ok they are intruders here : they don't belong to Vallespluga because they are 3 lakes on the northern side of the Aeussere Schwartzhorner (an important summit of the ridge starting from Pizzo Suretta and ending (to the N) with the "famous" Mittaghorn (a ski mountaneering summit for beginners)

to arrive to these lakes is very easy and not tiring : along the road of Passo Spluga, on the Suisse side, at 1780m there is a small car parking with a pole hosting some signs, one tells you that in 1h45' you can arrive to the Surettaseen.
Take the path starting on the left side (N) of the parking and start walking, a long diagonal will bring you to one further pole hosting some signs, follow the path and in 40', passing beside the lower lake, you arrive to the upper lake.
And if you like rowing here you can find a small (3 people max) boat free to use that can allow you to go and see the 3rd lake, (you can also walk but using the boat is more amusing)...

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... other ones

this small but very smart lake can be found along the path from Niemet Pass to Spadolazzo; just in the point where i took the photo starts the route to Spadolazzo from Rifugio Bertacchi

A very smart and popular lake, very near the houses of Alpe Motta Alta. Easy to arrive here with a short (15') walk from the car parking of Alpe Motta Bassa (road from Madesimo)

a view upon the Lago di Montespluga (1901m) from the saddle between the Suretta and the Pizzo della Casa - the lake is bordered by the road of the Spluga Pass

Images

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