Overview
Between the Lakes of Lugano and Como a long ridge borders, to the East, a wide valley named Val d'Intelvi, a fine site for summer vacations full of small built up areas, surrounded by a range of low (1200-1700m) mountains with a sweet profiled ridge but with very steep flanks.
Along this ridge, starting from Sasso di Gordona toward North, a war line was built during the 1st World War : the Linea Cadorna.
This line was made of various artillery stations joined by some military roads that, being saved and somewhere made better, allow the access to the two small valleys to the North (the Val d'Osteno and the Val di Penne) whose N border is made by a ridge ovehanging the big valley of Porlezza: the main communication line between the two lakes.
This ridge is made by 4 summits :
Monte di Lenno (1589m) - Monte Galbiga (1698m) - Monte di Tremezzo (1700m) - Monte Crocione (1641m)
that can be joined in a fine ridge hiking or mountain bike tour
Why to make this hike ?
good training without any stress
panorama !!!
Getting There
The accesses to this range are :
from North, along the valley of Porlezza, with a big difference in elevation, starting on foot from Grandola e Uniti or Orona.
Here you can arrive along the road joining Menaggio (Como lake) with Porlezza (Lugano lake)
from South - Val d'Intelvi
To arrive here you must drive, along the road starting from Argegno (Como lake), to San Fedele Intelvi, here, on the right a narrow road leads to Pigra and more narrow, to Alpe Colonno (road normally always open) and to the Rifugio Boffalora (1252m) (road open only from the end of April)
If you like it you can drive (but what kind of hike would it be ?) up to the Rifugio Venini (1576m) under the Monte Galbiga
Starting from Colonno, when the road to Boffalora is still closed and full of snow, is the best way to enjoy the trip, avoiding the late spring and summer crowd.
Accomodations
|
No need, the hike can be done in one day from Como, Lugano and surroundings
but if you want to spend the night here :
Rifugio Boffalora (1252 m) a sign in Pigra indicates whether the Rifugio is open or not
Rifugio Venini (1576m) from half July to half September and in the weekends when the road is free from snow
Alpe Colonno
Alpe di Lenno
and a country restaurant (excellent food) near the car parking at Colonno |
Hiking from Val d'Intelvi
| The hike takes 2-3 hours (depending on how much snow you find) to get the Monte di Tremezzo, and about 2 more hours to cross all the summits
Same time to come back.
No difficulties, no tiring paths, long but all sweet
For tourists in summer - hiking in winter and early spring |
Some panoramic views
Mischabel group | Leone group | Finsteraarhon | Masino Alps |