Grigne Trail

Grigne Trail – High Traverse between vertigo and breathtaking views

The Grigne massif, which rises to an altitude of 2,410 m, is of great landscape interest due to its rugged and varied morphology, Dolomitic appearance, and views over Lake Como. There are two main peaks: the Northern Grigna (2,410 m), commonly called Grignone, and the Southern Grigna (2,177 m), known as Grignetta. However, when speaking of the Grigna, especially among mountaineers, it refers to the Southern Grigna, where Lombard mountaineering was born and where some of the great names of this sport have challenged themselves: Cassin, Comici, Corti, Riva… These rocks remain the training ground for the famous Ragni di Lecco group today.

The Grigne Trail consists of equipped sections that, if approached calmly, are not overly demanding: placing your hands on such significant rocks is a unique sensation. From the locality of Pian dei Resinelli, you ascend to the S.E.M. Soldanella Cavalletti refuge, where the path begins. Heading towards the Porta Refuge, it is possible to run well even uphill, but as soon as you enter the Cresta Cermenati, you must slow your pace as the gradients become significant: in less than 2 kilometers, with a final equipped section, you reach the summit of Southern Grigna or Grignetta. Shortly after the peak, you encounter the Bruno Ferrario bivouac, a spacecraft-shaped aluminum structure that can accommodate 6–8 people. The landscape itself is fantastic, almost lunar, and this silver bivouac makes you feel like a space explorer.

For the descent, please pay close attention to the equipped section before returning to a safer path as far as the Bocchetta di Mala. You then climb back up the northern slope of the Grignone, running along an initial ridge section before taking another equipped stretch. Continue along the ridge to the Merlini Bivouac and take a final stretch of gravel path to reach the summit of the Grignone and the Brioschi Refuge. The descent towards Pialeral is gentler and safer, until reaching the Lower Traverse and crossing a cool beech forest before crossing the Pioverna Stream and finishing the section on a scree slope, back to the S.E.M. Soldanella Cavalletti refuge.