Pizzo di Claro

Introduction

The summit of Pizzo di Claro can be reached from various other places such as Arvigo, Landarenca, Cresciano, from the Savorù Mountains (cable car) and from Claro; the easiest and least strenuous route is undoubtedly the one that climbs from Arvigo and leads to an altitude of about 1700 metres (Zanella area); this itinerary has already been described in the book TREKKING volume 2 by Luca Bettosini, Edizioni Fontana. For the more daring, it is possible, once you have descended to Alpe di Peurett (below Lake Canee), to initially follow the 'road' opened up by Polish soldiers who were refugees in Switzerland during the Second World War and head towards the Garerescio, Forcarid, Domàs and Maruso alps and then take the path that leads to Censo.

Description

An early start given the length of the trek, which, if you wish, can be done in two days by spending the night at the Brogoldone hut; if you wish to do the hike in one day, then excellent condition and physical fitness is required! From San Vittore (278 m) take the road up to Giova through a broom paradise, which takes about 20 minutes to reach Giova; park on the side of the asphalt road and continue on foot along a beaten earth road to the start of the path, it is on the left and is not marked, it climbs steeply through the dense fir forest. If you continue straight ahead on the nice flat path, you will reach the Monti di San carlo (1225 m) in about half an hour, where there is a nice grotto in the midst of a cluster of renovated and inhabited cottages with a beautiful view of Buseno (in Val calanca) and the lake of the same name. Continue on the steep path, keeping to the left of the ascending light poles; at first it is a bit of a struggle to work out which is the right path, but then the red and white signs begin to appear. As far as Prepiantò (1441 m) it's all uphill without finding water, immersed entirely in the woods where you have the chance to admire the large ant hills of the wood ant (animal of the year 2002 declared by Pro Natura). When you reach the first farmsteads of Prepiantò, continue as far as the white church at the end of the houses and follow the path to the right; a few metres later there is a pipe that brings water to the farmsteads, which forms a puddle where you can refresh yourself and fill your water bottles; you will only find water at about 1850 metres, so refill your water bottles. At a certain point there is a marked path (Alpe Martum) which climbs to the left, you can see it clearly because on the left there are tall fir trees completely bare towards the bottom; continuing to the right you arrive at the Monti di San Carlo or Alp de Palaz (variant 3). Climb up the marked path to Alpe di Martum (1845 m), a small hut that has just been refurbished. From the Alpe, climb a few more metres out of the forest onto a nice level path that in about half an hour leads to the Brogoldone hut, which is visible for the whole of the last part of the walk; the panoramic view of the Riviera is very beautiful. When you reach the Brogoldone hut (1910 m), take the marked path, heading north, and begin to climb among the soft clumps of grass, where there are gentians, keeping a little to the left; you must arrive on the crest that connects Pizzo di Claro to Pizzo Molinera; if you want to climb less steeply then it is better to cut further to the left, the important thing is to reach an altitude of 2191 metres on the crest. Pizzo Molinera (2288.3 m) emerges on the right, overlooking Val Calanca; on the left instead, the imposing south slope of Pizzo di Claro appears. Follow the ridge on the left, walking pleasantly on the marked path up to an altitude of 2362 metres (from the hut the path is marked but then disappears, however, it is enough to climb up keeping to the left a little to find it again on the ridge. A little beyond an altitude of 2362 metres, descend to the right into the Pian del Baitel, bypassing the Pizzo di Claro; once you have descended into the plain, you can clearly see the two gullies that go up to the Pizzo; continue to the right until you come to the If you want to go up to the Pizzo then you must turn left and take the path that leads in about 20 minutes to an altitude of 2270 m passing through the Val Granda. From here, follow the path marked with stone cairns. Entering the gully to the east and meeting the red-and-white marked path that leads to the North summit (2727 m), one crosses the easy ridge that is about 160 metres long and reaches the South summit of Pizzo di Claro (2720.2 m), where the large stone man on which the cross is placed stands. It towers above a slope almost 2500 metres above the Riviera plain. The view of all the surrounding peaks is a unique spectacle; below is Lake Canee (2198 m). From this peak you can see the crossing that leads from the Boccetta Nord del Lago to the Bocchetta di Piöv di Fuori; in the distance you can see the Passo del Mauro. From its summit, the Brogoldone Hut (1910 m) is also visible, as well as a good part of the Val d'Osogna and Cresciano peaks. Descend from Pizzo di Claro and return to the ridge just beyond an altitude of 2362 metres, from where the path descends to Lake Canee, which can be seen majestically in front; in about half an hour, you reach the southern shores of the lake, going around them to the left to join the path that descends to Alpe di Canee (1995 m). It is better to descend to Alpe di Pèu (1725 m), because the path is more beautiful and marked, and to continue to Alpe di Peurett (1745 m), a small refuge, crossing the Riale di Cresciano from where you can decide whether to make the crossing to Alpe Domàs (1668 m) or descend via the Corte (1527 m) through a dense fir forest; When you reach Bens (1174 m), after a steep descent of over 500 metres, continue on to Donadino and Moncrino Nord (808 m) and finally to Censo (771 m), immersed in a beautiful chestnut and stone pine wood and crossing the arched bridge over the Riale di Cresciano. Now from Censo it is necessary to retrieve the car left in Giova. Variant 3 leads from Prepiantò (1441 m) first to Alp de Palazi (1572 m) and then to Carnac Bass (1838 m) and finally to Alp de Mem (1950 m); from here, climb further into Pian del Baitel and ascend to Pizzo di Claro on the marked trail described earlier. The traverse from Prepiantò leads to Pian del Baitel first through dense betaia and then on grassy and rocky slopes, overcoming an ascent of around 700 metres without any fatigue. Always having the view of the Pizzo di Claro in front of you, the itinerary is very easy to follow even if you do not stay on the path, but this opportunity is for experienced hikers only!

Huts and refuges

Capanna Brogoldone (1910 m) Coordinates: 725.200 - 124.750. It consists of two masonry buildings dating back to 1939 and renovated in 1995/96; it has two living rooms for 60 people with toilets and showers; inside there is hot water, 5 rooms and an attic for 60 people. The Brogoldone Hut is situated on a panoramic terrace of rare beauty at the top of the Valle di Lumino, a starting point for excursions and traverses in the wonderful Pizzo di Claro region and can be reached without difficulty even in winter; one of its special features is the fact that it is one of the few huts where the sun shines for many hours even in winter. The hut is also known for the famous walk (approx. 10 hours) to the Cava Hut (2069 m) in the Pontirone Valley. The hut warden, Laura Resinelli, is present from 1 June to 30 September. Reservations: Tel. 091/681 31 65 Telephone at the hut: 091/829 43 50 Alp de Martum (1845 m) Small hut located on the trekking route just before reaching the Brogoldone hut. Inside there is a fireplace, a table and sleeping space for about 6 people, but no blankets or mattresses; there is no water. To be used in an emergency as it is very small. Alpe Peurett (1745 m) Coordinates: 127.940 - 723.000 Old farmstead converted into a refuge owned by the Claro Patriziato. Sleeps 6 with the possibility of cooking on a wood-burning stove. Reservations: Patriziato di Claro, Tel. 091/863 22 22, or to Mr. Pellegrini Alberto, 6702 Claro, Tel. 091/863 17 60. Alpe Garerescio (1783 m) and Alpe Provéi (1339 m)These are two refuges built by the Patriziato di Claro and opened in 1991; they were restored from old rustic buildings that are no longer used. They are always open and have no warden. Their location is west of the Mem Pass (2191 m), the pass between Pizzo di Claro and Pizzo Molinera.

Trekking Lakes

Lake Canee (2198 m)With a surface area of about 20,000 m2, this stupendous lake, of glacial origin, is contained in a rocky basin located west of Pizzo di Claro. It has an oval shape and is barred towards the Ticino valley by a 250-metre long, low natural embankment. Its depth is about 23 metres. The lake is stocked with fish: 400 trout were released in 1993 (300 in 1991 and 1992). The snow in the overhanging gullies always remains for a long time and proves that the Canee is a truly alpine lake of rare beauty that deserves to be seen.

Summits to be known

Claro or Visagno Peak, SOUTH Peak (2720.7 m), NORTH Peak (2727 m) It is a mountain that every Ticino resident knows because it rises like a small 'Matterhorn' from the Riviera plain. With its slope of almost 2,500 metres, Pizzo di Claro is one of the hardest peaks to reach in a single day. It stands out imposingly and catches the eye of the hiker, who, even when travelling by car, immediately falls in love with it. Its two peaks are separated by about 150 metres of easy ridge and on the south summit there is a large cross placed on a small stone cairn. On the western slope is the beautiful little lake of Canee (2198 m) located in a large amphitheatre of rocks and it takes more than 4 hours of hard climbing to reach it from Censo (771 m). The panoramic view from the summit is simply marvellous; the cover of the first volume "TREKKING, Ticino terra d'escursioni", Edizioni Fontana, shows a panoramic view of the South summit seen from the North summit. For the Ticino side, the ascent is very hard and steep, from Censo about 6 hours; from Monastero di Claro also about 7 hours and from Cresciano about 7 hours. You can also climb from Lumino (Grisons) with the new cable car up to Monti Savorù (1328 m) and then continue for about an hour and a half to the newly renovated Brogoldone Hut (1910 m). From the hut to Pizzo di Claro it takes about 3 hours to walk. Or go up from Giova (Val Calanca) where it takes about 3 hours to reach the Brogoldone Hut, an itinerary described in this guidebook; from Giova you can reach Pizzo di Claro directly, without passing through the hut, in about 5 hours by taking the path to the right (in the direction of Alp de Palazi 1572 m) once you have reached Prepiantò (1441 m). Piz de Molinera (2288.3 m) This peak is connected by a gentle ridge to Pizzo di Claro; it concludes the southern Adula chain and is clearly visible from Bellinzona together with Pizzo. It can be reached in about one and a half hours from the Brogoldone Hut.

Alpeggiations

The 7 alps (Domàs, Motto, Proveglio, Garerescio, Forcarido, Peurett and Cadino) of the Patriziato di Claro are no longer charged. Some of them have been converted into accessible shelters. Now only sheep from the local sheep breeding consortium 

Bibliography: * Luca Bettosini, Trekking vol.2 Week-End Escursionistici in Ticino, Edizioni Fontana, 2001 Cartography: * CN 1:25000 1294 Grono - 1293 Osogna - 1273 Biasca