Monte Mater, from Olmo

Access

From Milan to Chiavenna along State Road 36; at the town's main roundabout continue in the direction of the Spluga Pass to San Giacomo Filippo: just before the village turn left towards "Olmo" and "San Bernardo". At the tenth bend of the narrow road park in the few places available inside the bend.

Introduction

Monte Mater, a little-visited destination of some effort, is the peak that overlooks the town of Chiavenna from the western side: on a clear day, the panorama is magnificent, stretching on one side to the entire Val Bregaglia and on the other as far as Lake Como; behind, severe views of the mountains of the Forcola Valleys (Italian and Swiss) and the Valle del Drogo. Unmarked path after the last huts, but intuitive, although little frequented and sometimes confused by the tracks of wild ungulates. Just below the summit there is a short, simple but exposed stretch of climbing (grade II), downhill on the way.

Description

From the car park, take the forest track to Sommarovina (forbidden to unauthorised persons), following it until just beyond an artificial rockfall tunnel, where a nice path-shortcut begins. In a short time, you reach the small village of Sommarovina (956m) and walk along its narrow inner streets (there are still a few fine examples of carden, a hut with walls built with logs crossed at the corners, of Walser origin) until you re-enter the forest along a flat mule track (the Tracciolino) that leads to the Cigolino ridge (1045m). Passing by a series of transmission repeater antennas, you reach a cemented road that climbs in hairpin bends towards the grassy terrace of Premorel (1165m) (on the maps: Pratomorello): at the top of the meadows, near a wooden cross, you approach a wonderful forest of larch trees [last old paint markers as far as an aqueduct toll house] and begin to follow a track of varying quality, which opens up in the dense undergrowth of blueberries and rhododendrons. There are no serious difficulties in following the right direction: one must bear in mind not to deviate very far from the line of the ridge, only where indispensable and only along the right-hand slope. An obvious path descending to the left into the Valle della Forcola and all the animal tracks are avoided. Finally, we come out into a wide amphitheatre, very steep and covered with creeping juniper bushes and cranberries, which we climb up laboriously without a trace until we reach the ridge: we find ourselves on the crest of the Fariöö (2189m) and, along a small goat path, we reach its summit dominated by a high stone cairn. We continue on the stony but comfortable line, neglecting a track that still descends into the Forcola valley, and find ourselves on a small anticima; paying close attention to the exposure, we descend with an easy descent to a narrow rocky notch, and come out with a short traverse along a cracked slab. The ascent is resumed between stepped, grassy and rocky ledges, reaching the broad summit of Monte Mater (2416m).
Return along the outward route.

General information

Route:East ridge South-East
Signposts:red/white , none
Type of route: a/r
Recommended period: June, July, August, September, October
Objective Danger:
Mountaineering Grade: II
Sun exposure: southeast
Exposed sections: notch passage