Suretta bivouac, from Monesplga

Access

From Milan to Montespluga along the SS36. Look for parking just before the village, near the inlet of the lake crossed by a viaduct.

Introduction

Simply the most beautiful descent in the entire valley. Even more beautiful (and difficult) with the spring variants. Incomparable views and beautiful surroundings.

Description

You descend from the viaduct over the lake in the direction of a boulder at the entrance to the vast Suretta gully, which you climb up on the left-hand side of the stream (more or less covered in snow - mind you -) until you come out into the amphitheatre of rocks (which drain slowly). From here, with a gradually more accentuated ascent - lastly with zigzag traverses - one arrives at the foot of the last gully; one reaches it by climbing as much as possible on the left shoulder and traverses it with narrow hairpin bends until the end of the difficulties. Continue to the right on successive bumps until you reach the false plain once occupied by the Suretta Glacier; with a few gentle ups and downs, you approach the point that houses the bivouac - visible - . The last stretch, short but very steep and again zigzagging, leads to the red construction of the Suretta Bivouac 2748 m.
Descent along the ascent route, very fast and fun.

Note 1
It is possible, without ascending to the bivouac, to continue to Pizzo Suretta 3097 m, with a very steep and, in the last not short part, alpine route.

Note 2
In spring it is possible and advisable to descend directly from the bivouac: beware of the slope of around 40 degrees. Difficulty OSA.
The gully to be taken is the first on the left at the foot of the bivouac tip. It is fairly wide, but may have little visible outcrops of rock; in the last third of the descent, a sort of terminal crevasse forms in the avalanche snow that occupies the gully (attention: it is snow and not ice). Often in the late season it is advisable to ski the couloir without ever stopping, given the need to ski constantly on a slowly moving surface.