The Castle

Introduction

Beautiful excursion, very little known, although close to the ski lifts of the Chiesa Valmalenco slopes. The destination mentioned in the title is actually higher (2633 m) but can only be reached by climbing (III - V grade) which is, moreover, inadvisable due to the quality of the rock: so the real objective is the hilly plateau that extends to its base. The high point is a rounded hump overlooking Lake Palù and in a panoramic position over all the perimeter peaks of the Valmalenco. A safe tour in all snow conditions and very enjoyable as a ski tour.

Description

From the car park, avoiding the road leading to the lift facilities, go up the vast meadows of San Giuseppe dotted with mountain huts without a fixed route until you reach the wooded strip upstream. Following a series of clearings, you arrive at a forest track normally used by snowmobiles: follow it uphill for a few hundred metres to the clearing with the Alpe Entova 1929 m huts. Leave the track and go up the left bank of the Entovasco torrent to a small bridge: cross it and climb up the slope with sparse larch trees without a fixed route, but keeping in the direction of the Castello tower. The slope becomes less and less steep as you reach the plateau at the foot of the castle: by choosing the most convenient track between the undulations and valleys of the terrain, you reach the culminating ridge, overlooking the basin of Lake Palù and the nearby downhill slopes. Do NOT be tempted by hiking signs indicating a descent path to the lake. Return via the outward route. Or with this variant (diff. EE). From the culminating ridge, immediately take the little valley to the west and follow it between clearings and narrow passages between the mountain pines: a lot of snow is necessary. Be careful: very steep in places. You reach the outward route on the track, several kilometres downhill from the Alpe Entova.