La Cima

Introduction

Quite a popular excursion, both for the beautiful panorama from the summit and for the safety of the route, which, reaching a relatively low altitude, takes place mainly in the forest and then on a ridge. Perhaps the section of the Loana valley road that remains closed in at the bottom of the valley is a little monotonous, but from the moment you begin the ascent to the scenic Alpe Cortino, the views become more and more extensive, and once you reach the large summit cross, the 360° panorama is truly remarkable: you can see Mount Rosa, the nearby Simplon 4000 metres, the peaks of the Vigezzo valley with the Scheggia and Pioda di Crana, the Swiss Alps and the nearby Valgrande.

Description

You take the road to the Loana valley, which, without an excessive incline, enters the forest and, leaving aside a few forks signposted by poles, walk comfortably following the tracks that are almost always present. When, after about an hour's walk, the road makes two narrow hairpin bends, you come in sight of the Sasso del Broglio chapel (1115m) and after a few dozen metres you come to a fork in a consortium road that climbs sharply to the left (1128m). The track climbs up into the steep wood with wide hairpin bends and a constant gradient, reaching a very open space where, having climbed the gentle slopes for a short distance, we reach the panoramic Cortino alpine pasture (1501m). Head towards the huts, keeping to the right and pass them to enter the now sparser forest again. The ascent is now steeper and you ascend the ridge in its entirety, at first wide and then increasingly narrower, passing a small open clearing and then leaving the wood for good to follow the ridge slightly to the west and shortly reaching the metal cross on the summit.
For the descent, you can alternatively descend along the summer path that you meet just below the alpe Cortino at an altitude of 1357m and follow it following the red/white marks clearly visible on the tree trunks. After zigzagging through the woods and passing a small hut, you arrive on the road of the Loana valley where, turning right, you pass just above the huts of Patqueso (1126m). After passing a bend, you return to the bivo of the consortium road climbed on the way up.