Horn Rat

Access

From Milan, take the State Highway 36 as far as the Civate exit; follow Via Papa Giovanni XXIII until you enter the municipality of Valmadrera: here the road becomes Via IV Novembre, then Via San Rocco and, having become Via Manzoni, leave it to turn left into Via Leopardi (tourist signs for San Tomaso). Continue uphill in hairpin bends to the locality of Belvedere. There is little parking on the side of the road.

Introduction

One of the first and most difficult via ferratas built in the Lecco area in the early 1980s (1981). Immediately very popular and, as a result, currently with somewhat greasy rock (pay attention to the first few steps).
It features mixed equipment with a safety cable and a progression chain, and very often the addition of artificial supports (metal paddles) at vertical or slightly overhanging points. It is divided into three rock jumps, sometimes a little wooded, which first pass the so-called Sasso OSA (named after a local sports association) and then the actual face of the Corno, ending on a last rocky cusp with a very panoramic view of Lecco, its lakes and all the beautiful surrounding mountains.

Description

From Belvedere 290m, following the signs for San Tomaso, take a very steep cobbled road which soon turns into a dirt forest track; passing a few farms, continue the winding ascent into the woods [note a few examples of the typical "casote", domed dry-stone constructions once used as emergency shelters and storage for agricultural tools]. When you reach a ford with a footbridge, a few dozen metres before, climb a small path on the right, following the signpost for the "Crott da Funzi": it is a rather steep stretch that, after passing the crott (a shelter and stable under a converted grotto), leads to a very popular level path (it comes from San Tomaso and leads to the many paths in the Monte Moregallo area). We follow to the right and in a few steps we come to a post indicating the direction for the ferrata; a short ascent first through the forest and then across a scree slope leads to a shelf at the foot of the Sasso OSA rocks. The ascent begins very vertically, climbing between a slightly overhanging edge and a crack that widens into a more stepped gully towards the top (Sasso OSA, difference in altitude 30m and development 45m). A transfer path through the forest approaches the face of Corno Rat: be careful at the fork, following the left branch (the right, which is just as popular, leads to the mountaineering side of the face). It begins with a stepped traverse to the right and continues - always exposed - with very intense stretches interspersed with comfortable pulpits; a long vertical section with metal supports and a very aesthetic overhanging traverse should be highlighted (height difference 100m, development slightly more). With a slight decrease in difficulty but with similar route characteristics, an apparent end of the climb is reached; a few metres of rocky path in the forest lead to the smooth final wall (approx. 15m) that ends in a very grippy cusp at the end of the anchors. A few steps along a path allow you to reach the clearing with a cairn on the summit of Corno Rat 905m.
For the descent, continue along the path descending immediately to the left (many different directions of passage, but all converging in a wide path); follow this track that descends to the bottom of a wooded and very stony little valley until you come out onto the meadows of San Tomaso. To the left, continue to descend along a forest track and, having reached the ford, retrace the outward route.

General information

Signposts:white-red bolts
Type of route:partially circular
Recommended period: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, December
Equipment:ferrata set
Objective hazard: moving stones
Sun exposure: south