Pizzo Groppera

Overview

This wide and not small pyramid, made of bad rocks and mostly covered by grass and debris, is the S limit of the Pizzo d'Emet ridge in Vallespluga.
It grows up between Passo Groppera (2677m) to the N and Passo d'Angeloga (2370m) to the S.

Its western slopes, going down to Madesimo and Alpe Motta, are the widest area of the big ski resort of Madesimo, the other one, on the eastern side is the wide slopes going down toward NE into the Val di Lei.

A cablecar allows, in winter, to arrive near the summit: the upper station is at 2880m.

Very popular in summer among the people spending their holidays in Campodolcino, Madesimo or Motta for the easy routes and the wonderful pano from the summit.


when I was 16 and for 3 years, I used to spend 2 weeks in the "Casa Alpina di Motta" (a wonderful resort for happy boys and girls) - when weather was not fine enough for the "mountains" we used to make an afternoon hike to this summit ...

Getting There

starting from Milan (Italy) by car :
- route 36 to Colico, then Chiavenna, Campodolcino, Madesimo

starting from Chur (CH)
- autoroute of S.Bernardino till Splügen then, on the left to Spluga pass, Montespluga, Pianazzo, Madesimo

in wintertime and early spring (till ski area is "on") you can use the many chairlifts and the cablecar to gain height.

in summertime or when chairlifts are "off" the better starting point is Alpe Motta Bassa (1725m - road from Madesimo)

Routes overview

the best : western ridge from Alpe Motta :
follow marks for "Lago Azzurro" and "Alpe Groppera", along a wide path; once there you must point toward the cablecar station of Cima del Sole (walking along the ski track).
Once there follow the wide ridge of the Colmenetta to get the W ridge (big cairn ~2500m).
Now along the ridge, made of big boulders, up to the summit
Difficulty = Easy
Time required : 3,5 - 4 hours from Motta

the easiest : northern side from Alpe Motta :
ditto to the Alpe Groppera, now along the debris of Canalone up to the Passo Groppera.
Straight to the summit along debris slopes
Difficulty = for hikers - better if with good snow
Time required : 3,5 - 4 hours from Motta

the wildest : SE and E side from Angeloga
get the passo di Angeloga and follow to the N till you get the ridge, on along near it, avoiding the slabs on the edge
Difficulty = Easy
Time required : 3 - 3,5 hours from Rifugio Angeloga

the dangerous ones : channels of the SE, S and SW sides : easy (some passes of rock climb) but dangerous for falling stones - starting point is Rifugio Angeloga

BEST hike : ascent along the W ridge -descent along the E ridge to Angeloga and back to Alpe Motta along the (well marked and equipped) path that runs on the SW side of Groppera.

Sky routes ...

the slopes of Pizzo Groppera look done for ski and freeride
the most famous descent is the Canalone that starts little above the Passo Groppera

on the NW side of Groppera All the descents are for good skiers, only the Canalone can be done also by beginners but only if driven by expert ones. Canalone - the less steep, very frequented both by skiers and snowboarders - the steepness is almost never over the 35° but the big quantity of moguls make it a little tiring for the not trained (and over 60) people. Some danger of avalanche from the walls on the right part. Camosci - little steeper but with less moguls than Canalone, it's, for my feeling, the best "classic" descent from Groppera - some narrow channels near the end require to be a little careful when iced ...

on the W side of Groppera : Cavi - freeride - starting point is just under the cables of the cablecar - after the first steep channel you can turn to the right to get back to Camosci or to the left to join the Fiammifero Fiammifero - freeride - starting point is the summit of Pizzo Groppera (easy and fast to be got on foot) - after the first step you enter a narrow and straight channel - at the end of it there is the joint with the Cavi then the descent goes down in the walley between the Groppera and the Cima del Sole joining in the lower part the skiruns Cavallina - freeride - starting point is the summit of Pizzo Groppera - the descent is along a very steep channel left (descending) of the previous one - to get it you must pass over the rocky spur that borders, on its left side, the Fiammifero these are only some small info, the rides are normally "tracked" by the numerous ski runners that have made this area famous (for the insiders of course)

Accomodations

Madesimo and Alpe Motta hotels
Rifugio Angeloga

Links to some ski and freeride videos

MADESIMO video page
Freeride Streghe e Diavoli - 27 febbraio 2010
Neve fresca nei Camosci 10 gennaio 2010
Neve fresca in Val di Lei 10 gennaio 2010
Fuoripista Alpe Motta 9 gennaio 2010
Powder Day - 8 gennaio 2010
Speed-riding Camosci Diavoli Streghe - 1 gennaio 2010 by Dario Frigerio
Speed-riding Camosci Diavoli Streghe by Dario Frigerio
Free-ride e Speed-riding Val di Lei - 1 gennaio 2010
4 dicembre 2009 - Apertura Skiarea Valchiavenna
Powder dreams Madesimo 2009
Blossom Experience - Heliski Madesimo
Salice Open Freeride Canalone 08
8848 Altitude Photoshoot 09

Images

View Pizzo Groppera Image Gallery - 12 Images