Pizzo Pioltone(Camoscellahorn)

Overview

Pizzo Pioltone is the Italian summit of the Pennine Alps range located more at North East.
Its West ridge delimits the border line between Piedmont in Italy and Wallis in Switzerland, while the East ridge divide the Ossola’s valleys of bognanco (South) and of Divedro (North).
The Divedro side is an unique steep wall falling without interruptions till the road of Simplon pass, more than 1800 meters below, anyhow due to the overgrown vegetation this face doesn’t offer any interesting route.
The Bognanco side is the only frequented one and the West ridge is both a pleasant hiking trail during the summer and a good ski-mountaineering route during winter and spring.
From the summit you can enjoy a great view towards the Weissmies group(4010m), Monte Leone(3552m) and the wild mountain chains of Ossola.

Getting There

From Italy.
From the highway Milano - Gravellona Toce- Sempione (SS33) take the exit of Domodossola, the biggest town of the area, follow then the signs for Bognanco valley, once in the valley follow first the direction of Pizzanco then the one of San Bernardo.
San Bernardo(1600m) is the trailhead (car park and restore service) from the Italian side

From Switzerland.
From the main road to Simplon pass, on the south side of the pass, reach the village of Gondo and then take the road to Zswischbergen.
Arrived in locality Bord(1359m) you are at the starting point under Monscera pass.
If you want to start the trail from the italian side, after Gondo go on and pass the border line with Italy, once in Italy follow the SS33, this time from N to S, till Domodossola, then reach San Bernardo as described above.

Huts

Gattascosa hut, on the Italian side, a kilometer at west from Monscera pass.
The ascent to the summit is normally done in one day.

Hiking

Normal route, West Ridge.

The west ridge starts at the Monscera pass, on the Italy-Switzerland border.
The trails to the pass are easy and well signed both from Bord(Wallis) that from San Bernardo(Bognanco).
If you start from San Bernardo I suggest to follow the route of Gattascosa hut, on the hydrographic right of Rio Rasiga, there is another path on the hydrographic left of the river but it’s boring and begins with a small descent that makes you loose altitude.
From the pass follow entirely the wide West ridge that soon becomes very steep but that requires just trained legs.

Ski-mountaineering

The skiing route is the same of the normal route from Monscera pass, the last 500 meters are very steep so it requires some technical skills and you’d better avoid the days immediately after huge snow falls for the risk of avalanches.

links

http://www.thinkice.it/foto/79-Pizzo-Pioltone/1.html/
photos of a ski-mountaineering ascent from Switzerland.

http://www.smsdomodossola.it/7/rifugio.htm
Gattascosa hut informations.

www.ossola.com
Informations paths, huts, sleeping possibilities all over the Ossola valley.

Images

View Pizzo Pioltone(Camoscellahorn) Image Gallery - 5 Images