Overview
This is an alpin region very important for rock climbers, It is also known as Bergell (by Deutsch climbers and hickers), Masino-Bregaglia-Disgrazia is used normally to define the alpine ridge section that, starting from the valley named Pian di Spagna (N of the Como lake) ends with the Passo del Muretto.
here an interactive schematical map
This group, oriented West-East (or viceversa) is on the principal ridge of Alps, dividing Italy (Lombardia) from Switzerland (Engadina)
Starts from Como lake (western boundary) and ends, joining on his eastern boundary with the Bernina Group.
outline with roads, villages, huts and some mountains of Val Masino Alps - created and submitted by Mathias Zehring
Starting from West, clockwise, these valleys are the accesses to the various subgroups :
- Vallone di Preda Rossa - Rif. Ponti
- Val di Mello - Biv. Manzi
- Val di Zocca - Rif. Allievi
- Val del Ferro - Biv Molteni
- Val Porcellizzo - Rif. Gianetti
- Val dell'Oro - Rif. Omio
(see sections below for the links to Rifuges)
The most known summit of this chain is Pizzo Badile, but it is neither the highest nor the most difficult one.
Here rock are 2 kinds of diorite : "serizzo" (quartzdiorite) and "ghiandone" (granodiorite), with amphibolite and less quartz, so less slippering than granite.
caution : even if summits are not so high, bad weather can give many problems and be dangerous in the main groups - these mountains are severe !
Many possible routes could be opened
Val di Mello (see When to Climb) is one of the best climbing area of Europe !!!
For skilled hikers the Sentiero Roma is a 3-4 or more days walk in unforgettable and wild sceneries
link to pages in italian, for page in english
here under the list of the summits worth to be climbed (79) divided in subgroups or subchains.
now only few of them have a page, I'll make here a link to the new ones that will come
Best rock routes shortlist
the classic routes that "must" be climbedItalian Side
Swiss Side
For the difficult and wild routes the Torrone range gives a wide choice
Pizzo di Prata - Monte Gruf
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The western zone of this group, almost forgotten by hickers and climbers, very wild (only val Codera has some hicking frequentation),
... but there is a 700m drop wall (pizzo di Prata) ...
Main summits :
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Pizzo Badile - Pizzo Cengalo
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   | The most important (and known) sub-chain. walls up to 1300m drop (Cengalo north wall), extreme difficulties, wonderful rock. Here one of the most famous wall in the Alps (NE wall of Pizzo Badile) and a lot of routes (none easy). Worth and very amusing the "ferro da stiro (flat iron)" (Gemelli north wall) and the Cengalo NW pillar. Main summits : worth to be mentioned (for hikers) is the path joining the Refuges Sasc Furà and Sciora along the "Viale" : a very fine walk-up (some exposed passages and some danger if full of snow or iced) |
Pizzo Porcellizzo
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A wild zone (except for the sorroundings of Rif. Omio) where some short but very amusing routes call lombard climbers to have a good weekend
Main summits :
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Ligoncio
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Here two big and incredible north walls (Ligoncio and Sfinge) and some very amazing and amusing walls and edges
Main summits :
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Cime del Calvo - Monte Spluga
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A wild zone ! Here new routes can be found and open (they're waiting :)
Main summits :
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Cime di Gaiazzo - Sasso Manduino
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A wild zone ! Here new routes can be found and open (they're waiting :)
Main summits :
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Sciora
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 | Wonderful group, aesthetical mountains, wonderful rock, long routes ... a paradise for climbers Main summits : |
Cacciabella
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If you are here and weather is not good enough for Sciora summits you can spend (not easily) your time on these ones
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il Gallo - Pizzo Spazzacaldera
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Amusing climbins for the beginning of summer, when upper mountains are still full with snow ...
| Main summits : |
Forcellette
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Amusing climbins for the beginning of summer, when upper mountains are still full with snow ...
| Summits |
Pizzi del Ferro - Monte di Zocca
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Rarely climbed zone :( ... would be very worth if there weren't so many fantastic summits all around
Only one wall is frequently climbed : Torrione di Zocca south routes, amusing.
Summits
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Albigna - Forno
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A wonderful wild zone ! Created to be climbed
Summits
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Pizzi Torrone - Monte Sissone
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The italian side is the highest concentration of difficult routes : here the hardest routes of this group.
Often "forgotten" by all climbers searching only famous routes.
Here the best challenges to climbing and mountain skill !!!
Swiss side has wonderful ice climbs !!!
Summits
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Disgrazia
Wonderful mountains, the highest of the chain, with many ice-routes worth to be climbed.
Ski mountaneering of Monte Disgrazia is very fine and one of the few you can do here.
Summits
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Remoluzza - Arcanzo
details in the Disgrazia group pageCorni Bruciati
details in the Disgrazia group pagePizzo Cassandra - Cima del Duca
An amazing little group, here you can find the easier routes of the whole chain
Summits
Further details in the Disgrazia group page
Val di Mello ... the hard side
Val di Mello climbing area allows all year long extreme climbings : routes up to 600m drop is one of the best climbing area of Europe !!!a little Yosemite
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Val di Mello ... the soft side
and is a wonderful resting area to spend good time with family :) |  |  |  |  |
here a photo album
Bouldering
Between Filorera and San Martino Val Masino, along the road you can see a huge rock (some thousands of cubic metres) : the Sasso Remennoroutes of all difficulties, useful for training and used by climbing schools.
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Getting There
Northern side : val BREGAGLIA - from W to Eall these valley can be reached by car from Milan (SS-36)
Milano - Lecco - Chiavenna .... Malojapass
along this route you can enter the following valleys
Southern side - VALTELLINA - from W to E
all these valley can be reached by car from Milan (SS-36)
Milano - Lecco - Colico .... Sondrio
along this route you can enter the following valleys
- val Porcellizzo
- val di Mello
- val di Preda Rossa
- val Torreggio
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Red Tape
these are wild mountains, no natural park but ...for some valleys you have to pay a fee :
It's quite strange (for Swiss precision): ticket has a cost of 12SF or 9€, but if you enter a 10€ bill you get back 1SF ! :)
When To Climb
june to september |  |
Books and Maps
Many books contain info about some of the summits of this group but I think the best way to know all about is to buy the "bible" of these muntains :A.Bonacossa - G. Rossi - Masino Bregaglia Disgrazia - vol I - CAI -TCI - 1977
A.Bonacossa - G. Rossi - Masino Bregaglia Disgrazia - vol II - CAI -TCI - 1975
A wonderful "selected climbs" book (in Italian) is :
Miotti-Gogna - Dal Pizzo Badile al Bernina - Zanichelli - 1986
it is full of photos and gives you 100 routes to choose from
gasgenova gives this info :
The best for climbing, mountaneering and ice is "Masino-Bregaglia-Disgrazia" G.Maspes and G.Miotti - Guida delle Guide"
Maps .
Kompass - Chiavenna-Val Bregaglia 92 - 93
External Links
- Val di Mello - climbing area
is one of the best climbing area of Europe !!!
and is a wonderful resting area to spend good time with family :)
- Sentiero Roma
italian language
- sasso Remenno
climbing guide - routes
Meteo
| Weather Ardenno - Free service by Weather Webcam |
