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Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon:
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42.89228°N / 13.24246°E |
Activities:
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Hiking, Skiing |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation:
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7287 ft / 2221 m |
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Overview
Cima Vallelunga summit cairnIf you traverse the ridge from Monte Porché to Monte Sibilla (or vice versa) you have to cross midway some bumps of the ridge; the highest of those being Cima Vallelunga. There is a cairn on the top of the Cima with two inscriptions in black: Cima Vallelunga on one of the stones, 2221 m on the other.
Thus Cima Vallelunga is higher than Monte Sibilla and offers therefore nice looks on this wellknown mountain but also on Monti Sibillini as a whole. To the south Gran Sasso stands out in the skies. To the west the mountains, hills and valleys of Umbria are stretched out in front of you. Another plus: as Cima Vallelunga is not well known and apart of the marked and maintained trails of Monti Sibillini, you will have good chances to be alone on that summit.
Steep rock faces and meadow slopes are showing down to Foce valley to the east (about 1400 m of altitude difference) and to Valle Lunga to the west. This eponymous valley branches off from the Gola del Infernaccio main valley, bordering Cima Vallelunga to the north, at the spring of river Tenna and ends at the Monte Porché north ridge. Valle Lunga hosts a ski route to Monte Porché in winter and spring; for hikers there is a trail, too, the trailhead at river Tenna spring, however, is rather difficult to find.
Cima Vallelunga as seen from Pilato valleyThe best way to summit Cima Vallelunga is the traverse from Monte Porché or Monte Sibilla. There is a good trail on the ridge crest, marked with blue dots. Another route crosses Gola del Infernaccio to Sorgente Tenna and uses a trail up the north slopes of Monte Sibilla, passing by Casale Lanza and Casale della Sibilla.
Due to the Monti Sibillini hiking map there is one ski route to Cima Vallelunga, using the chute of the north face of the summit. The east face is very steep in the upper parts with several rock faces. The west slopes, however, look like a possible downhill option with an ascent route via Valle Lunga and the upper west slopes of the Cima Vallelunga south ridge.
Getting There
Best main trailheads for Cima Vallelunga are:You reach Foce by car
The trailhead is about 300 m before you enter the small village of Foce. There is a information panel and a picknick area on the west side of the road; park your car there.
 Summit view to Monte Vettore |  Summit view to Monte Priora and Pizzo Berro |
You reach Rifugio Sibilla by car
At the village square turn right on road number SP 83. After a long curve to the left a road branches off to the right; there is a soccer pitch, too. Follow this paved road in the direction to the Isola San Biagio hamlet, turn left onto a dirt road (signposts for Monte Sibilla) and follow this dirt road in many switchbacks up to the Rifugio.
You reach the Gola del Infernaccio trailhead
After a switchback north of the village there is an intersection: follow the signposts “Madonna del´Ambro” and “Gola del Infernaccio” and turn left there. The road goes down into the valley; at another intersection turn left (signpost “Gola del Infernaccio”) and follow this first paved then dirt road in some switchbacks up to the hamlet of Rubbiano. Go on for some km to the Gola del Infernaccio parking area.
Main Routes Overview
Foce Route
Up to Ramatico the route is marked red-white-red with the trail number 154. From Ramatico on there are no more marks.
Pass by the picknick area and ascend steeply the trail which soon enters the valley of the Zappagenese creek. The road – like trail ends near the creek (or is eroded there) and a small marked trail traverses the creek and ascends in some zigzags up the woods and meadows until it regains the road-like traiol higher up the mountain.
Follow the road up to the meadows of “I Campi”. Pay attention there: the route branches off to the left (some cairns and marks) and ascends the meadows in western direction eventually passing through some patches of beech wood.
Soon you arrive at the timber line; the trail levels out and arrives at “Ramatico”, a partly meadow overgrown scree fan. Before you arrive this scree fan the trail crosses a shallow scree chute.
Best leave the trail there and ascend easily this scree chute until you meet another trail. Turn right on that trail and follow it traversing the east slopes of Cima Vallelunga. At point 1881 m turn left onto a foot track which tends to disappear amidst meadows and scree but is always visible as there is a sort of oblique platform cut in the slope which goes up to the switchback of the fire and forest road coming up from Rifugio Sibilla to the ridge between Monte Sibilla and Cima Vallelunga. This foot track is marked with black dots in the Monti Sibillini mapp.
Once on the road follow it to its end (one more switchback) and look for the trail which goes up the northeast ridge of Cima Vallelunga until you reach the summit.
 Ridge Monte Sibilla to Cima Vallelunga |  Scree fan at "Ramatico" with Cima Vallelunga east face |
Gola del Infernaccio – Valle Lunga Route
From the parking area follow the road in southwestern direction and descending to Stretta le Pisciarelle where the road ends and “le Pisciarelle”, a nice waterfall, comes down from the south side of the valley.
Cross Tenna creek on a foot bridge and take the trail through Gola del Infernaccio (trail number 221). At a trail junction stay on the left hand trail (the right trail ascends to San Leonardo church) and follow that trail until you arrive at Sorgente Tenna where Valle Lunga braches off from the main valley to the left.
There are several springs around, especially the first one left of the trail has good water.
The trail which goes up to Cima Vallelunga is marked with number “11” in the Monti Sibillini map. When staying at Sorgente Tenna I did not see the trails starting point as there are some meadows and all trails and tracks disappear amidst these grasslands.
It might be best to ascend the southern meadows in the direction of Valle Lunga and look for the trail entering the woods in northeastern direction.
The route goes up first to Casale Lanza at the timber line and then to Casale della Sibilla. From there go more or less straight up to the ridge between Monte Sibilla and Cima Vallelunga, turn right and follow the ridge up to the summit.
 Entrance to Gola dell´Infernaccio |  Cima Vallelunga as seen from Sorgente Tenna, ski route chute (left) and lower Valle Lunga (center) |
on the traverse route, Cima Vallelunga to the rightSki route
Start at Gola del Infernaccio parking area and go through the canyon to Sorgente Tenna.
Enter Valle Lunga and follow the valley shortly until you are below the north ridge of Cima Vallelunga with its lower rock faces, called Sasso Screllone.
Cross through the woods straight up and enter a huge chute east of the Cima Vallelunga north ridge, which is called Fosso della Corva. Zigzag up this Fosso until you reach the summit.
Use the chute for downhill, too.
Should be a great ski tour with good snow.
Rifugio Sibilla Route
Either follow the forest and fire road (route number 156, a bit boring) to its end at the ridge between Monte Sibilla and Cima Vallelunga or choose trail number 155 up to Monte Sibilla summit via east ridge and follow the west ridge of Monte Sibilla to Cima Vallelunga.
Easy and nice.
 Cima Vallelunga and the traverse route from Monte Porché |  Ridge to Cima Vallelunga and Monte Sibilla as seen from Monte Porché |
Traverse Route Monte Porché – Monte Sibilla
Just follow the long and easy ridge from Monte Porché to Monte Sibilla, traversing the summit of Cima Vallelunga, on a good and scarcely marked (blue dots and stripes) trail.
Great traverse with great views.
The Foce route (see Monte Porché page for further information on that route) and the traverse route form a great loop and a long one day outing.
Red Tape & Accommodation
Regulations of the National Park Core ZoneRed Tape
Cima Vallelunga is part of the “Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini”.
The summit area including all ridge areas are part of the strictly protected zone A, the slopes down to the adjacent valleys have zone B protection.
The homepage of the National Park shows many regulations, all in long and rather complicated articles in Italian language.
Admission to the National Park area is free.
Best stay on the trails whenever possible, do not bivouac within National park realms. No fire, no littering, no disturbance of animals and no damage to (protected) plants.
Bringing pets, swimming and fishing in lakes and creeks is forbidden in the core zone A.
Stella alpina of the Apennine mountainsAccommodation
You find accommodation of all kinds, including campgrounds in or around the National Park villages:
Mountain huts
Gear & Mountain Condition
Summit view to Monte Priora and Pizzo BerroCima Vallelunga is a year round summit.
In winter and spring there is a long and in parts steep ski route from Gola del Infernaccio and Vallelunga.
You need full avalanche gear for Monti Sibillini ski outings. The Regione Marche has an avalanche bulletin to be consulted before starting you ski tour.
Late spring, summer and autumn is the time for hiking.
You need full hiking gear and rain protection and some warm clothes as the weather within Monti Sibillini can change rapidly and dramatically (summer thunderstorms).
Current Weather:
Maps & Guide Books
Cima Vallelunga (right) as seen from Monte Castel ManardoMaps
Club Alpino Italiano – Sezione di Ascoli Piceno: Monti Sibillini, Carta dei Sentieri, scale 1 : 25.000, SER Societa Editrice Ricerche, 2011
Guide Book
Gillian Price: Italy's Sibillini National Park, Walking and Trekking Guide; Cicerone Press, 13 Jun 2013, ISBN 9781852845353
Guida al Parco nazionale dei monti Sibillini; CARSA; 2nd edition 2009; ISBN: 978-8850101535
Available only in Italian
Rolf Goetz: Umbrien, Assisi – Perugia – Nationalpark Monti Sibillini; Die schönsten Tal- und Höhenwanderungen; Rother Verlag, 2nd edition 2013; ISBN 978-3-7633-4324-9;
Available only in German and only parts of it for Monti Sibillini
Ursula und Claus-Günter Frank: Marken – Adriaküste; Ravenna – Rimini – Urbino – Ancona – Monti Sibillini; 50 Touren , Rother Verlag 2nd edition 2014 ISBN 978-3-7633-4342-3
Available only in German and only parts of it for Monti Sibillini