Direttissima + Cecilia

Overview

And now, a hiking route to Grigna Meridionale !

I think Sentiero Cecilia (marks 8 + 10) is the best path to gain the summit of Grignetta without being a rock climber ... or a masochist tourist
(last ones will choose the Cermenati ... an horrible, steep, tiring, full of stones ecc ecc path that you should do, but without amusing, for coming down)



The two paths (Direttissima and Cecilia) could be considered as a "Ferrata", good only for expert hikers (EE)
In some points exposure is high : 2 metal ladders (necessary) and some fixed ropes (useful especially in winter with snow or ice) allow a safe climb.

Approach

Starting point is Pian dei Resinelli

From Milano - ss 36 (Spluga) till Lecco (at the bottom of the east branch of Como lake)
follow the indications for Valsassina, reach Ballabio
follow the road to Pian dei Resinelli

Route Description

Once you're in Pian dei Resinelli you have 2 choices to start the hike :

just before entering the big parking, turn, to the right along the road that leads to Rif. SEM : choose a site to park the car (you can also start from the big parking, it takes about 20 more minutes on foot)

after the parking, in front of the little Church, a road on the right (follow the mark Alta via) allows you to gain about 100m of difference in elevation ... if you find a parking place

	Now, you must point toward north, following one of the paths that cross a wonderful wood (Bosco Giulia), till you arrive to a very marked horizontal path (30-40 minutes from the big parking).
	Follow it to the left (West - mark 8 - Rifugio Rosalba - Direttissima) and in about half of an hour you get the key of the path : the Canalone del Caminetto: this is a narrow rocky channel that stops tourists. An exposed cross (fixed rope and metallic steps) on an almost vertical wall allows to get the bottom of the channel. Here 2 short but vertical ladders on the opposite side open the door to the western pinnacles of Grignetta.
	Follow the path that (fixed ropes), going up and down, crosses another channel (Canalone dei Piccioni) and, after a saddle, go down to the wide Canalone di Val Tesa
-	Here you must leave the Direttissima (going to the left) and start climbing directly along the channel (fixed ropes and other aids for about 150m to reach the horizontal path crossing from Rif. Rosalba (W side) to cresta Cermenati (E side).
	The path runs just above the Cresta Segantini (W ridge to the summit - beware of falling stones if rope teams are climbing on it) and, after crossing some little spurs, goes down in a steep chimney (fixed ropes) to gain the bottom of the Canalone dei Piccioni.
-	Go on along it (snow till end of June), then the path crosses the higher part of the Canalone del Caminetto and reaches the Cresta Cermenati in its most narrow part, at about 20 minutes from the summit.
	Turn to the left, to gain the summit. Coming down requires from 40' minutes (if you are a road-runner) up to 3 hours (if you want to save your knees for the future) the difference in elevation is about 900 m to Pian dei Resinelli.

Italian Hiking rating

Italian Hiking routes rating

T	the route goes along roads, mule tracks or large paths, without dangers	No bearings problems, no special training required no exposure
E	the route goes along paths, pastures, debris with evident marks (stripes or cairns) or very sweet slopes of snow	Bearings knowledge and training are required very low exposure
EE	the route goes on narrow normally marked paths, along grassy slippery slopes, mixed of rocks and grass, screes and/or sweet snow slopes - somewhere could be necessary to use the hands.	Good knowledge of environment, no suffer from vertigo needed some little exposure
EEA	more difficult than the previous one, path not always marked, some fixed equiment (ferrate)	climbing gear required exposure can be high

Essential Gear

normal for hiking

Miscellaneous Info

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Images

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