Trip to grasp when the snow comes down to the valley "incaciando" the hills of the Valle Siciliana. Usually these conditions occur immediately after the passage of a cold disturbance in the Balkans at this point Seize the day and get in the car until Cerchiara, parked near the cemetery and put on your cross-country ski tours and snowshoe. If you are lucky enough to happen in a clear and cold, sunny day, the kind that often captain after heavy snowfall, you'll have something to remember for a long time.
Departure and arrival from: Cerchiara Cemetery (680 m.)
Elevation gain: 1,000 m
Rise time: 2 hours
Fall Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: MS (BS short stretch at the beginning of descent from Montagnone)
Departure and arrival from: Cerchiara Cemetery (680 m.)
Elevation gain: 1,000 m
Rise time: 2 hours
Fall Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: MS (BS short stretch at the beginning of descent from Montagnone)
Ascent comeback from the cemetery and passed over the slope above the tunnel dell'A24 follow the route of a dirt road that remains evident even after heavy snowfall. The narrow road leads to large clearings to small metal cross that dominates the area of \u200b\u200bthe waterfall Pisciarellone. It is left to the left go straight to the main dirt road climbing up a rocky cliff, is the only step a little 'difficult of the trip.
gained wide ridge above it all goes back up to the top of Pianalunga, dialect in this area is also called lu n'cuume, name phonetically should remember that at least a large flat area suitable for grazing. In fact there is on top of a large hill located in front of the Montagnone and separated from the valley of the Vena Pecorale. It wanders down briefly on the first right and continue up to a saddle then left, on a snowy path that makes a wide semicircle.
The place is really beautiful, before you climb stands majestic and unmistakable Paretone Corno Grande, while further down the valley slopes gently toward Sicily and down the hills in the distance we can see the blue of the Adriatic Sea. All that remains is to head towards the small hut at the Horace Delfico Montanino and fit up the slopes above it the obvious notch in the fork, known locally as "moccicata donkey" because of the profile in the form of biting, which is seen from the valley floor. From the pass you can choose, going right to reach the top of Montagnone and on the left you reach the summit of Cima Alta. Both summits are accessible from this point in minutes.
Descent Going down the ascent route, there are no special difficulties, but who want to try on a slope a little 'can opt for a steeper drop-down variant of a bit' more "peppery." From the top of Montagnone you start trying to keep skiing along the tree-lined ridge leading to the North - East towards the top of Bald Hill. Before reaching the final summit climb that leads to it is a point where the high jump rock that plunge right into the Sicilian valley give way to a steep slope. The area is characterized by the presence of one of the many signs prohibiting hunting but there is no possibility error because it is the only point where the descent is possible. The slope is steep only for a short initial section but should be avoided when the snow is not well established and carries close to a first clearing (Source Breccioli) from where you continue to easier slopes to the saddle of Pianalunga from where it falls for the ascent route.
