From Piora | Mountain hiking | Swiss Alpine Club SAC

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From Piora (Normal route) Capanna Cadagno 1987 m

Difficulty

T1
Ascent

1:30 h, 190 m

Along Lago Ritom

This gentle stroll goes from the summit station of the funicular – with almost 90 per cent maximum inclination it is one of the steepest in the world – on a tarred small road to the dam of Lago Ritom and subsequently along the north shore of the lake to Cadagno di Fuori. From there you hike on a dirt road past Alpe Piora to Capanna Cadagno. Especially on a clear summer week-end there is traffic on the road to the artificial lake (thus for the first 20 minutes). Between the dam and Cadagno di Fuori, however, it should be quieter: uphill the road is closed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., downhill between 9 a.m. and noon. The segment is also popular among mountain bikers.

Lago Ritom. To the left just above the lake is the small chapel San Carlo. (09/2016) © Marco Volken

Route description

Stazione Piora – Capanna Cadagno

From Piora station (1794 m) follow the narrow tarred road to the dam of Lago Ritom. To the left of the dam go up to the road along the lake shore. Follow this road along the western and the northern shore. About halfway along the lake the road starts ascending, reaches a prominent chapel (San Carlo) and finally the summer hamlet Cadagno di Fuori (1917 m), where you find a mountain hostel among private holiday cabins. Now continue on a dirt road south of Lago Cadagno to Alpe di Piora (with the Centro Biologia Alpina, an alpine nature centre) and to Capanna Cadagno.

Variant along the south shore

About 30 minutes longer, but much quieter is the trail which winds its way along the south shore of Lago Ritom. From Piora station take the road to the dam, cross it to the other side and at Rifugio Lago Ritom (hostel) follow the well-marked trail. Several boards tell you interesting facts about the nature and the biology of this particular corner of Ticino. Going up and down, the trail leads through a larch wood, which is, of course, particularly nice in the fall; on a number of places you can descend to the lake. Virtually at the end of the lake, at a bifurcation, choose the trail that ascends to the right. It leads past a hut to a saddle (ca. 2050 m), then descends slightly in pastures and alpine rhododendrons. At P. 2029 we go either left or right, cross the creek on one of the bridges and reach Capanna Cadagno in no time. Grade: T2.