Traverse from Pesciüm to Ossasco | Mountain hiking

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Poncione di Vespero
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- Traverse from Pesciüm to Ossasco
Traverse from Pesciüm to Ossasco

Traverse from Pesciüm to Ossasco Poncione di Vespero 2717 m

Difficulty

T5-
Ascent

3 h, 1350 m
Descent

4:30 h, 1780 m

The evening mountain in Airolo's sky

There is only one passage from Airolo to Valle Maggia: Passo dei Sassi, a narrow path on a steep rock face. To the left of the pass Pizzo di Mezzodì (midday) rises. But the mountain to the right eclipses it: Poncione di Vespero, the „evening mountain“. Its clear-cut silhouette is the cornerstone on the southern horizon of Airolo. We visit it and explore the landscape that stretches out behind the summit.

View back from Poncione di Vespero to the ridge one just came up. (08/2013) © Marco Volken

Poncione del Vespero, seen from the east ridge (close to P. 2635). (08/2013) © Marco Volken

Route description

Pesciüm – Passo dei Sassi

From the cableway station Pesciüm follow the alp road or go cross-country towards Mottone di Comasnè (summit station of a ski lift). At a small reservoir shortly before Mottone leave the small road, hike straight on up the pasture to a small trail with faint markings and follow it to the foot of a shady rock wall. Now a slabby passage needs to be overcome. It is best to come from the left using a comfortable ledge (T4). If old snow bars the access to the ledge, you can ascend 70 metres further to the right through a grassy gully (T5–). A comfortable, yet narrow and exposed little path winds its way up through steep terrain, keeping to the left, to Passo dei Sassi (2553 m).

Passo dei Sassi – Poncione di Vespero

From Passo dei Sassi go westward on the mostly grassy ridge. A rocky stretch at P. 2635 is bypassed on the steep, also grassy south face; afterwards turn quickly back to the ridge and follow it across easy rocks to Poncione di Vespero (2718 m).

Poncione di Vespero – Passo del Narèt

From the summit go back the same route. Slightly further than P. 2635, descend on a grassy ridge south-westward into Val Marcia. (Steeper, but also feasible is the direct descent from the saddle between Vespero and P. 2635.) At the end of Val Marcia at about 2380 m a grassy ramp leads to the right (south-west) out of a rock basin. Below P. 2476 traverse into Löita dell’Inferno and search for the small trail that traverses gently ascending steep grassy and stony basins. After a terrace with coarse marble the traverse continues, steeper now, through Löita dei Camosci on a very faint path (at ca. 2450 m). As soon as the terrain becomes flatter, keep to the right and ascend through a little valley to a saddle, behind which, surprisingly, a depression stretches at the foot of Madone. Slightly west of the small lake at P. 2530 the marked trail begins, which you follow only to about 2460 m. Now branch off right to reach the distinct breach between P. 2562 and P. 2547, where you step on the ridge. Follow it southward until a grassy knoll above Passo del Narèt. The descent to the col again is on a steep grassy slope.

Passo del Narèt – Ossasco

From Passo del Narèt a comfortable white-red-white marked mountain trail leads past a former army barrack onto the beautiful valley floor of Val Torta. To the left of the creek Ri di Cristallina hike over a steep step to Alpe di Cristallina, where the hiking trail crosses the road several times, then descend, making an arc to the left, through the forest to Ossasco.

Additional information

Departure point

Pesciüm (1740 m)

Mittelstation der Seilbahn Airolo – Sasso della Boggia ( www.airolo.ch ). Gleich daneben befindet sich ein Bergrestaurant.

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Pesciüm

End point

Ossasco (Bedretto) (1313 m)

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Ossasco (Bedretto)

Time: Pesciüm – Poncione di Vespero 3 h.

Poncione di Vespero – Passo del Narèt 2 h 30 min.

Passo del Narèt – Ossasco 2 h.

Difficulty / Material: It is primarily the steep grassy slopes that require caution: for example on the ascent to Passo dei Sassi (T4), P. 2635 (T5–), at Löita dell’Inferno and Löita dei Camosci (T4) and on the stretch of the ridge before Passo del Narèt (T4). Moreover, the ridge between Passo dei Sassi and P. 2635 is occasionally exposed. It is very precarious if there is snow, wet grass or strong wind.

Waypoints

Passo dei Sassi (2553 m)

Steep passage from Airolo to Val Sambuco, with an adventurous route on the north side