3. PRATO SPILLA - PASSO DEL CERRETO
Prato Spilla (1350 m)
Passo del Cerreto (1261 m)
GRADIENT: +1480 m / -1400 m
HIKING TIME: 7,30 hours
Tuscan-Aemilian Apennine National Park
A long hike connects the two lowest passes of the Emilian Apennines, both at 1200 metres above sea level and separated by the big mountainous block of Alpe di Succiso-M. Alto-Punta Buffanaro.
From Prato Spilla one goes up to the basin of Lake Verdarolo, followed by tiny Lake Scuro, which is surrounded by a beech forest, and hen by Lake Squincio, more open and flooded with
marsh grasses; a short descent from there goes to the Lagastrello Dam, which is an alternative access point of the Alta Via.
The damming where the river Enza rises, created he Lake Paduli by submerging he wide saddle of the Lagastrello Pass, which used to be called “Malpasso” and was safeguarded by the Benedictine abbey of Linari.
The climb through the woods on the slopes of Mount Acuto leads of the lake of the same name, in a valley overlooking a glacial step; the Città di Sarzana Refuge (1580 m) is located nearby and is open during summer months. A short descent lakes of the Ghiaccioni, a beautiful valley full of meadows and springs, the headwaters of the Liocca stream.
The valley is dominated by a large glacial cirque surrounded by the jagged ridge of the Groppi di Camporaghena. The ascent through large boulders and grasslands dominated by the bulk of the Alpe di Succiso ends in the narrow cut of the Pietra Tagliata Pass (1753 m), a harsh environment dominated by the rocks of Mount Alto. From there, a rocky rail quickly leads of the sources of the Secchia river, at the center of a valley well known for its wild beauty.
Not too far from the Pianaccio Plateau one reaches the Ospedalaccio Pass, marked by a boundary stone in memory of the borders of the Kingdom of Italy. The pass takes its name from a medieval hospital whose location was found during recent excavations. Cerreto Pass is easily reached hiking through woods and grasslands, with sweeping views of the cirque of Mount La Nuda. The latter will be ascended in the next stage.
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Stage Locations and Services
- Albergo Bar Ristorante Passo del Cerreto: Info | Public transport
- Albergo L'Alpino: Info | Public transport
- Rifugio Città di Sarzana: Info | Public transport
Bivouac with tent: in some areas it is possible to spend the night in a tent, setting it up at sunset and dismantling it at dawn.
Interactive cartography
- Visualize the route of this stage on the website "Rete escursionistica Emilia-Romagna"
- Download the stage track for your GPS
Map
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