Monte Catria

Start at the car park of the Fonte Avellana monastery (about 690 m) and take path 77 into the woods to the paved Fonte Avellana–Frontone road. Above it take the upper, fainter Sentiero Frassati to a grassy shelf at about 840 m, where path 69 from the Forchetta pass comes in, and turn left up the north-east spur. Below the layered limestone of Rocca Baiarda (meadows at about 1,120 m) the path crosses a very steep slope on a narrow, exposed trace, then meets the Sentiero dei Carbonai (77) at about 1,180 m and continues on 69 to the Balza del Pluviometro (about 1,285 m). The waymarks stop here: climb the open meadows on faint tracks to a dirt road at about 1,425 m, follow it right across the north side to the small stone Rifugio della Vernosa (about 1,500 m, usually closed) and its spring. The last steep, stony ramp passes a small cross dedicated to San Pier Damiani (about 1,650 m) before the summit dome and the large cross appear. Allow 3–3½ hours. For the descent, go back past the Vernosa towards the Sella dell'Infilatoio and pick up path 77, the Sentiero dei Carbonai, an old mule track that zigzags down through beech forest past charcoal-burners' platforms to the monastery in about 3 hours. The ascent path is rough in places, with easy rock steps, landslide sections and fallen trees. In fog the unmarked meadows above the Pluviometro are confusing.