Monte Cimone
2,165 m
Italy
Also known as mont Cimone, Чимоне (гора)Also known as
mont Cimone · Чимоне (гора)
- Elevation
- 2,165 m
- Prominence
- 1,577 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 7 Sep 2026
Cimone Sci listed all summer lifts, including the Passo del Lupo – Pian Cavallaro chairlift and the Pian del Falco – Passo del Lupo shuttle, as closed for the season from early September 2026. The ascent from Lago della Ninfa is on foot until the winter ski season.
cimonesci.it
Routes
1Sources differ: E (CAI scale) (Comune di Sestola local trail 11 (omnib.it)) · EE (CAI scale) (escursionista.org)
The standard summer walk: about 4.5 km and 670 m of ascent from Rifugio Ninfa at Lago della Ninfa, up through beech wood and the Cimone ski area to the Cresta del Gallo, Salto della Capra and Pian Cavallaro, then the last 290 m to the summit observatory. About 2.5 hours up; the summer lift to Pian Cavallaro shortens it to 2 hours.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 4.2 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +682 m
- −57 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 2,165 m
- Time Up
- 2h 55m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 05m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car park at Lago della Ninfa (about 1,500 m), above Sestola, the path (CAI 449, also signed as Sestola local trail 11) climbs through beech woods with old charcoal-burning platforms to a ridge, then reaches Belladonna, where two chairlifts arrive. It follows the ski-area service track towards the Pianone hollow and then climbs a steep ridge path to the Cresta del Gallo, passing the sandstone block of Salto della Capra (1,824 m) before crossing the Air Force road and arriving at Pian Cavallaro (about 1,880 m), with its hut and lift stations. From Pian Cavallaro the 'Sentiero dell'Atmosfera' covers the last 287 m to the summit, with information boards on meteorology and climate. There are two options: a short, steep direct line, or the old mule track to the right, longer but easier. The summit is occupied by the Italian Air Force weather station, the CNR 'Ottavio Vittori' climate observatory, antennas and a small chapel to the Madonna delle Nevi; the installations are fenced, but walkers can reach the top. Allow about 2.5 hours up from Lago della Ninfa and a little less in descent; local sources rate the walk E (sometimes EE) and call it demanding because of the steepness and the exposure to weather above the trees. In summer the lift from Passo del Lupo to Pian Cavallaro (check cimonesci.it) leaves only the final section. The paved Air Force road from Lago della Ninfa to Pian Cavallaro is closed to traffic by a barrier but can be used as an easier descent. The route is not recommended in winter, when the ridge is wind-blasted and icy.
Start
Rifugio Ninfa1,541 m
- Seggiovia del Cimone, Passo del Lupo – Pian Cavallaro (summer only; replaced the former cable car)
- Regional buses reach Sestola; in summer a chairlift from Sestola to Pian del Falco and a shuttle to Passo del Lupo connect with the lift to Pian Cavallaro (check cimonesci.it for dates).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rifugio Ninfa → Monte Cimone | 4.2 | 682 | 57 | 2h 55m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Rifugio Ninfa1,541 m
Car park at Lago della Ninfa; road from Sestola via Pian del Falco and Passo del Lupo
- Feature: Belladonna1,575 m
Top stations of the Lago and Lamaccione chairlifts
- Feature: Salto della Capra1,817 m
On the Cresta del Gallo ridge
- Hut: Rifugio Pian Cavallaro1,868 m
Top station of the summer lift from Passo del Lupo; start of the Sentiero dell'Atmosfera
- Summit: Monte Cimone2,165 m
Key Passages
- Steep path up the Cresta del Gallo past Salto della Capra
- Final 287 m from Pian Cavallaro (direct line or old mule track)
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
The highest summit of the northern Apennines and of Emilia-Romagna (2,165 m), a broad sandstone dome above Sestola crowned by a climate observatory and Air Force station, reached by a short, steep walk from Lago della Ninfa or by lift and an hour on foot.
Monte Cimone rises at the head of the Modena Apennines, on the boundary of the comuni of Fiumalbo, Sestola, Fanano and Riolunato, inside the Frignano regional park. With 1,577 m of prominence and no higher ground for 168 km, it gives one of the widest views in the Apennines: on clear days across the Po plain to the Alps and, sources say, to both the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas.
It is not a wild summit. The north and east flanks carry the Cimone ski area, the largest in the northern Apennines, and the top is occupied by an Italian Air Force meteorological station, the CNR 'Ottavio Vittori' climate observatory, antennas and a small chapel. Walkers can nevertheless reach the summit freely, and in summer it is a popular objective from Sestola and Fanano.
The usual ascent starts from Lago della Ninfa at about 1,500 m and climbs 670 m past the Cresta del Gallo and Pian Cavallaro. In summer a lift from Passo del Lupo to Pian Cavallaro leaves only the final 287 m. Longer approaches come from Fanano past the small lakes below Monte Cimoncino, and along the main Apennine ridge path (00) from Lago Scaffaiolo.
Climbing Notes
In summer this is a straightforward half-day walk for anyone used to hill paths: about 9 km and 670 m of ascent for the round trip from Lago della Ninfa, with a few steep and stony sections. The summit is fully exposed; strong wind is common even on calm-looking days, and afternoon thunderstorms are frequent in early summer and from mid-August. July is statistically the most stable month.
Using the summer lift from Passo del Lupo to Pian Cavallaro reduces the walk to about an hour up. Check lift dates on cimonesci.it, as they run only in the main summer weeks and some September weekends. In winter the summit is above an active ski area; it is climbed on touring skis or with crampons, and the Air Force road and summit ridge can be icy. Sestola and Fanano are the natural bases, with hotels and huts at Passo del Lupo, Lago della Ninfa and Pian Cavallaro.
History
The first recorded ascent was made in 1569 by Count Guidinello Montecuccoli. During the Second World War the Germans installed a radar station and an anti-aircraft battery on the summit; in the Cold War access was forbidden because of the military installation built inside the mountain, and a US Air Force communications relay operated there until it was removed in 2008. Weather records from the summit station go back to 1935, and the CNR observatory is a reference station for atmospheric research. In the early years of the base, porters carried supplies on foot from Sestola to the summit, a history commemorated by the 'Sentiero dei Portatori'.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Good
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Winter conditions; ski touring or crampons only; ski area operating
- Feb
- Winter conditions; coldest month on the summit
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Snow cover usually persists; ski season ends mid-April
- May
- Snow patches; unsettled afternoons
- Jun
- Afternoon instability common
- Jul
- Most stable month; summer lifts running
- Aug
- Busy; storms more frequent from mid-August
- Sep
- Quieter; lifts only on some weekends
- Oct
- Wettest month on the summit; first snow possible
- Nov
- Early snow and ice
- Dec
- Winter conditions; ski area opens
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- No hut is needed for a day ascent. Rifugio Ninfa and Rifugio Pian Cavallaro offer food in summer; book directly if staying.
- Fees
- Summer lift fares for the Passo del Lupo – Pian Cavallaro lift
- A winter road toll has been reported on the road to Lago della Ninfa
- Rules
- The summit installations (Air Force and CNR) are fenced military and research areas; stay on the paths
- The Air Force road from Lago della Ninfa to Pian Cavallaro is closed to private vehicles by a barrier
- Frignano regional park rules apply on the Cimone massif
- Getting There
Sestola; also Fanano and Fiumalbo
Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ)
- By car: from Modena to Sestola, then follow signs for Pian del Falco, Passo del Lupo and Lago della Ninfa
- Regional buses connect Modena with Sestola and Fanano
- Summer only: chairlift from Sestola to Pian del Falco, shuttle bus to Passo del Lupo and lift to Pian Cavallaro (dates on cimonesci.it, tel. 0536 62350)
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
2- 1,500 m
Rifugio NinfaHut
Summer (reported open June–September); also winter as a ski-area refuge
- 1,880 m
Rifugio Pian CavallaroHut
Opening periods not confirmed