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Monte Renoso

2,352 m

France

Also known as Monte Rinosu

Monte Rinosu

Elevation
2,352 m
Prominence
1,189 m
Difficulty
2/10
Hike
Best Season
Jun–Sep
Routes
1

Routes

1
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SACT2HikeNormal route

Sources differ: Ski: PD- (Camptocamp)

The short way up the Monte Renoso: about 770 m of ascent from the Capannelle ski area (about 1,590–1,640 m) up a ski run, across the Pizzolu plateau and over the moraine to the glacial Lac de Bastani (2,092 m), then up to the ridge below Punta Bacinellu and south along it to the summit cross. About 2½–3 hours up, 2 hours down.

Elevation Profile

1,5001,7502,0002,2502,5000 km1234Punta Bacinello
Distance
4.4 km
one way
Ascent
+758 m
start → summit
High Point
2,352 m
Time Up
3h 05m
DIN 33466
Time Down
2h 04m
DIN 33466 · same way back

Drive from Ghisoni along the D69 towards the Col de Verde and turn onto the D169 to the small Ghisoni-Capannelle ski area, where the road ends (about 1,586–1,640 m; the GR 20 passes the gîte here). Head south-west under the Pietra Niella ski lift on a zigzag path to the top of a spur (1,725 m, 30 minutes), then turn west up a broad ridge to the grassy Pizzolu plateau (about 1,890 m, 1 hour), where a small spring rises among alders. Continue south-west alongside and then over the moraine of the Lac de Bastani, reaching the lake (2,092 m) after about 1¾ hours. The path, marked with cairns, climbs above the west side of the lake to the main ridge at about 2,200 m just below Punta Bacinellu; there may be no clear path here, but the ground is easy. Follow the broad, bouldery ridge south-south-east to the summit (2,352 m), which carries a cross with a telecommunications relay nearby, in about 2½–3 hours from the car. Return the same way in about 2 hours. A harder variant descends the steep north-east ridge to the col between the Bastani and Niellucciu lakes and continues off-trail to the Tragetta sheepfolds and the GR 20 (about 1 hour more; for experienced walkers only), and a long loop continues south along the ridge via Punta Orlandino and the Col de Pruno to the Pozzi sheepfolds. The massif is very exposed to west and south-west winds, and fog can make the broad summit ridge confusing.

Start

Capannelle1,588 m

  • No public transport to Capannelle was confirmed.
  • Parking at the trailhead

Stages

DayStagekmm ascentm descentTime
1Capannelle → Monte Renoso4.475803h 05m

Waypoints

  1. Parking:
    Capannelle1,588 m

    Road end at the ski area; gîte on the GR 20

  2. Feature:
    Lac de Bastani2,089 m
  3. Shoulder:
    Punta Bacinello2,245 m

    Join the main ridge just below this top, at about 2,200 m

  4. Summit:
    Monte Renoso2,352 m

Key Passages

  • Steep start up the Pietra Niella ski run
  • Moraine above the Lac de Bastani
  • Broad bouldery ridge from Punta Bacinello to the summit

Equipment

0/5 packed
Technical
Footwear
Clothing
Navigation
Other

Downloads

Route confidence 80%
Download GPXDownload KML

Overview

A broad, rounded summit (2,352 m) at the heart of the mountains south of Vizzavona, above Ghisoni and Bastelica. From the Capannelle ski area a cairned path passes the glacial Lac de Bastani to a bouldery ridge and the summit cross: an easy half-day in summer, a classic ski and snowshoe objective in late winter.

Monte Renoso (Monte Rinosu in Corsican) is the high point of the Renoso massif, the block of mountains between the Vizzavona pass and the Col de Verde to the north and the Prunelli valley and Bastelica to the west. With nearly 1,200 m of prominence it is one of the main summits of the island's southern half. Its top is a massive, rounded dome of boulders and scree rather than a rocky spire, ringed by glacial lakes: Bastani below the north-west ridge, Niellucciu to the north-east and Vitalaca to the south-west.

Because the road to the small Ghisoni-Capannelle ski area climbs to about 1,600 m, the usual ascent is short: about 770 m and 2½–3 hours up by the Pizzolu plateau and the Lac de Bastani, with no technical difficulty beyond a steep start and some boulder-hopping on the ridge. The summit, with a cross and a relay mast nearby, looks over much of Corsica, from Monte d'Oro and Monte Rotondo to the southern mountains. Longer loops continue along the ridge to Punta Orlandino and the Col de Pruno, or start low from Bastelica.

The massif catches snow well and is a favourite late-winter ski-touring and snowshoe area, but it is also very exposed to westerly gales, and fog can make the broad summit ridge confusing.

Climbing Notes

In summer this is a straightforward half-day walk for anyone used to mountain paths: allow 4–5 hours round trip from Capannelle plus breaks. The only real hazards are weather-related: strong west and south-west winds on the plateau, sudden fog, and afternoon storms in summer. Carry water (there is only a small spring at Pizzolu), warm and windproof clothing and a map or GPS. Snowfields can linger into late spring; in winter and spring the mountain is a ski-touring and snowshoeing objective, where wind-hardened snow may call for crampons and an ice axe. A gîte at Capannelle on the GR 20 allows an overnight stay before an early start.

Season

Best Jun–Sep
  1. January: Possible
  2. February: Possible
  3. March: Good
  4. April: Possible
  5. May: Possible
  6. June: Best (best window)
  7. July: Best (best window)
  8. August: Best (best window)
  9. September: Best (best window)
  10. October: Good
  11. November: Possible
  12. December: Possible
Jan
Winter; ski-touring and snowshoeing, wind-hardened snow
Feb
Ski-touring and snowshoeing
Mar
Late-winter ski-touring season
Apr
Spring snow; avalanche risk on steeper slopes
May
Snowfields linger near the lake and ridge
Jun
Usually snow-free by mid-June; lakes at their best
Jul
Main walking season; afternoon storms possible
Aug
Main walking season
Oct
Cooler; first snow possible late in the month
Nov
Early snow and strong winds
Dec
Winter conditions

Access & Permits

Hut Booking
Gîte accommodation at Capannelle is on the GR 20; book ahead in the GR 20 season.
Getting There

Ghisoni; Bastelica

Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte (AJA); Bastia Poretta (BIA)

  • Car: from Ghisoni take the D69 towards the Col de Verde, then at the Pont de Gasso the D169 to the Ghisoni-Capannelle ski area (road end, about 1,590–1,640 m); the road is cleared of snow in winter
  • From Bastelica: the Fontaine de Verga car park (877 m), 2 km east of the village, for the long loop via the Lac de Vitalaca
  • No public transport to Capannelle was confirmed

Hazards

  • Weather
  • Avalanche

Huts & Shelters

1

  • CapannelleHut

    1,586 m
Researched from 7 sourcesConfidence81%UnreviewedUpdated 8 Oct 2026
Sources & Caveats
  • merged with Wikidata/OSM names
  • Natural Earth 10m point-in-polygon + 300 m border buffer; Wikidata P17 countries whose border is within 5 km
  • The Ghisoni commune page gives 2,357 m for the summit; the skeleton, OSM and Camptocamp give 2,352 m.; Accommodation at Capannelle (Camptocamp lists the Refuge d'E Capannelle and the Gîte 'U Fugone') was not checked for current season, capacity or booking; it is listed under the start-point name so it links to the route.; No first-ascent information was found; the summit was certainly visited by local shepherds long before records.; Seasonal ratings are inferred from route descriptions (late-winter ski area, lingering snowfields) rather than a dedicated source.; Parc naturel régional de Corse
  • normalizeGrade of the easiest researched route
  • OSM agrees
  • coordinates: 1 approx
  • Kirmse analysis gives 1188 m (raw GLO-30 1180 m)
  • P4552 chain
  • 100% OSM trail graph, 0% short gaps between OSM fragments, 0% DEM least-cost, 0% straight (approx)
  • elevation from copernicus_glo30