Pizzo di Claro

2,727 m

Switzerland

Also known as პიცო-დი-კლარო, Pizzo di Claro / Visagno

პიცო-დი-კლარო · Pizzo di Claro / Visagno

Elevation: 2,727 m
Prominence: 361 m
Difficulty: 3/10; Mountain hike
Best Season: Jul–Sep
Routes: 1

Routes

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SACT3HikeNormal route

Sources differ: T3+ (hikr.org (2001 report, search summary)) · T4 (komoot; hikr.org (1998 report, search summary))

The usual ascent of Bellinzona's landmark summit: by cable car from Lumino to Monti di Saurù (1,308 m), on the Sentiero delle Sculture to Capanna Brogoldone (1,910 m), then over grassy slopes to the Passo di Mem and up faint, cairned paths and a gully to the summit. About 1,420 m of ascent; 5 hours up from the cable car.

Elevation Profile

approximate line

Distance: 8.5 km; one way
Ascent: +1,515 m; −97 m lost on the way up
High Point: 2,727 m
Time Up: 6h 19m; DIN 33466
Time Down: 4h 25m; DIN 33466 · same way back

Take the cable car from Lumino (about 270 m, bus stop and car park) to Monti di Saurù (1,308 m), a ride of just over 12 minutes. The comfortable Sentiero delle Sculture, lined with carved wooden sculptures, climbs via Alpe Domàs to Capanna Brogoldone (1,910 m) in about 2 hours (T2). The hut can also be reached by car from Claro to Maruso (toll barrier) or on foot from Claro or Lumino. From the hut climb the grassy slopes to the north; after about 100 m the path fades but is marked with posts. Stay on the Ticino side of the ridge, below point 2,252, to the Passo di Mem (2,192 m; formerly Passo Gagèrn). Beyond the pass, less distinct paths lead to a fork at about 2,380 m: the direct right-hand line crosses a boulder field on a faint trail to an obvious gully, which you climb until you meet the clearer, white-blue-white marked normal path from Val Calanca on the east flank, followed to the top. The true summit (2,727 m) comes first; the fore-summit 7 m lower, with two crosses, lies a little further along the ridge. Allow about 3 hours from the hut. Descend the same way, or loop down past Lago di Canee and Alpe di Canee to Alpe Domàs (T3, faint path). After the hut there is no reliable water until a small stream in the summit gully, which dries up once the snow has gone. The white-marked Cresta di Lumino (Via Lumino) on the south-west ridge is a harder alternative (T4+, a few moves of II).

Start

Monti Saurù1,307 m

Funivia Lumino – Monti di Saurù (summer and winter service; timetable on funiviapizzodiclaro.weebly.com)
Train to Bellinzona, PostBus to Lumino Paese, then the Lumino–Monti di Saurù cable car.

Stages

Day	Stage	km	m ascent	m descent	Time
1	Monti Saurù → Pizzo di Claro	8.5	1,515	97	6h 19m

Waypoints

Lift:
Monti Saurù1,307 m
Feature:
Alpe Domàs1,653 m
Fountain
Hut:
Capanna Brogoldone1,904 m
Col:
Passo di Mem2,192 m
Summit:
Pizzo di Claro2,727 m

Key Passages

Pole-marked grassy slopes to the Passo di Mem
Boulder field and gully above the 2,380 m fork
Late snow in the summit gully

Equipment

0/5 packed

Footwear

Hiking boots with good gripboulder field and gullyRequired

Clothing

Windproof and warm layersRequired

Navigation

Map or GPSfaint paths in open terrain above the hutRecommended

Other

Waterno water between the hut and the summit gullyRequired
Trekking polesabout 2,450 m of descent if walking down to LuminoRecommended

Downloads

Route confidence 75%

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Overview

Pizzo di Claro (2,727 m), also called Visagno, is the summit that towers almost 2,500 m above Bellinzona and the Riviera valley. A long, unglaciated mountain walk from the Lumino cable car via the welcoming Capanna Brogoldone, with faint paths and a boulder gully near the top.

Pizzo di Claro rises at the southern end of the Adula group, on the border between Ticino and the Val Calanca in Graubünden, directly above the villages of Claro and Lumino. Rising almost 2,500 m above the valley floor, it is the landmark peak of Bellinzona. The summit ridge has a true top at 2,727 m and, 7 m lower, a fore-summit with two crosses looking down on the town.

The usual ascent is a long day or, better, an overnight at Capanna Brogoldone (1,910 m), a former alp converted by volunteers and opened in 1998. A cable car from Lumino to Monti di Saurù removes the first 1,000 m. Above the hut the paths are faint and sparsely marked, and the final section crosses boulders and a gully; the route is unglaciated and technically easy in summer, but navigation needs care in cloud.

From the east a marked path climbs from Arvigo in Val Calanca, and the south-west ridge (Cresta di Lumino) offers a harder scramble. A loop past the small Lago di Canee is a common descent.

Climbing Notes

From the top of the Lumino cable car allow about 5 hours up (2 hours to Capanna Brogoldone, 3 hours to the summit) and plan to spend the night at the hut or catch a late cable car. Sure-footedness is needed in the boulder field and gully (T3; some rate it T4). Carry enough water from the hut: there is no water above it except a snowmelt stream in the summit gully. Snow can linger in the gully into early summer. The Ticino side is hot in midsummer; start early. Walking the whole climb from Claro or Lumino involves about 2,450 m of ascent and suits only very fit hikers.

History

Capanna Brogoldone was created from old alp buildings by volunteers between 1995 and 1998. No information on the first ascent was found.

Season

Best Jul–Sep

January: Possible
February: Possible
March: Possible
April: Possible
May: Possible
June: Good
July: Best (best window)
August: Best (best window)
September: Best (best window)
October: Good
November: Possible
December: Possible

Jan: Ski tour or winter ascent for experienced parties only
Mar: Spring ski tours from Val Calanca
Apr: Snow above the hut
May: Hut staffed from mid-May; snow in the upper section
Jun: Old snow in the summit gully
Jul: Hot low down; afternoon storms
Aug: Summit gully stream may be dry
Sep: Stable weather; clear views
Oct: Hut staffed until the end of October; short days
Nov: First snow

Access & Permits

Hut Booking

Capanna Brogoldone (57 beds, 6 in the winter room) is staffed from mid-May to the end of October; book directly with the hut (brogoldone.ch).

Fees

Toll barrier on the road from Claro to Maruso (CHF 5, reported in 2010)
Cable-car fare Lumino–Monti di Saurù

Getting There

Bellinzona

Lugano (LUG); Milan Malpensa (MXP)

Train to Bellinzona, PostBus to Lumino Paese, cable car Lumino–Monti di Saurù (about 12 minutes)
Car parking for cable-car users at Lumino
By car from Claro to Maruso (toll road), then on foot to Alpe Domàs and the hut
Val Calanca side: PostBus to Arvigo

Hazards

Weather
Rockfall

Huts & Shelters

Capanna BrogoldoneHutStaffed
57 beds · Staffed mid-May to end of October; 6 places open in winter
1,910 m