Alpine Passes Trail, Stage 11/43

From alpine hut to alpine hut: first, a pleasant hike to the Passo di Gana Negra with its pitch-black rocks, green meadows and small streams. Then a steep descent and an ascent across a high plateau to the Passo delle Columbe with views of several 4000-metre peaks. Your destination is the Capanna Cadagno above lake Ritom.

The approximately 17-kilometre hike begins at Capanna Bovarina, far from public transport. The nearest stop, Camperio, Piera, is around four kilometres away. From the hut, the white-red-white waymarked mountain trail climbs steadily across open alpine pastures. After almost five kilometres, the route reaches its highest point at Passo di Gana Negra, at just over 2,400 metres.

A long descent through largely open terrain follows before the trail begins to gain height again. The surroundings now become rockier. The second ascent leads to Passo delle Columbe and then immediately past the small Lago dei Campanitt. The final section begins amid water, rock and sparse pastures.

The mountain trail descends across further alpine pastures to Capanna Cadagno. After just over six hours and around 1,200 metres of ascent in total, the hike ends here, once again far from public transport. The nearest stop, Ronco (Quinto), is around three and a half kilometres away.