Cevedale

Ascent of Cevedale from the Larcher mountain hut

We set off in the afternoon from Malga Mare (1,950 metres) to tackle the pleasant path that winds its way up through the Swiss stone pines until we reach Pian Venezia, where the vegetation ends and we can admire the splendid glacial valley crossed by the stream that carries the glacier’s meltwater down into the valley. We walk on to the peaceful Larcher mountain hut (2,608 metres), where we’ll enjoy a good dinner before turning in early.

The following morning we set off early; it is still dark outside. We walk in silence until we reach the start of the glacier. As dawn breaks, we calmly put on our crampons and rope up, so that we can begin the ascent safely. We climb slowly but steadily, to allow our bodies to acclimatise to the altitude of over 3,000 metres. We reach the saddle below the summit, where we can see rope teams climbing up from the Casati Hut, and from there it’s a short climb to the summit, where we can enjoy a stunning view that we’ve certainly earned.

We make our way back along the same route; the sun has softened the snow, so the descent is easier. We arrive at the mountain hut just in time to enjoy a hearty plate of canederli and regain our strength before heading down to the valley, tired but happy.