Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (descent)

I run Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral descent for most of the time repeating the same trail from where I went up. Sometimes I go down from higher Rifugio Brioschi, Comolli, other from Pialeral, Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral, or go through only a part from Alpe Cova, Cornisella.

I go down from the plan of Pialeral at 1430 meters paying attention to the steep slippery descent of small stones, gravel and horizontal trunks, and more quickly going along Costa through Rifugio Antonietta, the yellow restored mountain hut, the shaft that prevents the car passage up to the concrete downhill, the little lake is already there.
I slow down the pace along the dirt road, if I'm thirsty I drink, now in plan I look at Cascina Cova to 1300 meters, I know that in short will be a memory.

I run along the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova in part shade, in winter sometimes snow ends here as the cool on the summer hot days, after the wooden hut I leave the road at the hairpin for the short but steep section of the trail, on concrete I read 1980.
I go on in level overcoming the two huts, arriving shortly at the junction that right after the hunting fixed stakeout lead to the woods and the steep descent. A look at the fountain at the hairpin, if I'm thirsty I drink again, then straight in the shadow and the best part is over but there is still Cornisella. After Baita La Riva the steep descent to the compression of Cold Water Bridge and the small ascent at Acquafredda for Cornisella along the road that sometimes you feel in legs and breath.

I'm at Cornisella 1050 meters, after 20, 25 minutes from Pialeral, I stop at the small Church of the Alpini Maria Regina Pacis for a sip at the fountain and down goodbye.
Here the hut in stone of Cornisella low, and move! down into the woods, watch out to bumpy trail up to the bend of Monteno, down left for the huts and in short I'm on the two bridges on Torrente Cariola, the Our Lady of the Rosary still sees me go.
Here in the summer the heat is felt, now you just have the trail by large cobbles, a little attention and I arrive at the small gate of villa Pozzi and to the houses of Via Cantellone in Pasturo, forty-five minutes after departure if I hurry otherwise an hour.

Grignone a farewell hoping is good bye.

Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral

Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral is a trail of Grignone, ie Grigna Settentrionale, or in another way on the Mounts of Pasturo, between 650 meters of Pasturo and 1430 meters at Pialeral passing through Cornisella and Alpe Cova. The itinerary has no difficulty, is in fact largely a wide track, often in the shade, the trail time is one hour and a half walking. It's popular in every season, trek in part or entirely.

Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral has been marked in the past by Club Alpino Italiano, with number 33 that is Sentiero 33 Pasturo - Pialeral, first part, almost half, of the path leading from Pasturo to Rifugio Brioschi and the top of the mountain is just above the refuge at 2409 meters, the highest point of Grigne. From Pialeral the path continues as Sentiero Pialeral - Rifugio Brioschi. Many walkers fit into the trail at Alpe Cova by Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Pialeral, number 31 of CAI, shortest way to reach Pialeral and for someone continue to Rifugio Brioschi.
The path Pasturo - Pialeral despite being one of the main of the mountain is not marked by Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community running Regional Park of the Northern Grigna. There are anyway many signs while not homogeneous among them, the old yellow trail tables by CAI as vertical signage, and those horizontal red and yellow paint now faded and in the middle 33, many wooden signs recent that always say Pialeral, Pedalling in the Park tables, you can not truly miss.

At Pasturo in Via Alessandro Manzoni taking Via Cantellone you start the trail where, near the corner at the top on a stone wall under the street sign, two big brown arrow signs say Northern Grigna and Pialeral, and the horizontal marker 33 is on a wall. Past the last houses and coasting the garden wall of the house Pozzi, you take the cobbled trail uphill along Torrente Cariola with white railings, it leaves the stream immediately turning right along a villa.
You can also start along Torrente Cariola for a dirt path avoiding Via Cantellone there is a wooden arrow Pialeral Brioschi, from Via San Calimero a hundred meters ahead in the direction of the town center with indications such as in Via Cantellone, from Via Grigna without sign; Via San Calimero joins to Via Grigna and the last one with a mule track crosses that of Via Cantellone.
After the intersection of two paths, on the right the house in Via Grigna 30, in a shady stretch a sign of falling rocks and with a sharp and steep bend to the left with over a hut with a sloping roof it is in sight of Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary at 739 meters high, a path to the right to Baiedo. After the chapel another mountain hut and a fountain where it crosses Torrente Cariola.
It exceeds the stream and a little valley with moderate slope westward reaching the houses of Monteno, a group on the left inside and right a yellow cabin oldest. Here a steep cemented section leads to intersection with the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova accessible only by authorized vehicles. Passed the bend of the road the path turns right, it says Monteno 850 meters on a Pedalando nel Parco table and two entries Pialeral Brioschi on a wood arrow, also a large sign ban on driving for motorcycles.

The cemented mule rises very steep with some serpentine to pave at view of a meadow on the left topped with a white hut and a baitello (small hut) a little lower on the right where you see the sunny side of Grignone. You enter into a dense forest to get out ten minutes later to a big stone hut overlooking on the left meadows and high-tension wires. Following the row of small trees at left of the trail you arrive soon at the intersection with Strada Pasturo - Alpe Cova where there is the Church of the Alpini Maria Regina Pacis and a fountain with its precious water. It has traveled Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral in its first stretch from Pasturo to Cornisella.

At the crossroads many signs and a trail marker by CAI indicates Pialeral Northern Grigna Rifugio Brioschi to the road, the location table by Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Comunity says Cornisella 1050 meters, while an horizontal trail marker 33 appears faded on a wall next to the small church. You continue for about 500 meters along the agro-forestry-pastoral road Pasturo - Alpe Cova going down to Acquafredda and Cold Water Bridge over Torrente Cornisella, a fountain has good water. You start to breathe the air of Grignone, fatigue and sweat give way to happiness and the joy of heart for this second part of Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral from Cornisella to Alpe Cova, to the dear places of Alpe Cova and Pialeral.

After the bridge it bends sharply to the right following a sign Rifugio "Antonietta" Pialeral No Car Pedestrians Only 45 minutes. Soon a steep climb in concrete and some serpentine, after a bend to the right, the bottom now of pebbles, it goes along La Riva cabin m. 1125 and going up with more gently sloping in the shade of pine trees you reach a fountain at a right-bend. You climb now in a forest of beech and fir on a concrete bottom to arrive at a fixed hunting stakeout and meadows with views of Grignone.
A blue sign indicates Brioschi Pialeral left, I'm at 1200 meters altitude, the climb is almost finished by now you will go up more gently to the west and I can enjoy the view of Altopiano Valsassina and its mountains. The view of the Alpe Cova and Costa Reor opens where there are two cabins, a recent under the path that I'm walking, and an older well-maintained just above. After a stone fountain, and finally on a rock 33, with a steeper stretch you out on the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova.

In the short stretch that precedes the arrival at Alpe Cova I have time to think about myself, about what pushes to come up here and more in general to the man and the mountain, to the destination that soon will open, and the thoughts of all days seem so far away, that in the small delirium appears Alpe Cova preceded by its sign of danger cows: the first house in stone, the small center downhill with the huts, the wooden structure of the old Agriturismo Aliber and the little lake with the Grignetta.
Returned to me, I taste the water at the long stone trough, sometimes I stop in the shade to 1300 meters at Alpe Cova or I climb along the Coast leading to Pialeral. I watch Grignone, often meeting with other hikers who prefer Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Pialeral faster, or some few, from Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Pialeral, someone go up, others down. At the crosstrails I give a quick glance at the long wooden sign Rifugio "Antonietta" Pialeral mt 1400 10 minutes, to the smaller one Rifugio Brioschi and at the two yellow trail tables, on a pointed stone two horizontal trail markers 31 and 33.
I go up the track of concrete, I overcome the barrier of the road and I dream again at the yellow hut recently renovated before the 1400 meters of Rifugio Antonietta al (at) Pialeral and of the other huts.

The last climb on slippery bottom helped by horizontal trunks leads to the plan of Pialeral, or Pialeràl, where signs mark upward the Summer route and Winter route to Rifugio Brioschi 2.30, on the right Traversata Bassa San Calimero 1 hour Rifugio Riva 2 hours.
But I go left, drinking my last water in a watering hole by pressing the button and I stop in one of the five wooden picnic tables in the large meadow at the bottom of Foppa del Ger where there was Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral m. 1428.
A short rest and return.

Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral

Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral, also Rifugio Mario Tedeschi, Rifugio Tedeschi, has been a refuge on Grignone at Pasturo in Valsassina to 1,428 meters high in place Pialeral, belonged to Società Escursionisti Milanesi (SEM), Milanesi Hikers Company.
The refuge was destroyed by an avalanche from the top of Grignone and fell down in Foppa del Ger a valley of the mountain, in the night between 30 and 31 January 1986; fortunately the refuge was empty and there were no casualties.

The refuge was born as an extension of Capanna Pialeral built in 1910 in an enchanting location, in a meadow in plan, an alpine pasture, with perfect view of Grignone, in front as from a balcony Alpe Cova and in the distance Valsassina. It was a landmark for Grignone in the slope of Pasturo, base for the ascent to Rifugio Luigi Brioschi on the top of the mountain, about a thousand meters above, and for many other excursions.
Destroyed in 1944 by the Nazi-fascists was re-built after the war.
It was dedicated to Mario Tedeschi, president of CAI Section of Milan between 1910 and 1912, promoter of a popular mountaineering.

Rifugio Mario Tedeschi was a large two-story building, consists of a ground floor with terrace, first floor and attic one.
At Pialeral of the refuge remains:

• a small wall high about a foot and long about ten meters, that is its base facing downstream
• a red plaque Club Alpino Italiano Sez. S.E.M. Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral m. 1428, attached to the small wall
• a plaque in the gray metal of the size of about one meter for fifty centimeters with the dedication of the building, probably still Capanna Pialeral, by Società Escursionisti Milanesi July 17th, 1921. It fixed on a rock next to the signage of the trails, behind a tall green pole waves the Italian flag

In plaque at the center a naked woman standing on a mountain top with hands raised holding a row of flowers. On the four edges of the plate engraved flowers, in the upper edge the pick ax and down its toe cap. On both sides of the woman a number of names, on the left between the belly and her feet:

    Barbieri Aldo
    Barbieri Mario
    Cameroni Ugo
    Castiglioni Pietro
    Clerici Cornelio
    Corradini Carlo
    Cova Nemo
    Donini Lamberto
    Fantaguzzi Olimpio
    Lavezzi Carlo
    Lucchini Pietro

On the right of the woman:

    Mariani Ettore
    Mazzolari Osvaldo
    Moreo Arnaldo
    Piazza Edilio
    Rimoldi Salvatore
    Sgolmin Emilio
    Scattolin Aldo
    Tadini Domenico
    Zanini Adriano
    Zoja Pietro
    Zoppis Giuseppe

Under the woman and the mountain:
La Società Escursionisti Milanesi consacra ai maschi compagni morti per l'Italia queste mure ospitali, Milanesi Hikers Company consacres to male comrades dead for Italy these hospitable walls
XVII Luglio MCMXXI, luglio is July.

The refuge after the avalanche has not been built anymore, in its position a large lawn equipped with wooden picnic tables.
The place of Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral was taken by a mountain hut below became first Rifugio Pialeral and now Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral.

1. Società Escursionisti Milanesi, caisem.org

Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral

Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral, also referred to as Rifugio "Antonietta" al Pialeral or Rifugio Antonietta, is a refuge on Grignone at Pasturo in Valsassina to about 1,400 meters of height in Località Costa of Pialeral. The refuge is located about halfway between Pasturo and Rifugio Luigi Brioschi which is few meters below the summit of Northern Grigna, easily reached by many trails.

Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral's manager is Dario Pensa, Refuge Telephone: 0341 955462, Home Phone: 035 4517465, Mobile Telephone: 338 3154374, Website: http://www.rifugioantonietta.it.
The refuge is open for 2015 every day in July, August, until 13 September and weekends.

The trails to Rifugio Antonietta are Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral less than two hours walk uphill, Sentiero Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Pialeral about two hours, Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Pialeral one hour; just above the refuge Sentiero Pialeral - Rifugio Brioschi (summer and winter trail) two hours or two hours and a half, Sentiero Traversata Bassa Pialeral - San Calimero - Rifugio Riva one hour and a half, for cyclists Pedalling in the Park's signs.
You arrive uphill at the shelter on the mule track partially cemented along the coast of the mountain among other huts as continuation of the agro-forestry-pastoral Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova ten minutes from Alpe Cova, the trails here have common trait.

On arrival at refuge along the road a great beech and with a few steps leads to the outside of the shelter, a wooden sign between ivy tells Rifugio "Antonietta" al Pialeral met in 1400, under a flower bed with flowers of different species indicated by their name, under the beech a small Christ on the cross. On a long table and two benches on the sides you can stand either the refuge is open or closed.
Hanging on a cabin bordering the refuge an an educational panel by Regional Park of the Northern Grigna and Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community, in a tourist project that originated from Geosites of Insubria, the second of the Path geological-paleontological of Pialeral. The title is Pialeral: i pesci dello Scudo (Pialeral: the fishes of the Shield) and showing fossils found on Grigna dating back about 235 million years ago.
A few meters further well-visible a wooden sign which points Sentiero Scaccabarozzi San Calimero hours 1 Rifugio Riva hours 2 Can not bike, is a path that connects to Traversata Bassa.
A fountain of rain water is just at the entrance door and entering into a small space always open that makes as bivouac in case of need. On the facade to the road a fresco of three meters by two of St. George slaying the dragon.

Rifugio Antonietta is a two-storey building can accommodate up to 35 people, of which twenty-two in a large room and the rest in three bedrooms.
Getting in a bench with the cash and behind the kitchen, on the right a small room to eat, many memories of the place and the mountain also vintage are on the walls. A large and beautiful terrace adorned with red flowers with views of the Valsassina and its Plateau is the place to eat on wooden tables in the beautiful summer days.
The cuisine is homemade with products primarily of the area. The main dishes are those of the mountains as pizzoccheri, vegetable soup and polenta, polenta of cheeses, polenta overcooked, and other typical, apple pie.

Rifugio Antonietta point of support of the place replaced Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral destroyed by an avalanche on January 31, 1986 in the great plan of Pialeral at the end of Foppa del Ger just above the current. Pialeral remained without its reference, the mountain hut Innocente of Antonietta Pensa became first base for the mountain rescue and then Rifugio Pialeral that over time was enlarged.
Since the 2000s Rifugio Pialeral or Rifugio "Pialeral" became Rifugio Antonietta, there are still around the mountains signs with the old name. The refuge is now managed by Dario son of Antonietta.

I stopped a few times at Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral, to eat a slice of cake or a quick meal on the terrace watching the valley before the descent.

1. Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral, rifugioantonietta.it

Pialeral

Pialeral, also Pialeràl, is a place in between 1350 meters and 1430 meters on Grignone, or Northern Grigna, in the municipality of Pasturo in Valsassina at half height of the mountain that rises steeply to the summit through fields and rocks.
Pialeral extends along the side of the mountain that goes up from Alpe Cova up to a meadow in a plan at the end of Foppa del Ger, a valley that descends from Grignone. Exactly the sloping part is referred to as Location Costa

At Pialeral there are a dozens mountain huts, Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral and a beautiful lawn in plan; it can be reached by Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova and many paths, and leaving of the two trails direct to Rifugio Brioschi just below the summit of the mountain. Pialeral is a popular place by hikers for its location, either as a destination or transit.

Arrived at Alpe Cova 1300 meters, a concrete road goes up the side of the mountain as a continuation of the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova common trait for trails Sentiero Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Pialeral, Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Pialeral along the Valley of Grassi Lunghi, Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral; it can be assumed that where Alpe Cova ends starts Location Costa and so Pialeral.
After a short stretch, past a hut, you get to a bar that closes the road that says Private Road, it takes the keys to open a lock, Pedestrians Only right. You climb a slope and you will reach a yellow hut with blue shutters newly renovated with a small lawn in the shade of beeches and a fir, probably in the past support point to climb to Grignone.
It continues with more gently sloping or almost flat, the view ahead going to Grigna and on the right side to the mountains of Valsassina. Surpassed two or three huts you arrive, after 10 minutes from Alpe Cova, in the presence of a majestic beech, at Rifugio Antonietta on a wooden sign Rifugio "Antonietta" al Pialeral mt. 1400.

Rifugio Antonietta al Pialeral is reference for location managed by Pensa Family, which replaced the old Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral destroyed just above by an avalanche in 1986; until the 2000s it was called Rifugio Pialeral for this there are still indications with that name.
On the hut next to the refuge is hung the second educational panel of the geological and paleontological Pialeral path that starts at Alpe Cova: the fish of the Shield. On the back of the refuge along the road a large fresco of St. George slaying the dragon.

Just after the Refuge a few mountain huts, some even recent, the road ends. All the huts, as well as Rifugio Antonietta, are on right along the side of the mountain, overlooking the meadows that rise from Pasturo with view of the countries of Altopiano Valsassina, Piani di Bobbio, the mountains of Orobie.
The path now becomes steeper, the bottom a little bumpy with gravel and small stones facilitated by horizontal trunks, a cabin often inhabited is on the left, on the right the ruins of a cable car in yellow and a cabin bigger half hidden, you get out on a plan with indications of the trails. We have arrived at the destination for Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral less than two hours walk uphill, Sentiero Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Pialeral about two hours, Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Pialeral 1 hour. The trails are obviously paths in reverse, for the second, the 31 of CAI, and the third, number 33, downhill takes approximately half the time of the climb.

The eye goes immediately at signage of the trails with its trails tables, one points uphill to the large visible trail next to a wooden fence, you go up towards the top of Grignone. On three lines:

• Vetta (Top) - Rifugio Brioschi 2.30
• Via estiva (Summer trail) - Bocchetta Releccio
• Via invernale (Winter trail) - Comolli

Two other as the first by Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community. The first, flat to the right:

• Traversata Bassa
• San Calimero 1.00
• Rifugio Riva 2.00

The second trail table, pointing downward trail Sentiero Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Pialeral reverse:

• Traversata Bassa, added next Rif. Antonietta
• Torrente Pioverna 0.40
• Piani dei Resinelli 2.20

A yellow CAI's trail marker table reaffirms San Calimero Rifugio Riva right.

To the left a tall pole where waves the Italian flag and on the rock a gray metal plate about a meter high and fifty centimeters wide, that it was into Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral, memory of the consecration of the walls in 1917.
Side a small hut with green door and stone seat, above a large antenna; few meters and a fountain with a tank for watering the animals, it is the latest water available for hikers headed to Rifugio Brioschi, a seat in the corner with a stone wall to lean. To squeeze out the water you need to press a metal button, the small stone spout is now empty.

Continuing opens a pretty sight: the green plan, just above a stone tub for watering the animals, I saw sheeps, and Foppa del Ger, a valley of glacial origins that descends from Bocchetta della Bassa, and the wonderful view of the Grigna.
In the meadow five wooden tables with benches attached to the table not fixed to the ground which are moved at will and a wooden structure with roof brick protects a billboard by Municipality of Pasturo Panoramica Territorio Comunale (Overview Municipal Territory) with the picture of the mountain and Hiking Main Itinerary. On the structure is hanged up an old sign: on the white background land available for parking or camping, in the center on red background Information at the Refuge "Pialeral" 0341 955462, on white uppercase We accept no responsibility for damage to persons or property arising from the use the same. Beside an educational panel by Park of the Northern Grigna and the Mountain Community Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera entitled slope of Pasturo coaching on the mountain characteristics, is the third, although not numbered, of Pialeral's geological path.
In the middle of the lawn a natural rock high about four meters and long five, behind a small beech. Thirty meters ahead a small white chapel holded by a brick structure, two stone steps are ahead, a bowl just below. In the chapel a small sculpture of pleasant workmanship of Madonna and Child taken from the bust up, above Ora Pro Nobis. Further on a low stone hut well built with wooden frames.

In the lawn space left blank on closer inspection are other remains of the refuge: a few square meter of its floor, a low wall about ten meters long in which was set the red metal plate that it belonged: Club Alpino Italiano Sez. S.E.M. Rifugio Mario Tedeschi al Pialeral m. 1428.
From the plan of Pialeral you can see just below Alpe Cova and distant the countries of Plateau Valsassina; a location table by Pedalling in the Park facing upstream says Pialeral 1430 meters Pertus - Rifugio Riva - 1 to left, trail coming from a dirt road that goes from Alpe Cova up to the last hut, that one low in stone.

Pialeral or Pialeràl is a place known to every hiker who has been on the Grigna, placed about midway through Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Rifugio Riva, halfway between Pasturo and the top of the mountain and quickly reached from Colle di Balisio.
At Pialeral you can spend a few pleasant hours stopping at Rifugio Antonietta, you can quench your thirst at the fountain, the one with the tub for animals, you can stay in the large lawn with wooden picnic tables when there is no avalanche danger, and avoiding the sun too strong, and enjoy the beauty of Grignone in every season.

I went through Pialeral dozens of times, going up and down the mountain, the view of the green or white hollow is always fascinating, other times the area was my destination. I stopped a few minutes or a half hour at the tables of meadow looking toward the valley protected from Grignone, at Rifugio Antonietta or at the hut below. The view from the steep descent to the compression of the road and Refuge always struck me as passing from the mountain to the things inhabited.

Alpe Cova

Italiano

Alpe Cova, Alpe Coa in Lecco dialect, is a locality and alp on Grignone at 1300 meters high, in the municipality of Pasturo in Valsassina.

Alpe Cova lies in a flat position where are located a number of mountain huts, most vintage, and a mountain lake, so small as to be a pond. From the alp, an oasis of peace and beauty, one can enjoy the wonderful view of the two Grigne, Grignetta and Grignone, or Southern Grigna and Northern Grigna, just in front of the Buco di Grigna (Hole of Grigna), which separates the two mountains.[^]
The resort is easily accessible from Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova and many paths that cross, and it's passage for numerous hikers, that leave from Pasturo or Colle di Balisio, to Pialeral and higher, up to Rifugio Luigi Brioschi atop Grignone, or cyclist.[^][^][^]

On the Internet

Alpe Cova is on many pages on the Internet,[^] is a Mountain page in Facebook[^],[^] has been tagged in Instagram[^] and there are photos on Flickr[^].

Mountain huts

Arriving at the alp by Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova, at a road sign of cows danger, the look falls on the part of the mountain facing Pasturo, the big lawn of Costa Reor, 1,336 meters high, which divides the slope of Pasturo from the Valley of Grassi Lunghi. Hay is harvested and there are small crops, mainly raspberries.[^] To the left, one is greeted by the first of the old Cascine Cova, left as it is, then another one, with a wooden gate, which precedes the first.[^] This on the opposite side, restored, is beautiful looking, with a balcony and a path leading down to the front door, in front there is a maple.[^] In a cobbled road that goes down a few meters[^][^] there is a hut, whose entry is in the opposite direction, and another, where a plate tells us where we are, Alpe Coa met 1300.[^] Looking at the top from a small lawn of the two huts, on a small hump, other period huts,[^] some have a plate, a cross, a carving in the wood or a fresco[^] that testify, in a discreet but clear way, the religious faith of the people of these places.

Shortly afterwards, at a half-carved road on the dirt road towards the Grigne, one can see an inner space closed at the bottom by a chain, at the entrance there is a bulletin board for hanging sheets.[^] Inside on a wooden door, what could be a tool store, a sign, Agriturismo Le Tre Casine Alpe Cova. To the right, there is a large wooden mountain hut[^] and another, smaller and masonry, Baita Bocieto[^]. The farmhouse probably has never been open, and, with the same name, one is in Primaluna.[^] About ten years there has been for a very short period the Agriturismo Aliber.[^] The wooden mountain hut faces the pond with a terrace, where it is a long wooden table.
A road on the left comes off going up the mountain side, and there are other huts or houses.[^]
To the right, higher and side of the pond, over a dry wall and three fir trees, a white house, bigger than the others, and other trees.[^]

The small lake or pond

At Alpe Cova, however, attention and amazement are all for the small lake overlooking the Grigne, no longer than fifty meters wide and ten, and one should say puddle or pond. In fact, it is a natural depression on impermeable soil that collects water, used by shepherds to water cattle,[^] and in Grigna there are so many cows and sheeps.[^] The pond is surrounded by medium sized stones that somehow delimit it. Looking in the pond there are twirls, which will become frogs, and dragonflies fly. Two faded signs of the Mountain Community, on opposite sides of the puddle, mounted on very little aesthetic orange stakes, say: It is absolutely forbidden to throw stones in the pond, probably addressed to children and parents.

In the background of the pond landscape stands a long stone bath,[^] probably another animal watering hole. From a stone mouth comes water,[^][^] that has engraved 1992, desire for thirsty hikers and cyclists,[^] a plate, Potable Water, reassures them.[^] Behind the fountain and a wooden fence, a beautiful examplary of ash,[^] in whose shadow are resting tired hikers from the ascent to Northern Grigna and families, others prefer the sun. Someone, that probably come from the plain or the city, are happy that it is not hot.[^] Here and there a few stones, arranged by man or which have finished their run who knows how long ago, and are part of the nice scenary.
A strip of lawn bounded by a wooden fence surrounds the pond,[^] where there are two benches[^] and two trees, and is another favorite place for those who stop at the alp; next to it, a wooden crucifix in a wooden structure that protects it with a vault.[^] Looking better, in the hollow of a big rock near the wooden mountain hut that gives on the puddle of water,[^] there is a small statue of Our Lady.[^]

In the alpine pond reflect Grigne,[^][^] trees, sky and clouds,[^] the mountain huts[^][^]. In the months that follow, that no one can stop or slow down, thousand colors and variations,[^] the opaque green of the summer,[^] leafless trees of late autumn, the frozen pond,[^][^] snow,[^] melting[^] and lively green of the spring, the flowers and the new leaves.

Two panels of Regional Park of the Northern Grigna

Close to a trace of trail and a few meters from the tub there are two educational panels of Regional Park of the Northern Grigna and Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community.[^]

One is Geological and paleontological path of Pialeral.[^] It is a ring route equipped with educational boards, illustrating the geology of the Grigne through a path of 14 stations, a history began over 200 million years ago. The full path provides a vertical drop of three hundred meters. In the panel there is also Regione Lombardia logo.
The other one is Alpe Cova, the first of these 14 stations.[^] At the bottom is written: Interreo Program III A Italia - Svizzera. "A path 350 million years long. The geosites of Insubria: new opportunities for tourism".

Roads, routes and trails

Alpe Cova is a crossing of roads, routes and trails:

• Agro-forestry-pastoral Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova,[^] which can only be traveled by authorized vehicles
• Private Road Alpe Cova - Pialeral,[^] closed by a bar two hundred meters over the Alp
• a dirt road that goes to Baita Amalia
• Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral, which passes through Cornisella and Acquafredda, and arrive in about an hour and a half at the Alp on easy trail, joining to Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova. The trail continues for Pialeral, and by Sentiero Pialeral - Vetta arrives at Rifugio Brioschi, with two possible paths, summer trail and winter trail
• Sentiero Colle Balisio - Pialeral, which goes through Valle dei Grassi Lunghi. It is a much frequented trail, the quickest path to Pialeral and therefore preferred to Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral as the first stretch from who goes to Rifugio Brioschi
• Sentiero Traversata Bassa Piani dei Resinelli - Torrente Pioverna - Pialeral. Traversata Bassa at Pialeral continues to the church of San Calimero
• Route Pedaling in Park 1, that comes from Traversata Bassa and arrives at Pialeral

Trails that pass by Alpe Cova are marked with signs and trail tables.

Signs and trail tables

The cemented road Alpe Cova - Pialeral is the common route to the above mentioned three trails to Pialeral. They cross, just above the pond fountain, on a metal pole there are the directions. Next to it, it is one of the many new panels Between Geology and Landscape installed on Grigna by Comunità Montana Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino e Riviera, Parco regionale della Grigna Settentrionale, Sistema Parchi Lombardia e Natura 2000, this one faces karstism.[^] In my opinion, these large vertical wooden boards have an excessive visual impact, and the position of this table ruins the magnificent landscape.
Returning to directions:

• a large wooden sign arrow-shaped, well carved, tip for the uphill road: Rifugio "Antonietta" Pialeral 10 minutes
• a wooden arrow to uphill: Rifugio Brioschi m. 2410 h. 2.30; a strip of metal with lock hides Open or Closed, leaving the other option visible
• a yellow trail table of CAI, towards mountain: Pialeral Northern Grigna Rifugio Brioschi. There was, until some time ago, another downhill: Grassi Lunghi Colle di Balisio[^]

Looking better, after a few meters along the uphill to Pialeral, on a pointed stone there are two horizontal tracks of CAI, 31 and 33,[^] with which Club Alpino Italiano indicated Sentiero Colle Balisio - Pialeral and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral.
On the road to Pasturo, a trail marker 33 is on a rock on the left, faded and almost erased, one on the right scarcely readable[^].

Walking down a few meters a path, and at the same altitude of the pond, one is at the 'official' trails signage of Grigna by Comunità Montana Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino e Riviera, which is the first for those who climb from Colle di Balisio.
On a metal pole are so many arrows, it is not the best visual effect, looks like a totem.[^] To read them one has to turn around,[^] and the location table is in the middle of the trail tables; also they mix cycling routes to the typical hiking one. Starting from the first at the top,

looking downstream:[^][^]
• trail table, upstream, on three lines: Traversata Bassa (uppercase), Rifugio Antonietta Pialeral 0.15 (minutes), San Calimero 1.10
• trail table, flat to the right, on three lines: Traversata Bassa (uppercase), Torrente Pioverna 0.30, Piani Resinelli 2.10
• location table, on three lines, Alpe Cova m1301
turning 180° and so looking upstream:[^]
• table with a slightly tilted white bike on a red background, means you are on an itinerary Pedalling in the Park
• trail table, for the ascent, in the same direction of the first table in this list: Pialeràl - 1 and to the right a red circle
• trail table, towards the little lake e next to educational panels, and therefore to Strada Pasturo - Alpe Cova: Pasturo

The amazing thing is that the most popular trail, Colle di Balisio - Alpe Cova, is not marked by any signpost or arrow.

Feast of Alpe Coa

The next to last Sunday of July is held the Feast of Alpe Coa,[^] a crowded event and felt with particular affection by the inhabitants of Pasturo.

The eventful day of Pasturo begins, in recent years, with two non-competitive races, a mountain running race and a mountain bike one.[^][^] The running race starts from 620 meters at Pasturo, runs along Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral with arrival at Alpe Cova, passing at Cornisella, for a total of 4 km.[^][^] The bike race starts from Baiedo, a hamlet of Pasturo, and runs the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova, for a total of 7 km. There is solidarity with disabled people who, accompanied, participate at the race and at the feast. Then there is the award ceremony.[^]
Towards midday, around the pond, a Mass is celebrated,[^] with the pastor at the crucified Christ.[^] At the end, from a tent, it opens a welcome refreshment service, with sandwiches with sausage, polenta, cakes and coffee.

Alpe Cova for me

Alpe Cova for me is a traditional and dear place, summer and sometimes winter, and can be either a destination or a passage.

If Alpe Coa, the Coa, is arrival, the length of the path is the right one to keep me trained, I run slowly. So, I enjoy the day lying on the bench,[^] in the shadow of the two trees along the pond, trying to recover energy and freshen up. It is a vacation in the holiday, cradled by the proximity of the Grigne and, on the other side, by the farther mountains of Orobie. I listen to the sounds, the noise of the water falling from the fountain, the ring of cowbells scattered on the green pastures of Grigna, some bird chirping, the wind, which sometimes makes me dress, the hum of insects, some distant engine noise, the voices of the hikers, happy or tired, coming down from Pialeral and Rifugio Brioschi, and their shoes on the trail.

When Alpe Cova is a passage to other trails or a place to reach, there is time to drink at the fountain and enjoy a few moments of the beauty of the place, often contemplating the two Grigne. From the top, before the melancholy to leave those places, a quick glance is enough,[^] without losing the plan of the pond with the water and the green strip, the background of the huts and the mountains of Valsassina.

The biggest emotion is the arrival at Alpe Cova from Pasturo's road. After the semicurve and the mountain huts, the hiker from the meadows above Pasturo is catapulted to a remarkable alpine scenery, or prealpine: the view of the small lake and the two Grigne, which at each meter become larger.[^] My amazement and my delight[^] are the same as those experienced by the shepherd, who happy in the summer went up to Grigna to bring his cows.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (9 September 2011). "Awesome.". In Alpe Cova, Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
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11. Mauro Vezzoli (28 June 2012). "First hut at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (7 December 2015). "The first hut at Alpe with bare maple.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
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16. Mauro Vezzoli (5 September 2013). "View of the huts at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
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18. Mauro Vezzoli (11 September 2017). "The bulletin board to hang information at Alpe Cova, with on the background the symbol of Le Tre Casine farmhouse.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
19. Mauro Vezzoli (28 June 2012). "Wooden hut, old Aliber farm.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
20. Mauro Vezzoli (27 July 2013). "Alpe Coa Baita Bocieto m. 1300.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
21. "Agriturismo Le Tre Casine.". letrecasine.it. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
22. Mauro Vezzoli (28 July 2015). "The board wooden at farm.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
23. Giuseppe Paola Piva (7 August 2017). "Alpe Cova 1301mt.". [Lago di Como e dintorni Facebook Public group]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
24. Andrea Brunelli (25 February 2016). "all'Alpe Cova.". [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
25. Mauro Vezzoli (6 December 2017). "Detail of the educational panel Tra Geologia e Paesaggio at Alpe Cova". In Alpe Cova. [Foto di Google Photos]. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
26. Matteo (22 June 2008). "Splash.". In Cow Are Friend, Not Food and other 9 groups. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
27. mrstratosphere (14 March 2017). "Questa foto è stata scattata esattamente due settimane fa nei pressi del laghetto dell'Alpe Cova, ai piedi della Grigna Settentrionale. Un luogo magico... [This photo was taken exactly two weeks ago near the Alpe Cove pond, at the foot of North Grigna. A magical place ...]". Tagged alpecova. [Instagram post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
28. Mauro Vezzoli (20 November 2012). "The fountain.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
29. Mauro Vezzoli (1 July 2014). "Close up of fountain.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
30. Alberto Prina (15 June 2013). "MTB - Uscita #2 - Pasturo / Alpe Cova [MTB - Exit #2 - Pasturo / Alpe Cova]". [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
31. Mauro Vezzoli (18 August 2016). "The plaque Drinking water at the fountain.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
32. rosy_rocchi (28 December 2016). "Laghetto #alpecova. [Instagram post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
33. Michael Selva (5 July 2017). "No but it's not hot!! Ahahah". [Facebook post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
34. La Valsassina (17 July 2016). "Un po' di relax all'alpe Cova - seguici anche su www.lavalsassina.it - [A bit of relaxation at alpe Cova - follow us on www.lavalsassina.it -". [Facebook post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
35. Mauro Vezzoli (7 July 2014). "The two benches.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
36. Graziano Olivieri (27 October 2015). "CONCORSO FOTOGRAFICO "COLORI D'AUTUNNO" Alpe Cova [PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION "AUTUMN COLORS" Alpe Cova]". [Facebook post shared by La Valsassina]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
37. Mauro Vezzoli (11 September 2017). "The big stone with inside the small statue of the Madonna. ". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
38. Mauro Vezzoli (1 October 2015). "The small statue of the Madonna at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
39. clarissavintage (10 June 2017). "La Grigna allo specchio (e 931 metri di dislivello in poco più di due ore) #trekkingday We walked up for 931 [Grigna in the mirror (and 931 meters in altitude in just over two hours) #trekkingday We walked up for 931]". Tagged alpecova. [Instagram post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
40. Massimo Bonacina (24 October 2015). "Alpe Cova". In Hike'n' Fly, Grignone da Pasturo,10-2015. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
41. Ilaria Bosisio (20 March 2017). "Alpe Cova". [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
42. Malvisi Ermis (17 August 2017). "Alpe Cova". [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
43. Roberto Bressani (24 August 2016). "Il mini-laghetto dell'Alpe Cova (m. 1300), non lontano dal Pialeral. [The Alpe Cova mini-pond (1300 m), not far from Pialeral.]". [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
44. stefano.guarneroli (25 February 2017). "Tutto cambia perché nulla cambi. La natura [Everything changes because nothing changes. The nature]. Tagged alpecova. [Instagram post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
45. Momenti verticali (21 August 2017). "Alpe di Cova". [Facebook post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
46. Mauro Vezzoli (6 December 2016). "The alpine lake iced.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
47. Emanuel Foglia (6 December 2015). "Laghetto ghiacciato. Laghetto dell'Alpe Cova zona Pialeral [Iced pond. Alpe Cova's small lake Pialeral area]". In Grigna sett. and in 9 groups. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
48. Mauro Vezzoli (26 February 2015). "The pond at Alpe Cova covered with snow.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
49. Claudio Berto (22 April 2016). "Alpe Cova". [Facebook post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
50. Edmondo Bonfè (8 December 2016). "....eccoci arrivati all'Alpe Cova.. [... here we are at Alpe Cova ...]". [Facebook post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
51. Mauro Vezzoli (8 September 2016). "Geological-paleontological panel of Pialeral at Alpe Cova. [Geological-paleontological panel of Pialeral at Alpe Cova.]". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
52. Mauro Vezzoli (18 August 2016). "Pannello percorso geologico-panteologico del Pialeral all'Alpe Cova con ciclisti sullo sfondo. [Geological and paleontological path panel of Pialeral at Alpe Cova with cyclists in the background.]". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
53. andreadardi (20 June 2017). "#trekking #italy #pialeral #alpecova #lake #mountain #hiking #nature #sport #relax #italiabella. Tagged alpecova. [Instagram post]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
54. Mauro Vezzoli (13 September 2016). "The private road to Pialeral.". In Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
55. Mauro Vezzoli (13 September 2017). "The new table Between Geology and Landscape next to the old signs at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova e Segnaletica dei sentieri sul Grignone nel versante di Pasturo. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
56. Mauro Vezzoli (4 August 2014). "The signs of the trails and shelters.". In Alpe Cova and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
57. Mauro Vezzoli (22 July 2015). "The two signals 31 and 33 on a rock at the beginning of the climb at Alpe Cova.". In Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
58. Mauro Vezzoli (14 September 2016). "The road along the pond and trail marker 33 on the rock.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
59. "Accorgimenti per migliorare la posa della segnaletica verticale [Achievements to improve the pose of vertical signage]". Sentieri, pianificazione, segnaletica e manutenzione. Quaderno di escursionismo n. 1 (4^a edizione 2010) [Trails, planning, signage and maintenance. Hiking notebook n. 1 (4th edition 2010)] [PDF File]. Club Alpino Italiano. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
60. Mauro Vezzoli (26 July 2016). "Mauro puzzled at the signage of the Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
61. Mauro Vezzoli (5 August 2014). "Signage at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova e Segnaletica dei sentieri sul Grignone nel versante di Pasturo. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
62. Gianluigi Turati (1 January 2015). "Indicazioni di percorso All' Alpe Cova [Route directions At Alpe Cova]".. In Balisio - Bivacco Riva 01012015. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
63. Mauro Vezzoli (4 September 2014). "Signs at Alpe Cova from Crossing Lower.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
64. "festa dell'alpe coa". [Search in Google Italia]. Google. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
65. 5 July 2017. "Mountain bike e skyrun: a Pasturo tutto pronto per la festa dell’Alpe Coa [Mountain bike and skyrun: at Pasturo everything ready for Alpe Coa's Feast]". LeccoNotizie. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
66. Saliinvetta (23 July 2016). "[No title]". [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
67. 25 July 2016. "[No title]". Alpe Coa 2016: altre immagini e tutte le classifiche delle gare [Alpe Coa 2016 other images and all the races charts]. In Valsassina News. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
68. Mauro Vezzoli (24 July 2016). "The arrival of the women's race with the winners Martina Brambilla, which set the race Pasturo - Alpe Coa record with 33 minutes 5 seconds.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
69. Mauro Vezzoli (24 July 2016). "Men's race award ceremony of mountain running Trophy Aliprandi Carlo at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
70. Mauro Vezzoli (22 July 2012). "Mass at Feast of Coa.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
71. Mauro Vezzoli (22 July 2012). "The Mass at Alpe Cova.". In Alpe Cova. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
72. Mauro Vezzoli (18 August 2016). "The bench where I lay down and my stuff.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
73. Mauro Vezzoli (6 August 2009). "The pond going down.". In Alpe Cova, Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral, Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova) and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (in discesa). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
74. Mauro Vezzoli (6 September 2007). "Enchanting vision.". In Alpe Cova. [Facebook photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
75. Mauro Vezzoli (16 December 2014). "Mauro happy at alp.". In Alpe Cova. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 September 2017.

Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (from Cornisella to Alpe Cova)

Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (from Cornisella to Alpe Cova) is a part of Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral on Grignone in Pasturo, between 1,050 meters and 1,350 meters, it takes about forty minutes.

Walked the first part of Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral from Pasturo to Cornisella arriving at the Church of the Alpini at Cornisella, at the crossroads a CAI's yellow trail table shows Pialeral Northern Grigna Rifugio Brioschi for the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova, the old horizontal signage 33 is on a small wall next to the little church. The road goes up with a gentle slope, a nice yellow house is on the right; a short sinuous stretch leads to Acquafredda, another trail table confirms the direction of the road, leaving another to the right. It goes down to Cold Water Bridge on Torrente Cornisella, after which an arrow indicates right "Rifugio Antonietta" Pialeral No Car Only Pedestrians min. 0.45, under another Vehicles left on the road Pasturo - Alpe Cova, near the bridge a fountain with a tank, engraved a date 24-05-1933.

The climb starts very steep, is a mule track cemented with slight incisions inclined a few degrees to the horizontal to improve adherence in a forest of ashes and then firs, where from above you see the Cold Water Bridge and the Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova to Cornisella. After a hundred meters of sheer fatigue, turn right where the trail becomes cobbled and appears Baita La Riva, m. 1125, beside the trail its name on a wooden sign, a tap and a small tub as a wash, and above a small window a tablet with a small drawing showing a summary description of the path Pasturo - Pialeral - Rifugio Brioschi and written we are here.

Now a straight one hundred meters long in slight slope, in the shadow of fir trees with on the left a wooden fence, leads to a hairpin bend to the right where there is a fountain, on the left a dirt road that we ignore.
The fountain, ideal to drink again, has a long stone bath and a wooden roof supported by two trunks leaning on a stone wall, above the tube from which the water comes out 20-08-2012. It turns the tight hairpin, continuing in the woods now of birches, beech and firs trees with wooden fence on right, then with steeper slope where the trail returns to concrete and others hairpins up at the sight of a lawn.
Two signs of the Province of Lecco say: Should be noted that less than 50 meters from this table is active a hunting fixed stakeout Governing Law, in fact it is just there in the meadow, a small green building sheet just hidden by shrubs; the big piaster of Grignone now appears closer, and another sign of the Province of Lecco equal to the other twos for who descend.
Reached a crossroads, a large sign with two white writings on blue Pialeral Rifugio Brioschi, two arrows on the left. In some detailed maps I read that we are in Canta Curtone.

Proceed almost flat on the pebbles of the trail, an old farmhouse is above the lawn, then a dirt road you leave down, to continue for a short stretch of moderate slope with a small beech forest to the right, facing north and shade.
The view opens up wonderfully on Altopiano Valsassina, its countries and Piani di Bobbio, below at about one thousand meters high places of Grignone Cornisella, Spinarolo and Brunino, we are about 200 meters in altitude above. Two houses are looming, down a big house looking recently, Annovi home, and just above the trail, a white vintage mountain hut with yellow shutters well maintained, then you follow the road along the lawn.
You get to the last ramp of this section where there is a fountain with a bathtub from which falls always water and a road that goes right, a wooden sign with two voices say Rifugio "Antonietta" and Pialeral left, an horizontal 33 marker appears on a stone. The bottom is concrete to allow the descent of vehicles headed to the huts.

You cross the agro forestry pastoral road Pasturo - Alpe Cova where there is a bend to the left and a group of huts, on a pole a wooden arrow Pasturo from where you climbed.
You proceed along the road with to the right the steep meadows of the coast of Pialeral and in five minutes with some slight bend you come to the 1300 meters of Alpe Cova preceded by a road sign on the right danger cows.

The path of Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral, Sentiero 33 of CAI, from Cornisella to Alpe Cova is really beautiful, you leave the first section from Pasturo to Cornisella closer to valley to enter into the mountain, Grignone, or Northern Grigna as you call it, which appears in all its beauty. The air is thinner and the temperature gradually drops, the vegetation becomes of firs and beeches. You feel the bond between the man and his mountain, the huts scattered in nature, fields cultivated on slopes, the distant ringing of cattle on the grassy pastures, sometimes goats and sheeps, with the view of Valsassina opening and you enjoy the arrival to Alpe Cova and the rest. In the opposite direction the descent is really nice, easy and fast.

Acquafredda

Italiano

Acquafredda (in English Coldwater), or in full Località Acquafredda, is a place on Grigna Settentrionale along the agro-forestry-pastoral Road Pasturo - Alpe Cova and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral.[^] It is located about a hundred meters after Cornisella that follows without discontinuity; at 1066 meters high Cold Water Bridge (in Italian Ponte dell'Acqua Fredda) crosses Torrente Cornisella.[^][^]

Descprition

The road at Cornisella above Pasturo goes up to a small hill, then goes down with a slight slope for about 200 meters, with a curve at S-shape,[^] having on an edge a green painted iron protection and on the other some rocks;[^] as reference we are in Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral's stretch from Cornisella to Alpe Cova. A dirt road branches off to the right of the main one, slightly uphill, where a few meters further there are some signs, which in truth should be moved to the fork of the two roads:[^]

• a yellow CAI's signpost table, an old signage, says to left on the main road in the direction to Alpe Cova with four written: Pialeral Rifugio Pialeral Northern Grigna Rifugio Brioschi
• another CAI trail table, that points to the dirt road: Church San Calimero Rifugio Riva
• a trail table of Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community: Risciol - 2 in the first line and Cant - 2 in the third, both for the dirt road

Going down form the main road, in front, it looms a lawn with a house in stone 50 meters far,[^] in the summer frequently open,[^] and then, suddenly, a beautiful glimpse of the Grignone appears.[^] Once getting closer, a bend is to the left, where, right, it is a sign now faded who knows how long ago of Mountain Community No. 16. On multiple lines, uppercase, one reads: Valsassina - Valvarrone Val d'Esino e Riviera Introbio Comune di Pasturo, big Strada di Servizio (Service Road), bigger and red It is forbidden the transit with the image of the road sign, in smaller black of motorized vehicles, with the exception of authorized service vehicles - Ex. Art. 26 L. R. 5-4-1976 N. 8. Below, in two sentences, other prohibition of transit and the article of contraventions.[^]

After the bend, one is at Cold Water Bridge, on Torrente Cornisella, with green railings,[^] preceded by a road sign of ban on driving over 6.00 t.[^]

Passed the small bridge, to right a little inside, a fountain with a stone bath from which it flows a really cold water, with engraved in the rock 24.05.1933 and R. 2010.[^]
Along the road, on a pole, there are two arrows on white table, the first one, "Rifugio Antonietta" Pialeral No Car Only Pedestrians min. 0,45, indicates uphill to a cemented trail, the second one, below, Vehicles,[^] to the road that continues slightly to the left, where are other huts.

Acquafredda for me

Acquafredda for me, uphill is the view of the mountain, the hut and the refreshment at the fountain. Descending from Grignone, in the small incline leading to Cornisella,[^] while I greet the mountain asking myself if I will come back again, from how badly my legs and back hurt me and how much strength has remained I understand my physical condition and my state of health.

References

1. "45.9473006,9.4287698,616". Google Maps. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
2. Mauro Vezzoli (27 August 2004- ). "Acquafredda (Grignone)". [Google Photos album]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
3. Mauro Vezzoli. "Acquafredda (Grignone)". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
4. Mauro Vezzoli (7 April 2006). "The route of the road between Cornisella and Cold Water Bridge.". In Acquafredda (Grignone) and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (20 November 2012). "Hairpin curve.". In Acquafredda (Grignone), Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (11 September 2017). "The crossroads of the trails before the descent to Cold Water Bridge.". In Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
7. Mauro Vezzoli (6 August 2014). "The road and the cabin at the bend.". In Acquafredda (Grignone), Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
8. Mauro Vezzoli (21 July 2016). "The farm at Cold Water Bridge open.". In Acquafredda (Grignone). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
9. Mauro Vezzoli (9 July 2015). "Lovely view at the location Acquafredda.". In Acquafredda (Grignone). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
10. Mauro Vezzoli (30 March 2016). "The sign of Comunità montana N° 16 at Acquafredda.". In Acquafredda (Grignone). [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
11. Mauro Vezzoli (9 July 2015). "The Cold Water Bridge on Creek Cornisella with green railing.". In Acquafredda (Grignone), Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (da Cornisella ad Alpe Cova) and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (in discesa) [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
12. Mauro Vezzoli (26 February 2008). "The Cold Water bridge from the top.". In Acquafredda (Grignone) and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
13. Mauro Vezzoli (5 July 2015). "The fountain always in the shadow at Cold Water Bridge of 24-05-1933.". In Acquafredda (Grignone). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
14. Mauro Vezzoli (5 July 2015). "Signs at Cold Water Bridge.". In Acquafredda (Grignone). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
15. Mauro Vezzoli (26 February 2015). "Ascent at Cold Water Bridge with snow.". In Acquafredda (Grignone), Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral and Sentiero Pasturo - Pialeral (in discesa). [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 4 September 2017.

Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino

Italiano

The Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino is an almost flat route of about 15 minutes on foot that connects the two places of the Northern Grigna. We are above Pasturo in Valsassina at just over 1000 meters above sea level. Cornisella is in a central and inclined position, Brunino is off-centre, advanced towards the valley, flat protected by small hills, in the middle there is Spinarolo, three huts and a meadow.
The first part of the trail, whose terrain is a dirt road on the Acqua Fredda Valley, is in common with the Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Cornisella done downhill. After passing this crossroads, at a farmhouse shelter of tools or animals, there is a fork, at which we choose to proceed straight ahead to enter a wood of a small relief leaving the valley, to exit a few minutes later at the entrance to Brunino from the road of Pasturo, where there is a small chapel, currently with statuettes of the Holy Family.[^][^]. If we had taken a right at the fork in the road, we would arrive at the other end of the place, a few meters below the Agriturismo Brunino.

Years ago the Comunità Montana Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera which manages the Northern Grigna Regional Park where we are located designed some mountain bike routes, with the name Pedalando nel Parco. The Cornisella - Brunino path coincides with a stretch of route 3, Bike tour of the ridge, for which there are some signposts.

Directions in Cornisella

The crossroads of the Church of the Alpini in Cornisella along the Strada Pasturo - Alpe Cova is full of indications. To the right of the road that branches off to the left where there is a house, under the Cornisella locality sign, in the direction of the secondary road there is a Brunino - 3 sign for Pedalando nel Parco, understood as Parco della Grigna. On the other side of the secondary road facing the chapel dedicated to the Madonna, Regina Pacis, among the arrows one is bright yellow, Agriturismo Brunino cell. 339 67 18 395 on the left.[^]

After a few meters of this uphill road, cemented to facilitate cars, and a few meters downhill, at a second flat intersection, there is another bike trail sign, with two signs in the same direction. In the first row, Brunino - 3 light blue or blue sticker on the left; in the third row Spinarolo, dot or green circle. The blue color means a medium difficulty route, up to Spinarolo it is green, meaning easy. I have walked this path many times, I have never seen a bicycle! On the same post, a table was added, ZacUp in the same direction; ZacUp is the Grignone skyrace which takes place in September. On the opposite side of the road, down along the stone wall of a house, a wooden arrow Chiesetta-Sacro-Cuore Colle-Balisio points in the same direction; on the edge of the wall, in yellow paint, Balisio in that direction, an action to blame. There is therefore no signage for the Cornisella - Brunino path, for those traveling on foot in Grigna, which will follow that for bicycles.

From Cornisella, along the Acqua Fredda Valley

Having completed the roundabout at the Alpini crossroads, for the ownership of the house painted pink, with a difference in height like two humps, the first being higher, we find ourselves a few meters to the side of the little chapel of the Madonna, walking on level ground in a southerly direction on a road the size of a car, dirt in the space of the two wheels with grass in the middle, enjoying the landscape of the Valsassina mountains towards the Orobie, moving away from the Grigna. After a stone house in a panoramic position used by those who make hay, which marks the ideal border between Cornisella and Spinarolo,[^] there is the Baita Caterina, whose owners have set up a covered outdoor living area and a well-kept garden with tree trunks as chairs. Dogs keep good watch by barking at the hiker. The new locality faces the Acqua Fredda Valley, a hill of a few meters cut into grass hides Cornisella.
A few meters on the flat, here is the Baita de Spinarol, mt. 1030, recognizable by the fresco of a deer in the snow of the Northern Grigna. We go down towards a white house along the road which has been cemented in the space of the two wheels. On the right, a Balisio wooden sign. A few more meters, a first fork in the path has become as wide as the passage of a person and is dirt. The red bike sign indicates a slight climb to the left for Brunino - 3, on the post in the same direction is a signpost for the ZacUp race, white background and red arrow. To read Balisio down on a wooden sign you should go down a few meters, and go up the other side to find wooden Cornisella hanging from a tree trunk pointing in the opposite direction to our direction of travel. At the foot of the grassy terrain, Agriturismo Brunino and a yellow upward arrow,[^] examples of different signs that are frequently encountered on the mountain.

High up on the hill, behind a swing in the house, stands a pylon, which transports electricity from Valtellina to the plain, unfortunately right along the beloved Grigna and regional park. Then, the most beautiful stretch of the entire route, one hundred meters that cross a flat sloping meadow, a fertile pasture for cows or horses.[^] Once you reach a small abandoned building, old tool shed or shelter for animals, a small hill covered by a forest forces you to continue slightly to the left or right. On one map, the steep relief with stones is the Zucco del Canto del Brug 1097 meters high, 83 meters higher than the road in Brunino. A table for mountain bikes indicates Brunino on the left down. On the right they point to the usual yellow private sign Agriturismo Brunino cell. 339 67 18 395 and the ZacUp table with the red arrow, a short path that I described in the opposite direction, Sentiero Brunino - Cornisella.

In the woods up to the Brunino road at the small chapel

At the fork of the farmhouse, having chosen to go left, we leave the Valle dell'Acqua della Fredda for five minutes of fun up and down descents in a beech forest, between the rocks of the impervious relief on the right and the meadows cut by man with huts on the left. We see the light in Brunino again, where the carriage road that goes up from Pasturo arrives at the locality near a small chapel, which has figurines representing the Holy Family. Turning around from where we emerged, two wooden signs on a tree, Cornisella Pasturo, indicate the direction to take. They cannot miss, a Pedalling in the Park (of Northern Grigna) sign, which indicates Capp. Sacro Cuore 3 on the dirt road towards the center of the locality, and Agriturismo Brunino cell. 339 67 18 395 in the same direction.

Conclusion

Cornisella and Brunino are two places not far apart on the Northern Grigna, almost at the same altitude but with different landscapes. The destination of the old Brunino Refuge is attractive for those who pass through Cornisella like me. I follow the circular tour from Cornisella in a clockwise direction, arriving at the location at 1015 meters above sea level with the Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino to the chapel, which is shared with a small section of the one-way bike Itinerary 3, to enjoy the last meters on the flat, with the beautiful view of the farmhouse on the hill, the meadows, the scent of freshly cut hay, before a stop at the Agriturismo Brunino. I reserve the shortest route for the return, which starts at the first hairpin bend on the left of the road to Balisio right below the accommodation facility.

References

1. Mauro Vezzoli (30 June 2014- ). "Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino". [Google Photos Album]. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
2. Mauro Vezzoli. "Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino". [Flickr album]. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
3. Mauro Vezzoli (5 November 2022). "The view from the little church of Cornisella with the road to Brunino and the trail signs.". In Autunno, Chiesetta degli Alpini a Cornisella, Cornisella, Escursioni sul Grignone, Escursioni sulle Grigne, Escursionismo in montagna, Escursionismo in Valsassina, Itinerario Pedalando nel Parco 3 Bike tour della dorsale, Segnaletica dei sentieri della Grigna, Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
4. Mauro Vezzoli (2 July 2015). "In the same period last year and time, my excursion does not change, from Barzio to Brunino. From the village on the Valsassina plateau to the town on the Pasturo Mountains it takes less than an hour and a half of walking and running. It's sunny, the summer of 2015 is dry and hot just as the summer of 2014 was rainy and cool. Along the dirt road that leaves Cornisella a farmhouse before a bend.". In Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino, Spinarolo. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
5. Mauro Vezzoli (11 October 2023). "The two paths that divide at the crossroads under the white house of Spinarolo. Compared to 7 years ago, the arrow of the ZacUp mountain race in the direction of Brunino has been added to the zinc pole of the Pedalando nel Parco sign and further down in the meadow one of the Agriturismo Brunino.". In Autunno, Escursioni sul Grignone, Escursioni sulle Grigne, Escursionismo in montagna, Escursionismo in Valsassina, Itinerario Pedalando nel Parco 3 Bike tour della dorsale, Segnaletica dei sentieri della Grigna, Sentiero Colle di Balisio - Cornisella, Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino, Spinarolo. [Google Photos photo]. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
6. Mauro Vezzoli (30 June 2014). "A few minutes after midday, the cows graze on the fertile sloping meadow along the path that leads from Cornisella to Brunino. La Grigna in summer is the ideal place for animals and hikers, even more beautiful on a splendid sunny day like today after the rain.". In Sentiero Cornisella - Brunino, Spinarolo. [Flickr photo]. Retrieved 9 October 2023.