Monte San Giorgio


Publiziert von Stijn , 25. November 2013 um 22:00.

Region: Welt » Schweiz » Tessin » Sottoceneri
Tour Datum:24 November 2013
Wandern Schwierigkeit: T3 - anspruchsvolles Bergwandern
Wegpunkte:
Geo-Tags: CH-TI   Gruppo Lago Ceresio 
Zeitbedarf: 4:30
Aufstieg: 500 m
Abstieg: 500 m

It wasn't easy to select the location of this hike. Two CouchSurfing guests of mine were coming along, so it had to be relatively easy and non-technical, with not too much snow. The weather was also an issue. With gray clouds, rain, snow and slush perpetually enveloping the entire Deutschschweiz, going south into Ticino seemed to be the only way to get some clear skies. After a couple of hours of comparing maps, weather forecasts, webcam images and Hikr reports, I picked Monte San Giorgio, in the very southern bit of Ticino. A relatively gentle, wooded mountain, 1097m in altitude, I guessed this would still be a feasible goal, with a promise of some good views over Lake Lugano.
 
Some might accuse me of having taken up World Heritage Site-bagging recently. After visiting Bern, Reims and Nancy in the previous two weekends, this turned out to be already my fourth site in just over two weeks. This one was entirely inadvertent though. I didn't even know that Monte San Giorgio is a World Heritage Site before arriving there. The mountain gets this status thanks to the fossils found in the area. There is a fossil museum in Meride and a "geo-paleontological" trail on the mountain itself, with information panels in Italian and English. Personally, I'm not all that interested in fossils, to be honest. But the hope for some nice weather and the promise of a spectacular view from the summit, that was plenty of motivation for us to rise early in the morning.
 
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We set off from Zürich as it is slowly getting light, in the usual grim, snowy weather. It must be said, though, that a couple of openings in the low clouds provide a spectacularly atmospheric view across the Vierwaldstättersee from the road near Morschach. Ascending towards Gottard, the weather deteriorates again, before we disappear into the tunnel. 17 km further, we emerge into a completely different world. Completely dry weather here in Ticino, and the morning sun creating postcard views in combination with some light clouds and a little valley fog. If only somebody had invented a way to drive a car and take pictures at the same time...
 
The snow line is clearly higher in Ticino as well, compared to north of Gotthard. Still, as we park the car near point 672 on the road between Meride and Serpiano, the woods around are covered in a thin layer of snow, still nice and crispy from an overnight frost. A party of hunters with howling hounds are also about, but otherwise the mountain remains relatively quiet all day.
 
We ascend Monte San Giorgio via Cassina. The huts at Cassina must be quite lively in summer, but now we are the only people around. A small clearing indicated on the map might suggest that there are nice open views here, but this is very limited, as the clearing is surrounded by higher ground and trees on all sides. Ascending higher, the snow gets deeper, up to about 15cm. But the snow is of a nice consistency and other people have broken the trail already, so we get up without any trouble.
 
There are very little views on the way up through the woods, but the summit it quite something! The panorama towards the north is quite something. It's a view as stunning, unique and unmistakable as the view from Grosser Mythen towards Rigi. The panorama prominently features Monte San Salvatore (arguably seen from a better side here compared to Lugano) and Monte Generoso. But the absolute highlight is Lago di Lugano directly below, with its tentacles stretching out in all directions. Pretty lakeside villages like Morcote and Brusino Arsizio are seen from a birds-eye perspective. The weather is relatively clear. A little cold for sunbathing, like on some of the photos here on Hikr, but totally worth the long drive from Zürich.
 
We descend the long way around, first going east and then circling around the north of the summit. The noise from the A2 motorway down in the valley is a little disturbing at times, but hey, without that very road we wouldn't have been able to get here in the first place, so no complaining. The initial section from the summit is very enjoyable, along a bit of a ridge with great views towards the south. Then comes a trickier part, a steeper section where the conditions are a little hazardous. The snow itself is not the problem, but rather the fact that it is melting and creating a treacherously slippery layer of mud underneath the snow. At Pozzo, where we turn left towards Stazione di Serpiano, the difficult bit is over, and the rest of the walk is uneventful. The restaurants at Alpe di Brusino and Stazione di Serpiano are both closed and abandoned. The only thing still open for business in the whole area seems to be a bizarre little art gallery between Serpiano and Casa Doganale.
 
On the way back, we stop in Lugano for a little exploring and a cappuccino. We time our exit out of town quite badly, having to work our way through a massive crowd just emerging from an ice hockey game, but in the end the delay is minimal. Good luck at Gotthard as well: there are no traffic jams at all. Emerging at Göschenen, we are suddenly diving in the sleet and rain again. Those two ends of the same tunnel really can seem like entirely different universes at times!
 
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My guests were tired but really enjoyed their day. I can only be happy with my selection of this hike. Most of the walk is in woodland, but the view from the summit is an absolute must-see. If in doubt about conditions, then ascend from the south-west and avoid the path ascending on the east from Riva San Vitale.

Tourengänger: Stijn


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