Pizzo dell' Oro Meridionale (2695m) Traverse

Most summits around beautifully located Rifugio Omio are accessible to climbers only -- an exception to that is the Pizzo dell' Oro Meridionale. Its normal route is a rarely used hiking trail marked with cairns and a few faded red dots (T4). Not being aware of this route, during an evening trip from Rifugio Omio to Passo Ligoncio (2576m), i was tempted to try ascending the summit directly from south. Here my description of that route (in case anyone would be stupid enough to do the same...). Moreover, the normal route (taken on my way down) deserves some more description as well, since my observations differ in some way from the other available description of a descent on hikr.

I am on an evening stroll to Passo Ligoncio, looking for a summmit to scramble a bit... Descending a few meters down along the marked path east of the Passo, on the left, a grassy couloir with a steep rocky section catches my eye (photo). Unaware of a much more comfortable hiking path leading to the summit of Pizzo dell' Oro Meridionale, i decide to try climbing the couloir. I move up the first little gorge on easy grass and rocks, to assess the beginning of the short climbing section. Rock quality is decent -- but climbing is somehow delicate (my level of experience on this kind of rock is still limited, and i don't completely trust some of the interlocking plates)... After a few meters of UIAA III, i reach some steep grass slopes (dry but slippery, still a bit uncomfortable, T6). Now mounting the slopes towards the last steep rocky section of the summit. Here i traverse to the right on easy terrain (T3) to reach the summit from the east (last part of the normal route). More and more clouds have moved in by now, so my views are unfortunately limited to the remarkable steel pyramid shape bearing a summit book, and a few sections of the normal route on the east side.

As stated by the summit register, Pizzo dell' Oro is not visited more than once per week on average. Accordingly, the trail down is not well-trodden -- sometimes it takes me a while to find the next cairn (or washed-out red dot). The trail descends on grassy ledges (T3, probably not comfortable in wet conditions) in north east direction to reach a rocky gully / ridge. It follows down the steep rock slabs in NNE direction (T4), either on a ridge (right) or in the gully (left). At the bottom of the gully, the cairns turn right (east, then southeast) to cross a field of boulder blocks / scree. In the end, they lead back to the path that connects Rifugio Omio to Passo Ligoncio (big red letters: "Pizzo dell' Oro"). I follow the marked path to well-guarded Rifugio Omio and a good dinner.

In summary: Lonely and interesting summit to hike from Passo Ligoncio or Rifugio Omio. I don't know if my ascent is described anywhere in literature (probably not)... let me know if you are better informed! Anyhow, i don't really recommend repeating it -- better take the marked way up and down (then: no climbing, T4).