To walk the Sentiero dei Fiori, one of the best-known trails in the Camonica Valley, it is necessary to be accompanied by a mountain guide.
Expert hikers may however climb without a guide, provided they have a via ferrata kit . To break up the route and have a rest, you can spend the night at the Rifugio Mandrone. To avoid the tiring climb to the Passo del Paradiso (2590 m above sea level), use the cable car that goes up from the Passo del Tonale in a few minutes. From the Passo del Paradiso, head towards the Passo del Castellaccio (signpost 44, 3029 m above sea level, 2h). In addition to the stupendous view of all the Alps and the valleys below, here you can visit some military posts dating back to the Great War.
From now on, the via ferrata kit is essential . The trail continues along steep gullies and overhanging rocks over the underlying Val Sozzine, located over 1,500 meters below, up to Cima Lago Scuro (3165 m above sea level, about 4 hours from the start). Nearby is the famous Capanna, a bivouac that is generally closed (for information, contact the Associazione Amici di Capanna Lago Scuro in Ponte di Legno). From Cima Lago Scuro you can retrace your steps, or continue towards Passo Lago Scuro.
About 10-15 minutes from the Capanna (which means ‘hut’), a detour on the left (SE direction) allows you to go around Cima Lago Scuro below and reach Conca di Presena, and therefore Passo Paradiso, in about 1h 40′, otherwise you can continue to Passo Lago Scuro (2970 m above sea level, 40′ from the Capanna), where one of the largest military villages at high altitude that were ever used militarily for the whole year in the Alps was located.
From the pass you can climb to Cima Payer (3088 m above sea level, about 1h), or descend in the direction of Lago Scuro, near which you cross the path that goes up from Rifugio Mandrone, reachable in about 1h 40′ from Passo Lago Scuro. From the Rifugio Mandrone, you go up the path recently renovated (2004) from the SAT to the Passo del Maroccaro (3034 m above sea level), and from there, along the Presena Glacier, you return to the Paradiso Pass (about 4 hours from the refuge).
A series of information panels , created by the Adamello Park, provides numerous and timely indications along the entire route.
For more information and other itineraries in the Brescia area, browse the Assorifugi Lombardia and Visit Brescia brochure .
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