Sentiero Attrezzato del Medale

Overview

The Sentiero Attrezzato del Medale is the normal route to the summit of Corno del Medale, a dolomitic bastion rising north of Lecco. While it doesn't present high technical difficulties, the itinerary unfolds across a continuous, steep slope with often unstable and slippery terrain, demanding constant attention and a healthy dose of caution. The route fits perfectly into the area's network of trails, serving either as a standalone ascent or as a descent variant for more complex loops.

Approach

The starting point is the locality of Rancio Alto, above Lecco. From Lecco, take the road toward Ballabio until you reach a clear double hairpin turn in a residential area. Near the second hairpin, continue straight onto Via Quarto, on the left. After about two hundred meters, at a small square, spot a steep paved road on the right, marked by a rusty white open barrier. Take this road, pass a first left-hand hairpin, and at a fork, keep right and continue climbing. In a few minutes you'll reach a barrier where parking is possible.

Via Ferrata

From the parking area, follow the paved road that enters the woods beyond the last houses, turn at a hairpin, and continue to the former Rifugio Medale. From here, turn left following signs for Corno del Medale, tackling a steep climb through the forest on a trail with variable terrain, alternating between earthy and rocky sections. You'll reach the first equipped section with a chain in about forty minutes.

The first equipped sector is a sloping grassy ledge leading to a short, non-demanding rocky gully; here the steel cable runs laterally, offering a secure handhold. The route continues at a steady pace, climbing with numerous switchbacks along the northern slope. On a couple of these switchbacks, short chain sections provide useful support, especially appreciated on the descent or when the terrain is wet. The morphology is that of a grassy and rocky ridge, with a generally northern exposure that keeps the ground cool and sometimes damp. The final stretch, particularly steep and slippery, leads to a small saddle: to the right, trails branch off toward Coltiglione and San Martino, to the left toward Corno del Medale. Turning left, in less than five minutes you round a spur and climb the final meters to the prominent summit cross. The equipped section takes about an hour, for a total of one hour and forty minutes from the start.

Descent

For those intending to do only the Sentiero Attrezzato del Medale, the return is via the same ascent route, taking about one hour and fifteen minutes from the summit, for a total of around three hours.

From the saddle just below the summit of Corno del Medale, interesting alternatives open up for creating a loop. You can continue toward Monte San Martino and descend, for example, along the Sentiero Attrezzato della Vergella or the Sentiero Attrezzato Silvia. Alternatively, from the saddle you can climb to nearby Coltiglione via the Sentiero Attrezzato GER.

Useful Notes

The main difficulty of the Sentiero Attrezzato del Medale lies in the steep and often slippery terrain, especially in the second half of the route. All exposed sections are adequately protected by cables or chains. However, the climb is not recommended after heavy rain due to treacherous ground conditions. For more experienced hikers, this equipped trail serves as the natural return route after tackling the more challenging Ferrata del Gruppo Alpini on Corno del Medale.