Brescian
Trails
Pirlo allo Spino
Access: G a i n o
Operator: C . A . I . Salò
Open: J u n e 1 to S e p t . 9
Starting from
Toscolano drive to
G a i n o a n d then
f o l l o w the torrent until
y o u get to a
little b r i d g e .
After
crossing
the b r i d g e ,
c o n t i n u e on the
bumpy road to
the P a l a z z o District ( 8 1 6 m msl),
w h e r e y o u can park your car.
Taking trail 2, y o u quickly reach
•
LAKE
GARDA
Refuge
S p i n o Pass ( 1 , 1 6 0 m m s l , 5 0 m i n
f r o m t h e p a r k i n g lot) a n d t h e n , i n
a n o t h e r 15 min, the refuge.
This is the easiest a n d fastest route to
the refuge.
Just b e f o r e a r r i v i n g a t S p i n o Pass,
n e a r trail 8, it is w o r t h w h i l e to stop
a n d a d m i r e the impressive S i g a g n o i
chestnut o v e r 5 meters in
circumference.
N e a r the pass,
two enormous
trees - a b e e c h
a n d an ash welcome you
w i t h their
inviting canopy.
Here are two
alternative
access routes:
From G a r d o n e
or Salò, drive to
San Michele,
then pass t h r o u g h the C o l o m b e r
District a n d p a r k y o u r c a r i n
V e r g h e r e ( a b o u t 5 0 0 m msl).
The trail m a i n l y w i n d s a l o n g the
B a r b a r a n o Torrent (trail
m a r k e r 1) nestled
in t h e
woods.
Brescian Trails
From M a l g a G e m e l l e ( 9 6 0 m msl,
1 h 30 m i n f r o m y o u r c a r ) , t h e r e is a
steep c l i m b up to the refuge (1 h 50
min).
From Toscolano, f o l l o w the signs to
M o n t e m a d e r n o a n d then take the
unpaved road to Sant'Urbano (872
m msl). F r o m this p o i n t , h i k e a l o n g a
flat trail until y o u e n c o u n t e r trail 8 in
the Pirello District ( 1 , 0 3 0 m msl, 40
min). The path traverses chestnut a n d
b e e c h w o o d s u p t o S p i n o Pass
(1,1 60 m msl, 1 h 50 m i n f r o m y o u r
car) a n d finally the refuge.
Hikes
A n interesting p e a k that y o u c a n
easily reach from the refuge is
M o u n t S p i n o (see t h e e x c u r s i o n s
below). The p a n o r a m a ranges over
the entire Lake G a r d a hinterland up
to Lake Valvestino.
A n o t h e r route - o n l y for expert hikers
( d i f f i c u l t y EE) - t r a v e r s e s s o m e o f t h e
w i l d e s t z o n e s i n this a r e a . T h e trail
makes a large loop a l l o w i n g y o u to
get an o v e r v i e w of the continuously
c h a n g i n g landscape a n d flora
(especially in M a y a n d June), as well
as several areas that hosted the
p a r t i s a n s d u r i n g W o r l d W a r II. F r o m
the refuge ascend to M o u n t Spino
( 1 , 4 8 8 m msl, 1 h) a n d stay on the
crest until y o u r e a c h B u c o d e l G a t t o
Pass (1 h 1 5 m i n ) a n d t h e n B u c o d e l
T e d e s c o Pass ( 2 h ; f r o m t h e l a t t e r , y o u
• LAKE GARDA
c a n go b a c k to the refuge, if
necessary, d e s c e n d i n g a steep, then
a l m o s t flat, trail).
C o n t i n u e w a l k i n g a l o n g the r i d g e
until y o u g e t t o M o u n t F o r a m e t t o , t h e n
go down to Gardoncello Mountain
H u t ( 1 , 0 4 1 m msl, 3 h 4 0 min).
Continue your descent a n d in about
30 min you will arrive at Scola
H a y b a r n ( 9 2 5 m msl, 4 h 1 0 min),
w h e r e y o u c a n a d m i r e a chestnut of
majestic proportions (about 5 meters
in circumference).
At Scola H a y b a r n you meet up with
route 9 that leads y o u b a c k to the
refuge. The r o a d climbs up to Pozze
M o u n t a i n H u t ( 1 , 0 6 0 m msl, 4 h 3 0
m i n ) a n d t h e n a r r i v e s a t t h e rise; f r o m
this p o i n t , i t t r a v e l s u p a n d d o w n
a l o n g the m o u n t a i n s i d e a b o u t 1 5 0
meters b e l o w the r i d g e that y o u hiked
on the o u t b o u n d leg, until it returns to
the r e f u g e ( a b o u t 6h in total).
Brescian
Trails
•
LAKE
GARDA
• Mount Pizzocolo
D u e t o its p o s i t i o n i n t h e L a k e G a r d a
hinterland, M o u n t Pizzocolo is an
excellent observation point for
v i e w i n g the entire lake. The 3 6 0 °
p a n o r a m a e n c o m p a s s e s not o n l y the
l a k e b u t a l s o t h e A l p s (as f a r a s
M o u n t Rosa) a n d t h e A p e n n i n e s .
N e a r the summit there a r e a b i v o u a c
a n d a chapel. If y o u have children, be
c a r e f u l o n t h e e x p o s e d trails o n t h e
summit.
The calcareous rock forming M o u n t
Pizzocolo conceals m a n y grottos. T w o
of these a r e particularly interesting
since they have a microclimate with a
constant temperature between 2° a n d
5 ° C all y e a r l o n g . T h e y a r e s i t u a t e d a t
the foot o f M o u n t P i z z o c o l o a n d a r e
called G i a s e r a del Val a n d G i a s e r a de
Boscheta d'Archesane.
F o l l o w t h e s i g n s f r o m S p i n o Pass t o
M o u n t Pizzocolo
Monte Pizzocolo
or take
o n e of the
following
access
routes:
From
Toscolano
f o l l o w the signs
to Montemaderno;
then take the u n p a v e d
road to Sant'Urbano
( 8 7 2 m msl). T h e r e a r e t w o
a l t e r n a t i v e s f r o m S a n t ' U r b a n o . T h e first
o p t i o n i s t o f o l l o w trail 2 3 a l o n g Dosso
d e l B a r b i o ( B a r b i o Rise). A f t e r c r o s s i n g
a b o v e t h e "Le P r a d e " m e a d o w s , y o u
m e e t up w i t h t r a i l 5 ( 1 , 3 5 2 m msl,
1 h 30 min from S a n t ' U r b a n o )
c o m i n g f r o m S p i n o Pass.
To take the alternate route from
S a n t ' U r b a n o , f o l l o w trail m a r k e r 6 to
O r t e l l o M o u n t a i n H u t ( 7 7 0 m msl, 2 0
Brescian Trails • LAKE GARDA
min); f r o m h e r e t a k e trail 1 1 until y o u
r e a c h a little s a d d l e ( 1 , 4 6 9 m msl, 2h
3 0 min), w h e r e the p a t h intersects w i t h
trail 5 , just 1 0 m i n f r o m the s u m m i t .