Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 44.28809°N / 10.39126°E
Activities Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Ice Climbing, Scrambling, Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 6959 ft / 2121 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Monte Cusna 2121 m

 

Monte Cusna 2121 m is the second highest peak of the entire chain of the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano e Tosco-Romagnolo (Northern Apennines). The Northern Apennines are located between the plains of Emilia and the Tuscan sea, halfway between Europe and the Mediterranean Sea and the highest peaks (Monte Cimone 2165 m, Monte Cusna 2121 m, Monte Prado 2054 m and Alpe di Succiso 2017 m) overcome the thread of 2000 meters. All these factors together enhance the biodiversity of the area with a strong differentiation in the seasons. Monte Cusna is located entirely in the province of Reggio Emilia, few kilometers North of the main border ridge between Emilia and Tuscany, from which it's separated by means of the valley of the Ozola stream. 

Monte Cusna, Northern Apennines
Monte Cusna, Northern Apennines

It is made up of a long crest which dominates the Secchia valley and continues in a Western direction, giving rise to the Piella fore-summit, to the Alpe di Vallestrina and to Monte Ravino. This long crest shows a very characteristic profile which resembles that of a lying man, called Uomo Morto or Gigante (Dead Man or Giant). The protected area of ​​the ex Parco del Gigante takes its name from this toponym, now part of the Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano.

Monte Cusna is located within the group of the same name and on its summit there is a great cross. There are several approaches and routes to get the summit, with different starting points and various possible road accesses. There are different routes which in summer conditions don't oppose particular difficulties, being only hiking routes, but there are no brief routes. In winter condition the presence of ice and snow change the terrain of action, creating some interesting itineraries on steep slopes to be tackled with mountaineering equipment. There are several possible sides with different starting points and various possible road accesses.

Monte Prado seen from Monte Cusna
Monte Prado seen from Monte Cusna

Getting there

The main starting localities to climb the summit are:
- the locality Peschiera Zamboni near the village of Febbio, the Passo della Cisa and the locality Monteorsaro to the NE of the summit 
- the locality Casalino near the village of Ligonchio to the NW of the summit
- the Refuge Abetina Reale and the Refuge Cesare Battisti above the villageof the Civago to the SE of the summit 

For the road approach to these starting points, the town of Castelnovo né Monti must be taken as a reference point, which can be reached from Reggio Emilia via the SS63 road (41.3 km) and from Parma via the SP513R road (58 km).

Monte Vecchio (1982m), Monte Prado (2054m), Monte Cusna (2121m)
Monte Vecchio (1982m), Monte Prado (2054m), Monte Cusna (2121m) in early Spring

Main Routes

People climbing the North ridge of Monte Cusna
People climbing the North ridge of Monte Cusna

A - North ridge - Normal route from Monteorsaro

Difficulty: Alpine F in winter condition, a very short steep passage (40°) along the ridge, in summer condition E
Vertical gain:
 840 m. from Rif. Monteorsaro

Road approach

From Castelnovo né Monti to Villa Minozzo, here proceed along the SP 59 towards Ligonchio, in Ligonchio take left towards Valbucciana and Monte Orsaro. Follow the road for about ten kilometers and before the village of Monte Orsaro, turn right towards the homonymous refuge. Follow the road uphill for about 500 and leave the car at the end of the paved road near the Refuge. Alternative road approach: in Villa Minozzo take the road to Passo delle Radici and reach the village of Febbio, continue ignoring the signpost to the ski lifts of Febbio 2000 up to the nearby hamlet of Ronco Pianigi and reach the village of Monteorsaro. We cross it and go up to the left along the road "via Monte Cisa" which ends after a few tens of meters, park the car and continue along the mule track between the houses until we find the signposts.

Semi-winter condition (February 2020) on the NE slopes of Monte Cusna
Semi-winter condition (February 2020) on the NE slopes of Monte Cusna
Nearing the summit of Monte Cusna
Nearing the summit of Monte Cusna

Route report

From the Rifugio Monte Orsaro take the dirt road and at the first crossroads take on the left the path 623A towards the Passo della Cisa pass which cuts the hairpin bends of the road, pass a crossroad between paths 609/623A, cross the road (crossroads 623/623A) and proceed to Monte Cusna. The itinerary cuts the hairpins, then follow the dirt road to its end, ignoring the junction of the path 619B to Rio Grande). Now take the path between meadows and at the crossroads between paths 623 and 625 A, take the path in the diretion of Le Prese, climbing to the ridge which is reached at an altitude of 1771 m in the locality of Le Prese. Here follow the panoramic and wide North ridge of Monte Cusna to get the summit cross.

Descent: reversing the route 

B - Normal route from Pianvallese

Difficulty: Alpine F in winter condition, a very short steep passage (40°) along the ridge, in summer condition E
Vertical gain: 
840 m. from Pianvallese

Road approach

From Castelnovo né Monti reach Villa Minozzo and head towards the Passo delle Radici until you find the signpost to Febbio. Pass Febbio and take the road towards Monte Orsaro, from a crossroads on the left that leads to the nearby ski resort continue on the paved road to its end  (3 km from the hotels), where there is the Pian Vallese clearing.

Admiring Monte Prado from Monte Cusna N ridge
Admiring Monte Prado from Monte Cusna N ridge
Summit signal on Monte Cusna
Summit signal on Monte Cusna

 

Route report

From Pian Vallese 1284 m on the right it starts the path 615 entering the woods and leaving the limit of vegetation just before crossing the stream named Torrente del Fosso della Piella. Continue to walk on an obvious path on the orographic right side of the Fosso, reaching the grassy saddle of Passone 1847 m. From the pass take the NW direction to reach the grassy ridge and a little further the fore-summit of La Piella 2071 m. Still ahead, always on the wide ridge until you pass the arrival of the Febbio 2000 skilift coming from Febbio, reaching Sasso del Morto 2077 m. The path continues further innthe NW direction, descends slightly until it reaches the base of the summit pyramid of Monte Cusna. Here are two possibilities, the quickest one is to climb up directly the  ridge of the mountain (easy rocks and traces of the path), the easiest one is to get around the East ridge of the pyramid and go up the North-East ridge.

Summit of Monte Cusna
Summit of Monte Cusna

Descent: reversing the route 

C - Normal route from Casalino across Prati di Sara

Road access

From Castelnovo né Monti reach Busana, Cinquecerri and Casalino. It is advisable to park the car before entering the village itself (there are some small parking lots on the left before the village). It is also possible to enter Casalino by car and park in a parking lot near the cemetery

Monte Cusna seen from NW
Monte Cusna seen from NW

 

Route report

From the church follow the path and take the CAI path n ° 625 (indications Cusna) which from the inhabited center enters the dense forest. Reached a first crossroads, you leave the wide mule track to continue on the right on path n ° 625. It is made shortly after a hairpin bend where a mule track branches off to the right and should be ignored. The path climbs steeply up to an altitude of 1600 and shortly reaches the magnificent grassy plateau of the Prati di Sara, a short distance from the depression known as Lago del Caricatore, 1611 m. from where you can see the top of the Cusna and it is also possible to meet wild horses. From the stake with signs, turn left towards some large beech trees, to go up the above meadow slope. Reached a crossroads (signs), path n ° 623B is ignored on the left and continues to gain altitude. Reached the magnificent plateau of Monte Bagioletto, one advances flat for a wide track which then abandons (sign) continuing to the right along the path (we are always on the path marked No. 625). Bend to the right to mount on the back of the wide north ridge / ridge of the Cusna. Reached Le Prese, 1776 m, we join the itinerary 623 (itinerary from Monteorsaro) and continue straight on, starting in this way the ascent of the wide ridge that leads to the wide top of Mount Cusna.

Descent: reversing the route

Red Tape

Logo Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano
Logo Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano

 

No fees no permits required. Monte Cusna is located within a protected area, the Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano,  so people is urged to take care of nature as usual within the boundaries of all the natural parks. Free camping is not allowed and fires are strictly forbidden. The whole fauna and flora are protected. Don’t disturb fauna and other mountaineering and hikers’ peacefulness with every kind of noise.

When to Climb

It’s possible to climb and hike all year round. Winter ascents require the essential gear as crampons, rope, an ice-axe

Huts 

Rifugio Battisti 1765 m - Lamalite 
Rifugio Segheria dell'Abetina Reale
Rifugio Bargetana
Rifugio Peschiera Zamboni
Rifugio Monteorsaro

Accomodation

Different possibilities of accomodation in Castelnovo né Monti, Febbio, Civago, Villaminozzo

Meteo

METEO ARPA EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Guidebooks and maps

Appennino Tosco Emiliano Guidebook
 
 
 
 
 
Appennino Ligure e Tosco-Emiliano - M. Salvo - D. Canossini - Guida dei Monti d'Italia CAI-TCI 2002
 
Map: Parco del Gigante, 14/16, Appennino Tosco-Emiliano, 1:25000 Ed. Multigrphic, Firenze

External Links

Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano
Club Alpino Italiano Sez. Reggio Emilia



Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.