Corno Grande

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 42.47010°N / 13.56481°E
Additional Information Elevation: 9554 ft / 2912 m
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Overview

Corno Grande, king of the Gran Sasso Massif, also known as Italy's "rocky heart", is the highest mountain on the Italian mainland outside of the Alps. Being an impressively huge mountain Corno Grande consists of the following major peaks: Vetta Occidentale (occidental summit, 2912 m), Vetta Orientale (oriental summit, 2903 m), Vetta Centrale (central summit, 2893 m) and Torrione Cambi (2875 m). Most of all the Vetta Orientale could be regarded as an independent summit. Countless more or less difficult ways lead to the summits of our "sleeping giant". The most frequented and also easiest route starts from the trailhead at the Albergo Campo Imperatore (2128 m) on the southern versant of the mountain. On this very evident and well marked route you can reach the main summit of Corno Grande in only 3 - 3,5 hours (key passage II). Be sure that in summer, when Rome opens its gates, you will not find the marvellous silence, for which the Appennines are famous, on this trek. Moreover this route is the less spectacular of all. So I recommend to take the northern normal route starting from the Sella di Cima Alta (1635 m) above Prati di Tivo. If you want to you can even shorten this trip by taking the cable car which leads to the "Madonnina" at 2012 metres above the sea (cable car runs only in summer). Especially on this northern route the incomparable "Dolomiti feeling" will get you (~3,5 hours from the Sella di Cima Alta, steps of I/one step II).
SUMMIT VIEW

In August, when the trails to the main summit are a little overcrowded I would advise you to switch on one of the slightly lower secundary summits. For example the ascent to the top of the Vetta Orientale (oriental summit, 2903 m) is only a little more difficult than the climb to the main peak and it is, at least in my opinion, even more exciting (starting from the Sella di Cima Alta it'll take 3,5 - 4 hours to reach the summit, some steps II rest I, incredible view from the summit, also because you have the 1600 meters high "Paretone (=big wall) under your feet.
The ascents to the Vetta Centrale (central summit, 2893 m) and to the Torrione Cambi (2875 m) are more difficult (4 - 4,5 hours from the Sella di Cima Alta, PD II few steps III, only for good climbers).
If you attemp to climb Corno Grande's main summit in Winter you should start from Prati di Tivo (1450 m) on the northern versant of the mountain or from the Albergo Campo Imperatore (2128 m) on the southern side (in winter only reachable by the cable car from Assergi). Crossing the Calderone (Europe's southernmost glacier, even if not much is left of it) or following the west ridge you will reach the summit without too many technical problems. Anyway, don't commit the mistake to underestimate this mountains in winter!
Gran Sasso (2912 m) seen from...LAGO DI CAMPOTOSTO
Corno Grande (2912 m) and...CORNO GRANDE AND PIZZO D'INTERMESOLI

When To Climb

Best climbing months are late June, July, August and September. The ascent in winter is absolutely possible, but even if we are in central Italy these mountains can be extremely cold in winter. The very low temperatures are often combined with a strong and ice-cold wind.
Corno Grande & PiccoloCORNO GRANDE & PICCOLO

Camping

Rifugio Franchetti (2433 m)
Tel.: 0861/959634 or 333/2324474
Fax: 06/8270047
eMail: cairoma@tiscalinet.it

Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi (2388 m)
Tel.: 06/57287143
Fax: 06/5747607
eMail: cairoma@tiscalinet.it

Rifugio Garibaldi (2230 m)

Bivacco Andrea Bafile (2669 m)
Rifugio Franchetti is sooo...I love Rifugio Franchetti
Duca degli Abruzzi HutRenovated Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi

Mountain Conditions

weather conditions: MeteoAeronautica

Soccorso Alpino (rescue): 118 or 0861/245326

Corno Grande and Corno...VIEW FROM CIMA ALTA
Corno Grande West sideWEST FACE

Apennines 2000

The highest mountains in the regions of:
Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Marche, Molise, Toscana and Umbria
(only main peaks)

mountain name - elevation - mountain range - location (region)

1. Corno Grande 2912 m (9554 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
2. Monte Amaro 2793 m (9164 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
3. Monte Acquaviva 2737 m (8980 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
4. Monte Sant' Angelo 2669 m (8757 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
5. Corno Piccolo 2655 m (8711 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
6. Monte Macellaro 2646 m (8682 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
7. Pizzo d'Intermesoli 2635 m (8645 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
8. Monte Corvo 2623 m (8606 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
9. Cima delle Murelle 2596 m (8517 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
10. Monte Camicia 2564 m (8412 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
11. Monte Prena 2561 m (8403 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
12. Pizzo Cefalone 2533 m (8311 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
13. Monte Aquila 2495 m (8186 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
14. Monte Velino 2487 m (8160 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
15. Monte Vettore 2476 m (8124 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
16. Monte Gorzano 2458 m (8065 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo/Lazio
17. Cima del Redentore 2448 m (8032 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche/Umbria
18. Cima Lepri 2445 m (8022 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo/Lazio
19. Le Malecoste 2444 m (8019 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
20. Pizzo di Cafornia 2424 m (7953 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
21. Monte Portella 2422 m (7825 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
22. Pizzo di Sevo 2419 m (7937 ft) Monti della Laga - Abuzzo/Lazio
23. Pizzo di Moscio 2411 m (7910 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo/Lazio
24. Monte Brancastello 2385 m (7825 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
25. Monte di Sevice 2355 m (7727 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
26. Monte Sirente 2349 m (7707 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
27. Pizzo di Camarda 2332 m (7651 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
27. Monte Priora 2332 m (7651 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
29. Monte Greco 2285 m (7497 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
30. Costone Orientale 2271 m (7451 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
31. Serra Dolcedorme 2267 m (7438 ft) Pollino - Calabria
32. Pizzo Berro 2259 m (7412 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
32. Il Martellese 2259 m (7412 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
34. Serra Rocca Chiarano 2256 m (7402 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
35. Monte Marsicano 2253 m (7366 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
36. Monte Petroso 2249 m (7379 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
37. Monte Pollino 2248 m (7376 ft) Pollino - Basilicata/Calabria
38. Punta Trento 2243 m (7359 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
39. Monte la Meta 2242 m (7356 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo/Lazio
40. Monte della Scindarella 2233 m (7326 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
41. Monte Porche 2233 m (7326 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
42. Punta Trieste 2230 m (7317 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
43. Cima Vallelunga 2221 m (7287 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
44. La Magnola 2220 m (7284 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
45. Monte Terminillo 2216 m (7271 ft) Monti Reatini - Lazio
46. Monte Ienca 2208 m (7244 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
46. Serra della Terratta 2208 m (7244 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
48. Monte Ocre 2204 m (7231 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
49. Monte Argentella 2200 m (7218 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche/Umbria
50. Monte Tartaro 2191 m (7189 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
51. Muro Lungo 2184 m (7166 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo/Lazio
52. Costa della Tavola 2182 m (7159 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
52. Monte della Corte 2182 m (7159 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
54. Serra del Prete 2181 m (7156 ft) Pollino - Basilicata/Calabria
55. Monte Genzana 2176 m (7139 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
56. Monte Puzzillo 2174 m (7133 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
57. Monte Sibilla 2173 m (7130 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
58. Monte Bove Sud 2169 m (7116 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
59. Monte Cimone 2165 m (7103 ft) Appennino Tosco-Emiliano - Emilia-Romagna
60. Monte a Mare 2160 m (7087 ft) Monti Marsicani - Lazio/Molise
61. Monte Viglio 2156 m (7074 ft) Monti Simbruini - Abruzzo/Lazio
62. Monte di Mezzo 2155 m (7071 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo/Lazio
63. Monte Argatone 2149 m (7051 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
64. Monte Cefalone 2142 m (7028 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
65. Monte Morrone 2141 m (7025 ft) Velino-Sirente - Lazio
66. Toppe del Tesoro 2140 m (7021 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
67. Monte Porrara 2137 m (7011 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
68. Monte San Franco 2132 m (6995 ft) Gran Sasso - Abruzzo
69. Monte Rotella 2129 m (6985 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
70. Serra delle Ciavole 2127 m (6979 ft) Pollino - Basilicata/Calabria
71. Monte Cusna 2121 m (6959 ft) Appennino Tosco-Emiliano - Emilia-Romagna
72. Monte Bove Nord 2112 m (6929 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
73. La Metuccia 2105 m (6907 ft) Monti Marsicani - Lazio/Molise
74. Monte Rotondo 2102 m (6897 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
75. Monte Capraro 2100 m (6890 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
76. Pizzo Tre Vescovi 2092 m (6864 ft) Monti Sibillini - Marche
77. Monte di Cambio 2081 m (6828 ft) Monti Reatini - Lazio
78. Monte Iamiccio 2074 m (6805 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
79. Macera della Morte 2073 m (6802 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo/Lazio/Marche
80. La Torricella 2071 m (6795 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
81. Monte del Passeggio 2064 m (6772 ft) Monti Simbruini - Abruzzo/Lazio
82. Monte Rotondo 2062 m (6765 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
83. Monte Morrone 2061 m (6762 ft) Majella - Abruzzo
84. Monte Bellaveduta 2061 m (6762 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
85. Monte Prado 2054 m (6739 ft) Appennino Tosco-Emiliano - Emilia-Romagna/Toscana
86. Serra di Crispo 2053 m (6736 ft) Pollino - Basilicata
87. Monte Miletto 2050 m (6726 ft) Monti del Matese - Campania/Molise
88. Monte Orsello 2046 m (6713 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
89. Pizzo Deta 2041 m (6697 ft) Monti Simbruini - Lazio
90. Monte Cavallo 2039 m (6690 ft) Monti Marsicani - Lazio
91. Monte Forcellone 2030 m (6660 ft) Monti Marsicani - Lazio
92. Monte Mare 2020 m (6628 ft) Monti Marsicani - Lazio/Molise
93. Alpe di Succiso 2017 m (6618 ft) Appennino Tosco-Emiliano - Emilia-Romagna
94. Monte Elefante 2015 m (6611 ft) Monti Reatini - Lazio
95. Monte Cotento 2014 m (6608 ft) Monti Simbruini - Lazio
96. Monte Palombo 2013 m (6605 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
97. Monte Godi 2011 m (6598 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo
98. Monte del Papa 2005 m (6578 ft) Monte Sirino - Basilicata
99. Monte Ginepro 2004 m (6575 ft) Monti Simbruini - Abruzzo/Lazio
100. Monte Cornacchia 2003 m (6572 ft) Monti Marsicani - Abruzzo/Lazio
101. Monte Cava 2000 m (6562 ft) Velino-Sirente - Abruzzo
.
... . Montagna dei Fiori 1814 m (5952 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo
.
... . Montagna di Campli 1718 m (5637 ft) Monti della Laga - Abruzzo

External Links

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

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Tomás Blázquez

Tomás Blázquez - Dec 14, 2005 5:31 pm - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

There is a lot of buses from l'Aquila to Fonte Cerreto. You have to change in Camarda and take a minibus (you don't have to wait) to Fonte Cerreto, where a good trail ascends to Campo Imperatore (you can take the "funivia" if you don't want to walk).

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Children

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