Pizzo Proman

Overview

Pizzo Proman (2098m) is the highest peak of the ridge closing the south side of the Val Grande National Park. It rises form the bottom of the Val d’Ossola as a steeped and wild rocky mountain for about 2000 meters of height and together with Cima Corte Lorenzo (1574m), Corni di Nibbio (1990m) and Lesino (1990m) it close the left side of low val d’Ossola as a impressive wall.
Pizzo Proman is part of the Val Grande National Park, settled in 1992 for the safeguard and preservation of Val Grande, the greatest inhabited area of Italy. It is a area of mountains and forests, with a unique ecosystem. A paradise for who is looking for "wilderness". All the peaks there are above 2200 meters, covered by woods, bushes and grass. The mountains are steeped, with severe and spectacular rocky formations. Peaks rise of about 1500 and more meters form the two river (Pogallo and San Bernardo)flowing there. Just few path allow the visitors to walk into the wilderness.
Val Grande offers to the visitors the pleasure to walk in untouched nature and wilderness at less then 100 km from Milano. In the centre of the park there is the "Integral reserve Cima Pedum", a part of the park which has never got permanent human settlement.
Together with Monte Massone, which rise at the opposite side (right side) of the Val d’Ossola, Pizzo Proman was a strategic military point to control the access to Milano via Sempione (Simplon). Between Teglia and Nibbio val d’Ossola it is 700m wide, surmounted by very steeped rocky mountains. There were built several defensive structures (in Cuzzago).
In 1916, during the WW1, it was built a military defensive line, known as Linea Cadorna to protect the north of Italy (Milano and Pianura Padana) by a supposed but rather impossible invasion by Central Empires (Germany and Austria-Hungary) via Switzerland. The Linea Cadorna it is a system of 72 km of trenches, 88 artillery positions, 11 fortress, lodgistic structures, observatories, 296 km of roadway and 398 Km of military way (mulattiere) for humans and animals (at that time a lot of the light artillery was transported by humans and mules!). It is located on the Piemonte-Lombardia Alpes and Prealpes form Monte Massone (close to Monte Rosa) till Monte Legnone and Alpi Orobie (Valtellina).

Getting There

From Milano (I) drive along the A8 higway direction Varese-Como-Gravellona Toce. Then after Busto Arsizio, follow the A26 "Gravellona Toce-Genova". In Gallarate you will find the crossroad of the A8/A8dir-A26: go streight to "Gravellona Toce-Genova-Sempione" direction.
Drive on the A26 till the exit “Premosello”: then once left the highway follow to Premosello Chiovenda and then rise from the valley direction Colloro. In Colloro parking places are available.
(Premosello it is also a train station on the Line Milano-Domodossola of Trenitalia. Look to www.ferroviedellostato.it).

From the church of Colloro a roadway rise direction Alpe Lut, red and white marks. Follow the road till a bivy direction of “Madonna di Lut”: a path rise to the panoramic chapel of Madonna di Lut (water), nice view on the val d’Ossola. Then follow the red-white marks to Alpe la Piana (1000m) (water) (again on the roadway) and then follow to Alpe La Motta (water, 1077m). The path enters into a narrow steeped valley between woods and then grasses to Alpe della Colma (1728m, water), panoramic point between val d’Ossola and val Grande. In Alpe la Colma there is a comfortable bivouac. Then turn on south-east and follow the military path that contours Moncucco (1970m) and with very impressive passages lead to the top of Pizzo Proman (2098m).

From the top a spectacular view of the Pianura Padana, Verbano and other Sub-Alpine Lakes (Varese, Monate, Comabbio, Orta), Milano. From south east to North west you might recognise Monte Viso and the Pennin Alps: Monte Rosa, Strahlhorn-Rimpflishhorn-Allalinhorn-Alphubel, Mischabel, Andolla, Weissmiess-Lagginhorn-Fletschorn. Spectacular view on Lepontine Alps (Monte Leone), Fiensteraarhorn then far in the East the Bernina-Disgrazia.

The itinerary in short:
• About 1700 meters form Colloro (500m) to the Pizzo Proman (2098m); about 10 km one way, 3:30 – 4 hours
• Colloro (500m) – Alpe Lut (820m) – Alpe La Piana (1000m) – Alpe la Motta (1080m) – Alpe La Colma (1728m) – Pizzo Proman (2098m)
• Red and white marks
• Season: late Spring (May-June: wait the melting of the snow that might cover the military path and make some passages rather dangerouse) or Autumn (September-November)
• Water supply along the walk: in the dry season (summer-autumn) it could be scarce

Red Tape

Val Grande can offer you nice walking and hiking during all the year.
In the winter time, from November to April be careful for the snow. Severe avalanches danger!

If you intend to explore the Val Grande a standard hiking equipment might be appropriate.
CNS 1:5000 blat 285 Domodossola
Kompass Map "Lago Maggiore" AND "Domodossola".

Camping

Inside the park camping is forbidden.
There are some nice bivouac with fireplaces, furniture and beds (with or without mattress):
1)Bivacco Alpe la Colma
2)Pivacco In la Piana
3)Bivacco Alpe val Gabbia
4)Bivacco Alpe Scaredi
5)Bivacco Bocchetta di Campo
6)Bivacco Alpe Pian di Boit
7)Casa dell’Alpino, Alpe Pra

External Links

official website of Val Grande Park:
http://www.parcovalgrande.it/Eindex.html

a site about valgrande, in italian:
http://www.in-valgrande.it/

Additional Information

The region around the Lake Verbano or Lago Maggiore is reach of hystory and art monuments.
Close to Milano, in Angera, on the Lombardia side you can visit Angera, as well in Leggiuno the Abby of Santa Caterina (8t-10th century).
Testimonal of the stone age you can find in Valgrande as well everywehere in the mountains.
Visit also the Isole Borromee archipelago, Verbania, Stersa and Pallanza.
Not so far there is also the Holy Mountains of Orta San Giulio.

Around Val Grande there are several buildings of the military defensive line called Linea Cadorna built in 1916 in case of an eventual but rather impossible invasion by Central Empires via Switzerland

In Val Grande there are many peaks you can visit: Cima di Campo, Pizzo Pedum, Cima Marsicce, Corona di Ghina, Pizzo Proman, Laurasca.

Some suggestion
Few suggestion to visit Val Grande
1. Cima Sasso form Cicogna
2. Cima della Laurasca from Malesco
3. Monte Zeda from Intragna or Miazzina via Pizzo Marona
4. The Premosello-Malesco: from Premosello via Alpe Lut-alpe La Piana - Alpe la Colam (possible deviation for the Pizzo Proman, panoramic point)- Alpe Colletto - La Piana (bivouac) - Alpe Boschelli - Alpe Scaredi (bivouac) (in about 1 hours you can arrive to the top of Cima Laurasca) - Fornaci - Malesco (2 days)
5. Pizzo Proman

Images

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