The Corno Birone (1,116 metres) is a limestone outcrop of the Triangolo Lariano, recognisable from Valmadrera by the large metal cross on top: from there the eye drops over the industrious Brianza, while a ridge links it to Monte Rai and Monte Prasanto.
What to see
The most singular place is the Sass Negher (“Black Rock”), at 425 metres, in the gully below the summit: a huge erratic boulder, carried here by the Adda glacier and protected as a natural monument by the Lombardy Region for its unusual size (one report says it came from the Valmalenco). On the “Lucio Vassena” path you also find the Taja Sass, where from the late 19th century to the early decades of the 20th the cutting of serpentine erratic boulders was practised; lower down, along the Inferno stream, are the “vasche” (pools), carved by the water.
The paths are marked by the OSA of Valmadrera and carry people’s names. The “Lucio Vassena”, named after the son, who died young, of a Valmadrera benefactor, is very varied and scenic; the “Dario e William” recalls two young Valmadrera climbers who died in an avalanche at Livigno on 26 December 2003, follows roughly the east ridge and is decidedly demanding in its upper part, with grade-one passages. The OSA also marks the LV1 path (Trebbia hamlet, Sass Negher, Corno Birone: 3.1 km, 2 hours) and the Luisin path, which links San Tomaso to the sanctuary of San Pietro via the Taja Sass.
Getting there
The starting point is the car park near Valmadrera’s new cemetery (about 260 m); you climb the cobbles towards the sanctuary of San Martino and follow the sign “Corno Birone, sentiero Lucio Vassena”. A 2014 report describes 950-1,000 metres of ascent, about two hours up and difficulty EE (for experienced hikers): after the Sass Negher the path climbs a valley with many hairpins to a grassy saddle at 708 metres, on the south-east ridge, then climbs with a chain-equipped rock passage to a notch (about 930 m) and to the final slope under the cross. The climb by the “Dario e William” takes about 860 metres of ascent and two and a quarter hours, with difficulty EE. You can continue along the ridge to Monte Rai (1,259 m, 30 minutes from the Birone) and descend by the Val Molinata. Times, difficulty and trail conditions change with the season and should be checked before setting out (CAI, hut managers, weather forecast).
Practical information
- Height: 1,116 metres (Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap).
- According to OpenStreetMap the summit is in the municipality of Civate; the mountain can be seen from Valmadrera, from where the paths start.
- Nearby: Monte Moregallo, served by the same network of OSA paths.
Sources
- OSA Valmadrera, signage and trails
- Montagna Vissuta, Corno Birone, Lucio Vassena path (2014) and Dario e William path (2014)
- Renato Magni, Corno Birone
- Wikipedia, Corno Birone entry; Wikidata and OpenStreetMap.