The Coltignone (1,479 metres) is a viewpoint over Lecco and the small lakes of the Alta Brianza: although not very high it has an imposing bulk, with steep, wild west and east slopes, and one of the climbs starts from the Piani Resinelli.
What to see
To the north the Coltignone faces the Piani Resinelli and the Grignetta; to the south the Corno Regismondo, the Corna di Medale and the San Martino (which is a foreland of it and is often confused with it), to the west the lake, to the east Ballabio and the Valsassina; it is mostly limestone. From the Resinelli a comfortable path in the Parco Valentino climbs to a viewpoint, the Belvedere, a rock balcony above the town, the lake branch, the Brianza lakes, the Corni di Canzo and the Brianza as far as the Adda, with the Alps to the north; nearby is the Casa Museo Villa Gerosa, which can be visited when open. Another viewpoint, the “Paradiso”, looks over Lake Garlate and Monte Due Mani.
Getting there
The guides we consulted start from the Piani Resinelli (about 1,250-1,300 m), with parking near the skyscraper and the campsite: you take via Escursionisti, enter the Parco Valentino through the gate and follow the signs for the Belvedere and the Coltignone. For the Belvedere you need about an hour and 171 metres of ascent (difficulty E); for the summit the loop counts about 250 (different guides rate it E or T) and leads to the top, with a view over Lecco and the Resegone. The other routes are harder: the Paolo Spreafico path starts from the Piazza hut, passes the Val Verde and rejoins the Resinelli path just below the top, and the GER path, for experienced hikers, has a final chain-aided stretch (Wikipedia). The times, ascents and difficulty ratings on this page come from unofficial hiking guides and portals (see Sources), not from a body that manages the trail. Times, difficulty and trail conditions change with the season and should be checked before setting out (CAI, hut managers, weather forecast).
Practical information
- Height: 1,479 metres (Wikipedia, Wikidata, Gulliver); OpenStreetMap gives 1,471.
- According to OpenStreetMap the summit is in the municipality of Abbadia Lariana; the Piani Resinelli straddle several municipalities and the mountain can be seen from Lecco, a few kilometres to the south.
Sources
- eccoLecco, Piani Resinelli: Belvedere Parco Valentino
- Salì in vetta, Anello del Monte Coltignone
- Gulliver, Coltignone from Piani Resinelli, Parco Valentino loop
- Wikipedia, Coltignone entry; Wikidata and OpenStreetMap.