One of the most spectacular panoramic hikes ever - the Grignetta and the Bivacco Ferrario

Have you ever heard of the Grignetta? Neither did we - until recently. The Grignetta or Grigna meridionale is a mountain near Lecco on Lake Como. From up there you have a spectacular panoramic view of Lake Como and the surrounding mountains. And on the top there is a bivouac for the night. We couldn't miss that. The weather had been bombastic for a few days and so we set off on Wednesday. The hike is described as quite difficult. Since the Grignetta is very prominent and steep at 2,177 m, there is only one ascent that is suitable for our current level of experience. And even that should be quite exposed. But we like to push our limits and test what is possible. To be on the safe side, we equip ourselves with crampons and climbing harnesses - there might be still snow up there. However, we do without the ice ax because we correctly assume that there will be little snow left, as was to be confirmed later.

Grignetta, Grigna, Lago Di Como Bivacco Ferrario Michael Marion Marquardt Fotografie — Marion with heavy luggage on the final climb

With spring-like 18 degrees we start around noon on the Pian de Resinelli. And immediately the path becomes steep. That's no surprise - the almost 1,000 meters in altitude stretch over only 2 km. After a while we come to the crossroads where the expert route starts, the so-called Direttissima (in English: the most direct line). We feel like we're already walking it :-) But everything is possible with a little respect. And after about 2 hours we reach the final ascent to the ridge, which is secured with chains. We are amazed at how makeable the route was for us. We don't need any climbing gear or crampons, even when descending. Once at the top, we first enjoy the panorama and sunbathe extensively. There are quite a few hikers already at the top and we hope no one else plans to stay overnight. In fact, we're lucky. The place is very busy, especially towards summer, but we actually have the magical place to ourselves!

Finally, we inspect the bivouac that looks like a space capsule. It is actually a chapel, so it is not equipped with loungers, blankets and cooking utensils as usual. Of course we have everything we need with us. That is not much. Micha's photo equipment makes up the majority of the luggage. Of course, shortly before sunset we do an extensive photo shoot. And the alarm clock rings shortly before sunrise so that we can enjoy the magical moment. Look at those pictures - stunning!