Burnt Horns, from Predarossa

Access

From Milan to Ardenno along state roads 36 and 38; near the railway station turn left in the direction of Val Masino and go up the entire valley to the Filorera junction. Leave the direction for S.Martino on the left and head right towards Predarossa and Rifugio Ponti; after a few dozen metres, beyond the bridge over the Masino, pay the toll (3 euro in 2011 - issuing machine) to access the Predarossa plain: about ten kilometres with a very bumpy dirt track. Large parking area.

Introduction

A totally unprecedented excursion, overlooked in the face of the popular and very nearby Monte Disgrazia. In reality, the Corni Bruciati of the title are a mountaineering destination above the ski destination: another 200 metres of difference in altitude along a complicated wall of ledges and chimneys (moreover descended on skis - and perhaps never repeated? - in 1989 by the G.A. Mario Vannuccini with gradient sections rated 60°). The route described here, absolutely spring-like, runs along a wide gully smoothed by avalanches that reaches the foot of the rocks of the NE face of the Cima Settentrionale dei Corni Bruciati 3097 m. The itinerary is convenient when the Predarossa road is passable by car.

Description

From the parking area, often already with skis on your feet, go up the marvellous Predarossa plateau and - leaving to the left the traces of the summer path to Rifugio Ponti - reach the short tree-lined slope that leads to the second plateau. From here, with a half-slope path with a constant slight slope, we head towards the steep slopes where the moraines of the Disgrazia Glacier die: leaving the flashy central moraine to the left (the beaten track for the ascent to the visible refuge and then to the Disgrazia), we enter a wide cone of stratified avalanches which, narrowing upwards - average slope about 35° - reaches a rocky amphitheatre at the top of the gully. One more short, very steep chute (45°) and you reach the culminating snow point at the base of the rocks of the Corno Bruciato Settentrionale.
Descent to be tackled at the right time for optimum firn at these gradients.

Psychic Commitment: high

Maximum slope: 45°

Equipment: normal ski mountaineering and crampons

Objective Hazard: avalanches, falling rocks