My name is Bondone, Monte Bondone

04-10-12

Tre Cime del Monte Bondone

Today's mountain is the gondolier's favourite, Cornetto the highest point on the Monte Bondone that towers above the town of Trento and the Adige valley. Another Ultra with a height of 2180m P1685.

Autumn colours at Viote

When I set off from a car park (1525m) near Viote on track 636 there was a lot of cloud about so I did not expect to see much on the tops. The walking started quite easily, then it was quite steep in the woods on the slope of Cima Verde, the first of three main tops (tre cime) on the Bondone ridge. I was soon in the clouds on top of Cima Verde (2100).

Cima Verde

Just occasionally there was a break in the cloud and I saw a view along the ridge or down into the valleys below.
From Verde there was a pleasant ridge walk that ends with a bit of easy via ferrata to the summit of the second summit, Dos d'Abramo (2140m) which had a summit cross with a logbook and a bell. Did I ring the bell? Of course I did.

Dos D'Abramo summit

VF on Dos D'Abramo

From there I had hoped to descend on a harder section of via ferrata - Guilio Segata - unfortunately it was 'chiuso per manutenzione' and judging by the rustiness of the cable that I could see I decided, for once, to obey the sign. The main route on track 636 has some simple VF down to the col beneath the walls of Cornetto (sorry, I could not resist the pun).

Cornetto summit

The marked trail itself does not go to the summit and I wasn't sure which way to go when I reached the wall. The top of Cornetto consists of a big block of rock that has been riddled with WWI tunnels and trenches. Eventually I found a way around the back using a diagonal trench to reach the top which looks like puddled concrete. As ever, there was a cross near the top.

Cornetto summit cross

There was no view because of the cloud and I had to use a compass bearing to get off again on the other side where I found the junction of tracks 636 and 607. I used 607 to go back down and it turned out to be a straightforward well used track that made for easy and quick walking. Towards the bottom I left the track to cut across some meadows back to the start of track 636 - and passed a sign saying that I should not have done what I had just done as it was a botanical nature reserve - oops. And, of course, it was at this point the clouds cleared and I could actually see where I had been.

Cornet shaped mushrooms?