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List of forums / Italy / Other mountain ranges - Italy / Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes

Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes

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bagi21. 11. 2017 15:24:23
Cima Rocchetta (1519 m) and Cima Valdes (1577 m) are the highest peaks in the small mountain range directly above Lake Garda. Besides them, it includes Cima Capi, Cima Rocca, Cima SAT and a few more. These are full of fortified military positions from WW1 due to the excellent view of Lake Garda. Everything is drilled, dug, connected and it's hard to see it all in one day. We've already hiked most of it, this time the two highest ones, shifted a bit to the north, were on the agenda. They don't have a direct view of the lake, so there are fewer military objects here.

We parked at the organized parking lot in the village of Biacesa, where markings 417 directed us steeply uphill. A bit later we turned onto path 460 towards the military chapel S. Giovanni with the aim of viewing the military galleries. Our underground path started below the summit of Cima Rocca. Only one tunnel is marked, the multitude of others is left to the curious. It's unbelievable what they did back then. Headlamp is mandatory.

After exiting the galleries, the less frequented connecting path 405 B brought us to the original 417. The path continues nicely, easily followable and steadily steep up to our first goal Cima Rocchetta. The turn-off to it is marked, from this summit we could continue almost directly towards Cima Valdes. This summit is about half an hour away and is the indistinct highest elevation of the ridge.

We returned via a circular variant all the way to the saddle Bocca Giumeila and there turned left into the valley on path 451. This splits a kilometer lower into a marked right variant and an unmarked but well visible left one. This reliably leads all the way to the starting point in Biacesa.

Some useful data :

Starting point : Biacesa ... 45°51"56.7"N / 10°48"25.5"E ( Google Maps_Android )
Path length : 13 km / Ascent on path : 1400 m
Duration : 6.30 hours

Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Our path started in direction 417, later we turned towards the chapel Chiesa S. Giovani1
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes New feature on the path, in spring there was no such partial concrete covering yet2
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Military chapel S. Giovani with excellent view3
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Interior.4
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes View in the direction of lake Lago di Ledro5
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes That's how they imagine a bivouac in these parts :)6
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Bivouac Francesco Arcioni below the wall of Cima Rocce, not far from the chapel S. Giovani7
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes The interior is not too similar to ours either. That day who else but two ... Czechs slept inside8
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Thousand and one cooking rings, usually just polenta9
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Our direction ... military galleries, or in plain speak trenches10
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Entrance to one of the galleries. The marked path leads through here11
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Direction marking in the trenches. Best to stick to the markings12
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes The explorers this time13
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes There is a whole bunch of trenches, only one is marked14
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Even for really tall people it's tight overall. A helmet comes in handy :)15
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Through one hole in, through the other out ....16
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes ... and again into another17
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Forbidden direction. Some trenches descend steeply or are partially filled in18
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Remains of telephone installation. Today they wouldn't even need it :)19
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Year of construction of one of the portals20
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Even later most of the path runs along defensive lines. This time it's path 405 B21
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Path 405 B delivered us to the original 417. It also gets the name Sentiero Rino Zanotti. Markings 417 remain22
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes View of the traversed path23
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Cima Rocchetta, sometimes referred to as Cima Giochello on direction signs and maps24
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Well-deserved rest25
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Below are CIma Rocca and Cima Capi26
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Continuation of the path in the direction of Cima Valdes27
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes We continue on path 41728
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Descent from the indistinct summit Cima Valdes in the background29
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes We continue towards the saddle Bocca Giumeila with the intention of making a circular route30
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Part of the path crosses steep grassy slopes and this is the only exposed section31
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes A small mountain whose name I haven't seen anywhere32
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Weekend house ....33
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes ... with first aid :)34
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes In the saddle we turn left onto path 451. This leads into the valley and later splits into two paths35
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes The unmarked left path leads to the starting point36
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Most accesses to the local mountains are partially concreted so that rainwater doesn't wash away the road37
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes We haven't met such a starved kitten for a long time. He ate everything we had left38
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Autumn is also here, although much later than with us39
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Cima Rocca. Under its summit there are military galleries40
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Path map41
Cima Rocchetta, Cima Valdes Google's view of the walked path42
(+5)like
vladika21. 11. 2017 19:29:49
Very nicely described. nasmeh
(+2)like
bagi1. 12. 2025 17:09:11
We visited Cima Valdez a few years ago, but the military paths from the first war allow very different accesses. This time the start was elsewhere than usual, mainly because of the new direction we hadn't walked yet. The start was in the village of San Giacomo, squeezed into the gorge of the stream Torrente Albola right below the 4 km long tunnel towards lake Lago di Ledro.

First 500 m we followed path 434, then a left turn towards the ruins of the ancient church Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena. A bit further the turn to path 402 took us much higher all the way to the next path, this time 418. This was the one that took us past the known Cima SAT towards the first viewpoint, the top of Monte Rocchetta. The continuation is more exposed, to Cima Valdez leads path 417A. This summit is also an excellent viewpoint, as such full of military remains, from concreted bunkers to hidden caverns and overgrown defensive trenches. Plenty.

We descended towards saddle Bocca Giumella, from there followed 413 all the way to the turn to the forest road. This delivered us to the valley almost to the village Campi. A little below it is the bike path turn to the right and along it we went towards the starting point. Before that the signs for waterfalls Cascate dell’Ert led us to path 434. This in the last part runs high above the gorge and is quite exposed, staples and cables help at key spots. But the path is attractive and just like that brought us to the junction with the morning path. Only a short part to the starting point followed and another nice day was behind us nasmeh.

Coordinates of the starting point (San Giacomo) : 45.8965850N, 10.8349686E
We park along the road right before the village San Giacomo. Not much space for cars.1
At the beginning we walk along 434, which we will soon leave.2
San Giacomo is a small village squeezed along the quite watery Albola stream.3
Accordingly, the streets are extremely narrow, the houses not much wider either :)4
Church Santa Maria Maddalena, dating to around 1200.5
Soon after it we turn right onto path 402.6
The views grow with the altitude …7
Higher up we branch left onto the forest path marked 418.8
This one is quite narrow and covered with fallen leaves.9
Exposed …10
Some lost their lives here, cause the First World War.11
Cima SAT, nice peak with beautiful ferrata12
In the morning it was still icy cold, now it's hot13
We walk towards Cima Giochello, also named Monte Rocchetta14
In this area there must have been a military base as it is full of military objects15
Bunkers everywhere...16
Caverns...17
... and fortified paths18
Our route19
Follows the ascent to the ridge20
The views are increasingly expansive. Below Riva del Garda, Torbole and Nago21
View in the other direction to lake Lago di Teno. To the right above it Monte Misone22
View ahead in the direction we're heading23
First summit24
Continuation first along the sunny side25
Then on the shady north side bypasses impassable rocks26
Due to shade temperature drops immediately, leaves are damp and slippery27
And soon again reach the sunny ridge28
A little more and we'll be at the final destination29
Cima Valdez, peak that does not hide military history30
Descent towards Cima d'Oro, but not going there today31
Remains of the first war everywhere32
Descending towards the pass Bocca Giumella33
Continuation from the saddle onwards is more relaxed. This time follow 413.34
Fortifications over 100 years old.35
They also knew how to use terrain folds for shelters :)36
At the junction of several paths we head towards the village Campi.37
This follows a wide forest road.38
Countless bends, few shortcuts. But such a path and warm sun suit us perfectly.39
Campi. Just below it we turn right onto the cycle path.40
Cycle path.41
Even further on, only praise.42
This is Sentiero della Pinza, or path 402. The eagle on the sign means military origin.43
But soon we turn onto 434 towards the dell'Ert waterfalls.44
A special sign points to them.45
We are quite surprised. We didn't expect so much water.46
The main waterfall is exceptionally full-flowing, with some smaller ones around it.47
Exposed section of path 434.48
It runs high above the gorge of the Albola stream.49
View downwards …50
This is the starting sign from the San Giacomo direction. Path 434 is EE category, meaning demanding.51
In the narrow part of the village there are several road-end warnings. This blue one lacked the tunnel to Lago di Ledro, like many others.52
19 km and 1700 m of elevation gain accumulated.53
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