Story: The most recent high route

Ticino above 3,000 m

The Via Alta Crio, linking Bellinzona and Blenio Valley, offers experienced hikers a thrilling journey through Ticino’s wild, striking alpine landscapes.

Intended for experienced hikers, the newly created Via Alta Crio – located between the Bellinzona area and the Blenio Valley – enhances Ticino’s diverse hiking offer. A walk among high peaks that skim the sky, characterised by a great variety of striking and wild environments.

THE CHARACTER

Giorgio Valenti, member of the Via Alta Crio committee

My favourite mountain? Definitely Adula. I climbed it for the first time when I was 13 years old and I return gladly every year.

THE COMPLETE STORY

Fans of challenging hikes have another reason to be happy: the Via Alta Crio. The figures speak for themselves: 100 kilometers of track, often above 3,000 meters, covering 13 peaks. The trail passes beneath the Adula, the highest peak in Ticino, with over 15,000 meters of total ascent and 10 nights in shelters and unique bivouacs. A route that was deliberately designed to be one-way for safety reasons, running from south to north and alternating between contrasting and breathtaking landscapes: alpine lakes, exposed ridges, screes and glaciers, as well as flower-filled meadows, alpine pastures and gentle valleys. A journey in stages that can be covered in its entirety or completed in several sections. We met Giorgio Valenti, former canton geologist and member of the Via Alta Crio committee. There is a lot of enthusiasm and great teamwork behind the scenes of the project. All with an eye on mountain ethics, trying to minimise the impact of human passage through so much unspoilt nature.

The idea of the Via Alta Crio, a high route in the Blenio Valley, arose from a simple observation: while the Via Alta Vallemaggia spanned the west of Ticino and the Via Alta Idra and Via Alta Verzasca crossed its center, the eastern part of the canton lacked a similar trail. What sets the Via Alta Crio apart is its elevation. Unlike other high routes in the region, this trail ascends peaks above 3,000 meters, offering hikers a chance to skim the sky.

When developing the Via Alta Crio we tried to be as unobtrusive as possible so as to preserve the wild nature.

The route demands physical endurance, a steady head for heights, and solid mountain navigation skills. This is not a trail for those afraid of heights. It’s for hikers who can adapt to challenging situations, like when a fixed rope is damaged by falling rocks or winter snow. You need to be able to manage without it, navigating treacherous terrain with confidence.

The name Via Alta Crio is rooted in both geography and mythology. The trail runs among remnants of glaciers – a poignant reminder of a rapidly changing climate. The word “Crio” comes from the Greek for “ice”.
Mythologically, it also nods to Krios, a Titan who represented the southern pillar of the Earth. Similarly, the Via Alta Crio ascends from the south, supporting the towering Adula range like a great pillar.

The Piano della Parete bivouac, at 2,700 meters, is the highest in Ticino. Built in the Blenio Valley, it resembles a crystal and can accommodate up to 10 people.

The bivouac was designed to blend harmoniously with its environment. The structure can easily be dismantled if necessary, restoring the original landscape. Next to the bivouac, a fountain – likely the highest in Ticino – was installed, fed by a permafrost spring.