Madom da Sgióf

Information

Date:	26 June 2023
Maximum height:	2265 m
Difference in height:	1680 m
Length:	12.5 km
Kilometers effort:	34.9 kmef
Duration:	9 hours and 40 minutes

Huts reached:

Capanna Starlaresc

Lakes reached:

Lago del Starlarèsc da Sgióf

Difficulties (Automatic translation in english)

	From Piee (near Brione) to Màtar and then to the fork at an altitude of 1244 metres.
	From the altitude of 1244 metres to the Starlarèsc da Sgióf lake (with some T3+ passages).
	From the lake to the summit of Madom da Sgióf and then to the Deva Pass (with a few T3+ passages).
	From the pass to the Starlarèsc da Sgióf lake (with some T3 passages).

Comment (Automatic translation in english)

Today I decide to go to the Verzasca Valley and reach Lake Starlarèsc da Sgióf. I will then continue up to the Madom da Sgióf.
The excursion starts at Piee, half a kilometre before Brione, where there is a dirt car park for a fee (10 francs for the whole day). I then start walking along the path that goes up to Pianesc, after which I continue to Màtar. Having reached this place, there is a downhill section of about 50 metres in height difference before reaching the fork at an altitude of 1244 metres. The path on the left continues towards Alpe di Sgióf while the one on the right climbs straight up to the lake that I want to reach. I follow the latter, which is marked in blue-white, although in my opinion the difficulty remains at T3, with some passages T3+. The most difficult sections have in fact been equipped with ladders, iron handles or chains to aid the ascent, which is still quite steep. At an altitude of 1514 metres, we cross the Valegg di Gann on some fairly smooth rocks and this passage could become dangerous in the event of heavy rain due to the swollen river. I then continue the ascent until I reach the Corte di Starlarèsc, where there is also the Starlarèsc Hut, a beautiful stone building still with a stone roof. On the other side of the valley, the Poncione d'Alnasca rises majestically with its spectacular south face.
A short distance from the hut is the Starlarèsc Lake, famous for being home to neotenic newts, i.e. newts in which morphological and physiological characteristics typical of juvenile forms such as gills are present. This allows them to remain active all year round, even in winter under the ice. I tried to look for them but could only see normal newts without gills.
After a break, I set off again along the path that climbs south-eastwards until I reached the saddle to the west of Motarüch. I then climb up the north-east ridge of Madom da Sgióf, where there are some slightly more delicate but not difficult passages, until I reach the summit.
For the return journey I choose instead to descend to the Deva pass along a path similar to the previous one and without any particular difficulties. From the pass I then return to the lake and, following the same route as in the morning, I reach Piee again.

Water (Automatic translation in english)

There is a fountain at the start in Piee, one in Pianesc and finally a very useful one near the Capanna Starlaresc. There is also a stream after Màtar and the Valegg di Gann river, which you cross at an altitude of 1514 metres (both visible on the national map).