From Monesi to Monte Saccarello

Mount Saccarello is easily reachable by a trail from Monesi di Triora: its 2200 meters of altitude stand out on Liguria and allow you to admire a fantastic view of the Maritime Alps and the Ligurian Sea. In short, we highly recommend this excursion, both summer and winter version with snowshoes.

Monesi di Triora is located in the province of Imperia and is a small village at 1300 meters of altitude that in the past was a haunted ski resort. Nowadays the facilities are almost always closed, but in summer you can use monesi as a starting point for beautiful trekking, and in winter the same paths and old slopes become the paradise of snowshoes and scianypinism.

The most important and panoramic hiking itineraries that depart from Monesi are those leading to the statue of the Redeemer and the ridge that connects Mount Saccarello with Monte Fronté (another summit over 2000 meters). From the imposing statue of the Redeemer as well as from the whole of this crest you enjoy clamorous views.

Summer trails are numerous and simple to follow, while more attention you need to always place with snow. Starting from the Toys of Monesi, it is convenient to follow the dirt road that passes under the "Trepini" chairlift.

So, even when there is a lot of snow it is impossible to lose the correct itinerary. In some stretches you can still cut the hairpin bends, but you need to pay attention because at some point the road folds to the right, passing under the chair lift and entering the woods.

After about 300 meters of height difference from Monesi (and 3 km walking), the road comes out of the woods and gets up to another old ski residence, which led to the Redeemer. In summer, a chance is to take the path that from here rises straight to the ridge. Otherwise, it is good to switch under the ski lift cables and immediately after taking the wide ski slope that goes up to the left. The road, in fact, continues in the falsopiano and then arrives at the saccarello after a very long ride, making a lot of time!

Clearly the walk becomes much more tiring, also because despite being about halfway through the path, there is still much part of the height difference, about 600 meters. In December we met some beautiful red berries that colored the landscape already fiabean.

Going up, the ski slope folds to the right, to overcome a stretch of woods, and then arrives to a large snow-covered slope. On the left you always see the chairlift and above the statue of the Redeemer, which seems closer than it is actually. It continues calmly (especially with snowshoes, it is a tiring walk on the snow when it is deep!) Come on slowly to the chairlift and arrival.

After about 7 km of trekking and 900 meters in altitude, which can be followed in three hours, so you get to the imposing statue of the Redeemer. From here, a path continues in the ridge: it is the highest trait in the upper Via dei Monti Liguri (which runs throughout the region, from Ventimiglia to the border with Tuscany) and offers amazing views.

Arriving at the top, if you continue on the ridge to the left, you arrive at the Garlenda Pass, from which a path descends into the woods to Monesi. Alternatively, from Garlenda Pass you can walk to the Cima Garlenda, then to Monte Fronté, and then in San Bernardo di Mendatica: another very interesting option for trekking in the area.

We, instead, from the statue of the Redeemer we went along the ridge to the right, towards the top of the saccarello, which is a few hundred meters away, almost in falsopiano.

On Mount Saccarello there is a border with Piedmont and France and there are the ruins of an old military workstation, but above all you can enjoy an amazing view at 360 degrees in the Maritime Alps, on the Ligurian Sea and on the path.
we are then I went down following the first leg route, for convenience and safety given the abundance of snow. This path is among other things fantastic and I would say safe for those who practice ski mountaineering. In summer I would have opted instead to complete the ring itinerary, going down to Monesi from the Garlenda Pass.

By the way, in Passo Garlenda also go up long and beautiful trails from Triora, on the southern side of Mount Saccarello, while on this page we described classic access from the northern slope (which is sunny, as seen from the photos). In short, it is one of the most memorable trekking routes in Liguria, so ... good trip !!
ah, always on the maritime Alps we have traveled with snowshoes The itinerary for the Cima Gardiola , very panoramic, while for other paths of the upper Via dei Monti Liguri there is our very complete page on the Trekking in Liguria .
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