Monte Generoso

On the Italian side of Mount Generoso, the mountain on the border between Lombardy and the Canton of Ticino, Alpe d’Orimento is one of the starting points for the ascent to the summit. At an altitude of 1,275 metres, among scattered houses and pastures, the waters of the Breggia stream have their source. This is the gateway to a landscape of woods and ancient mountain pastures.

From here, two paths branch off: one high and one low. The lower path is the quietest: it starts from the car park at the Baita di Orimento, is suitable for everyone, and takes about an hour and a half to walk. Those who choose to walk the entire loop, however, should bear in mind that there is an elevation gain of around 400 metres, which takes four hours to complete.  

The lower path runs on level ground for a few minutes; then, after crossing a small wooden bridge, it turns left and climbs among the trees. Along the way, a number of information panels describe the geology of Generoso, its vegetation, and the changes to the environment since the last ice age.

As you climb, the vegetation changes to a beech forest mixed with birch trees, continuing all the way to Alpe Pesciò di mezzo, at 1,368 metres. Here stand the dry-stone walls of an old mountain pasture settlement, which once housed nine families and 400 head of cattle. Next to it is a nevera, a small building where winter snow was stored until summer to keep the milk cool. Autumn is the best time to walk this stretch at a more leisurely pace: the path remains almost entirely in the shade of the trees, and along the way you may come across the Bisbino horses, which graze freely on Mount Generoso until the end of the season.
The final, steeper stretch leads to the Sella d’Orimento pass, with views over Lake Lugano. From there, a flat stretch soon takes you to the entrance of the Generosa Cave, also known as Grotta dell’Orso (Bear’s Cave). It was discovered in 1988 by two Swiss speleologists and has yielded the remains of over 500 cave bears; some bones found on the surface have been dated to around 38,200 years ago. Guided tours of the interior are available by booking only, from late May to early October. The footpath, however, remains accessible even without entering the cave.
You can reach Alpe d’Orimento by car from San Fedele d’Intelvi, in the province of Como, by taking the road to Casasco and turning right just before the village. Before the Orimento mountain hut there is a large, free gravel car park.