On the western side of Lago di Como, Monte Grona rises to a height of 1,736 metres. Monte Grona isn’t a particularly high mountain, considering that we’ve just come back from playing in mountains 3000+ metres high. However… it towers more than 1500 m above the lake. Making it a perfect vantage point from which to view the lake and the pre-Alps.
The hike to the base starts at about 1100 metres in a car park above Monte di Breglia. You pay for your parking at the bottom of the road (if you can figure out how to operate the machine) and then drive up a narrow, steep and windy, reasonably well maintained mountain road. First stop on our walk is Rifugio Menaggio, the CAI hut overlooking Lago di Como. After a quick shared drink, we continue along the Panoramic route to the start of the via ferrata.
From the first step, the challenging C/D ferrata keeps throwing new problems at us. When we reach the first escape point after more than an hour and a half, and less than halfway up, we realise we’re either going very slowly, or the suggested time on the route description is overly optimistic! (The route description suggests the time to complete the ferrata is one and three-quarter hours plus additional approach/descent time of approximately 3 hours * .) Given the amount of via ferrata left to do, we estimate that if we continue, we’ll end up finishing in the dark.
Starting the via ferrata on Monte Grona 
Time for a smile Steep part on the ferrata Hard part done – look at that view
We decide to make use of the escape route… Another couple, who were ahead of us, are also sitting at the escape point, considering the escape. When we say we are abandoning the climb, their minds are made up and they too make for the escape route.
When we join the ‘via Direttissima’, the steep direct path to the summit of Monte Grona, we decide not to waste the opportunity and go to the top. About forty steep minutes later we arrive on the summit. Below us are some exceptionally stunning views across the lake and beyond to the pre-Alps.
We take our time looking at the view in all directions, chat to a few other summiteers, try to identify some of the peaks in view. I take pics. Many. We take a selfie next to the summit cross. We chat to a couple who had hiked up with their children. I offer to take a picture of the family on the summit. They offer to reciprocate and take a picture of Barbara and I. Then, finally, realising that if we don’t leave soon we’ll end up walking down in darkness, we reluctantly say good-bye to the summit of Monte Grona! Promising to come back to climb the via ferrata in its entirety next time. We take the long route going down. Along the way we stop for a drink at Rifugio Menaggio, then continue our walk back to the car park. A drive along the lake takes us back to our hotel in Sondrio, and a late dinner. Happy that we were able to spend another perfect day in the mountains.
Monte Grona route description
The route description for the via ferrata on Monte Grona can be found here…
* I’ve since read elsewhere to allow 6/7 hours for the climb – including approach – which makes more sense to me given the distance we had completed vs the distance remaining. And for what it’s worth, we are normally ahead of the estimated time indicated on route descriptions.
