Monte Mucrone from Oropa: 1,150 m of climbing to the symbol summit of the Biella Alps

Mucrone is the mountain people in Biella see from their windows every morning: a rock pyramid above the sanctuary. Climbing it from the Oropa square, with the cable car closed, means 1,150 m of ascent and a final rocky stretch that demands care. In return, the summit looks over the whole Po plain and Monte Rosa.

The route

From the Oropa Sanctuary we climb through the beech wood to Lago del Mucrone. From there the trail steepens among rocks and pastures to the Bocchetta del Lago and then, along a ridge with a few hands-on moves, to the cross on Monte Mucrone, 2,335 m.

Summit lunch and down the same way, with a stop at the lake to catch our breath.

Who it's for

• anyone fit for more than a thousand metres of climbing
• anyone comfortable on a rocky ridge with easy scrambling
• anyone who wants the finest summit in the Biella Alps in a day

Good to know

Cable car closed: all on foot. With snow or ice on the final ridge the guide stops the group at the lake. Packed lunch, helmet recommended for the summit stretch.

Getting there

The Oropa Sanctuary is an hour and forty from Milan: A4 to Carisio, then Biella and the Oropa road. Free, large sanctuary car park. Car pooling in the outing's Telegram group.