Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso massif is one of the most fascinating peaks in Europe. Visible from afar, it towers above all the other peaks and mountains of the Apennines. And the best part: you can enjoy fantastic hikes here any time of year.
The Apennines are the spine of Italy, stretching over 1.200 km from the Po Valley to Calabria. The highest peak is the 2.912 m high Corno Grande in the Gran Sasso d'Italia mountain range. If you drive along the A24 motorway from the Adriatic coast to L'Aquila, the Gran Sasso rises with tremendous force almost 3.000 meters above you. The three peaks of the Corno Grande western (2912 m), Centrale (2893 m) Oriental woody eau de toilette. (2903 m) are made of dolomite rock and enclose the southernmost glacier in Europe, the Ghiacciaio del Calderone, in a true "anfiteatro".
On August 19, 1573, the 69-year-old Francesco De Marchi, accompanied by a guide and four other companions, made the first ascent of Corno Grande. Allegedly, they climbed from the 900-meter-high Assergi in five hours. That's a brisk pace for the 2.000-meter climb, especially for a senior citizen. Because climbing Corno Grande is anything but an ordinary hike. Today, the signpost indicates a 3-hour ascent, but that's based on the Campo Imperatore cable car station at 2.000 meters.
The three normal routes:
There are actually three "normal routes" to the summit of Corno Grande. Ideally, you would combine one for the ascent with another for the descent. The easiest route leads via the... Northwest flank It is also the best route for the descent, provided it is snow-free. In our system, this ascent would be classified as a black-rated hiking trail with very easy scrambling at the summit.
The second normal route is called via diretissimaThis is the fastest ascent if you're coming from Campo Imperatore. It leads directly up a steep slope to the summit cross. The route is marked and requires easy climbing up to grade II. The same applies to the exposed section. West RidgeThat would be the third normal route. Here too, many red markings point the way. If you follow them carefully, you can expect a wonderful, but sometimes very exposed, scrambling section of difficulty level 2.
Although the via diretissima and the West Ridge are actually easy climbing routes, they are usually climbed without ropes. This makes sense, as both ascents would be quite long if one were to belay from belay station to belay station. If, however, a more technically challenging climb is desired, then the South Pillar is the only option.
The south pillar:
Formed from bold dolomite, the imposing south pillar shoots directly from a massive flank towards the summit. It's no wonder this rock formation was a coveted goal for ambitious Roman mountaineers and climbers. As early as July 26, 1933, Giancola, Tomassi, and d'Armi ventured onto the pillar and established a spectacular route. The Italian climbing guide describes the rock quality as "generalemente buona" (generally good). While that sounds quite appealing, you should know that it's the middle of the five available rock quality ratings. You reach the start of the climb from the via ferrata, which leads, extremely exposed, to the fiery red Bafile bivouac hut.
Before the actual via ferrata begins, you traverse across easy scree to the start directly at the base of the pillar. Ten rather short pitches wind their way around the pillar, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, until you reach the summit. There are numerous variations and a few pitons along the way. To put your mind at ease, the belay stations are good, most even bolted. Nevertheless, we would classify this as an adventure tour. Highly recommended, but there's a difference between a bolt at chest height and a rusty piton five meters below. Many sections also can't be protected with trad gear because the rock is quite compact. The difficulties are rated IV, with some sections rated V, and that's certainly not an understatement.
The Corno Grande with skis:
It's hard to believe, but as early as March 26, 1923, the famous Italian mountaineer and ski pioneer Aldo Bonacossa stood on the summit with skis. We don't know exactly where he skied down. But it must have been one of the three routes that are still commonly used today.
Firstly, there is the normal route, which is also common in summer, via the steep Northwest flankIn good conditions, you can ski almost to the summit using good kick-turn technique. We did this in the winter of 2025. via diretissima I chose the route and strapped my skis to my backpack from the saddle at 2.623m. This slope is steep (45°), so you'll need crampons and an ice axe for the ascent and nerves of steel for the descent.
Slightly gentler, but still impressive, is the descent (orographically speaking) to the right of the via diretissima through the Canale Bissolati, a cirque that starts out wide and narrows into a couloir below. This is our favorite, as the terrain is almost as expansive as the northwest face and not quite as steep as the via diretissima, which, however, is the shortest route up from Campo Imperatore. Speaking of Campo Imperatore: In good conditions and with good snow cover, you can ski down from the mountain station (or even better, from the slightly higher Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzo) to just before Assergi, where Francesco De Marchi started his ascent more than 450 years ago.
But one thing applies to all descents: falling is forbidden!
Gran Sasso profile 2.912m
Summer:
Normal route via the northwest flank
black hiking trail, exposed at the summit
Caution: If there are still patches of old snow, it's better to take the west ridge.
3 hours from Campo Imperatore
Normal route via diretissima
Easy climbing (II)
3 hours from Campo Imperatore
South pillar
Climbing tour (V)
10 SL, 4h from start (+1,5h from Campo Imperatore)
1,5 hours to the starting point from Campo Imperatore
Winter:
Northwest flank
Challenging ski tour in steep ski terrain
via diretissima
Challenging ski tour; skis must be carried from approximately 2.600m.
Several descent options (up to 45°)
Starting point Campo Imperatore:
In summer, access is via a toll road; parking is available for campervans.
in winter by cable car from Assergi
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About the author: Christof Schellhammer
