Parco Nazionale Appennino Tosco-Emiliano

A long hike connects the two lowest passes of the Emilian Apennines, both at 1200 metres above sea level and separated by the big mountainous block of Alpe di Succiso-M. Alto-Punta Buffanaro.

• Trail Conditions: On foot

• Departure: Pratospilla (1,350m)
• Arrival: Passo del Cerreto (1,261m)
• Duration: 7 hour/s 30 minutes
• Length: 15.9 km
• Difference in height: Uphill 1,480m - Downhill 1,400m
• Accomodation structures: Rifugio Città di Sarzana, Albergo Bar Ristorante Passo Del Cerreto, Alpino

From Prato Spilla one goes up to the basin of Lake Verdarolo, followed by tiny Lake Scuro, which is surrounded by a beech forest, and then by Lake Squincio, more open and flooded with marsh grasses; a short descent from there goes to the Lagastrello Dam, which is an alternative access point to the Alta Via. The damming where the river Enza rises, created the Lake Paduli by submerging the wide saddle of the Lagastrello Pass, which used to be called "Malpasso" and was safeguarded by the Benedictine abbey of Linari. The climb through the woods on the slopes of Mount Acuto leads to the lake of the same name, in a valley overlooking a glacial step; the Città di Sarzana Refuge(1580 m) is located nearby and is open during summer months. A short descent takes to the Ghiaccioni, a beautiful valley full of meadows and springs, the headwaters of the Liocca stream. The valley is dominated by a large glacial cirque surrounded by the jagged ridge of the Groppi di Camporaghena. The ascent through large boulders and grasslands dominated by the bulk of the Alpe di Succiso ends in the narrow cut of the Pietra Tagliata Pass (1753 m), a harsh environment dominated by the rocks of Mount Alto. From there, a rocky trail quickly leads to the sources of the Secchia river, at the center of a valley well known for its wild beauty. Not too far from the Pianaccio Plateau one reaches the Ospedalaccio Pass, marked by a boundary stone in memory of the borders of the Kingdom of Italy. The pass takes its name from a medieval hospital whose location was found during recent excavations. Cerreto Pass is easily reached hiking through woods and grasslands, with sweeping views of the cirque of Mount La Nuda. The latter will be ascended in the next stage.

3 lap of: Alta Via dei Parchi

Accommodation: Rifugio Città di Sarzana, Albergo Bar Ristorante Passo Del Cerreto, Alpino