Tre Pizzi Alpine Trail from Baite di Mezzeno (via Route 217)

Beautiful, not too demanding circular route with very striking autumn colours.

Trip with friends on Thursday. The Pietra Quadra peak was planned but the presence of unstable snow in the final part of the terminal valley made us change our minds and so after a stop at the small refuge, we went down towards the roccoli path and then returned to Mezzeno. Sunny day with only a few passing clouds.

You could say my car knows the road to the Mezzeno huts and the parking lot by heart. Nonetheless, this is my first time heading to the Tre Pizzi. I'd always head towards the Mezzeno Pass, the Marogella Pass, or the Branchino Pass, before taking the beautiful Sentiero dei Fiori (flower trail). In short, I've always thought the destinations I mentioned were beautiful and interesting, but above all, they offered the possibility of making them more or less long, or more or less challenging, depending on my fitness level or the time I had available. Mistakenly, I was convinced that, on the other hand, the hike to the Tre Pizzi might be beautiful, but also too short and easy. Over the years, I've met people who have praised the beauty of this place, and thanks also to the stunning photos of @Deleted User and many other Komoot friends, I've piqued my curiosity and finally been able to satisfy it. This decision was also influenced by the period in which I physically cannot and cannot give my best, as well as the fact that the days have become significantly shorter. Except for the first section, which I know by heart and which leads to the Mezzeno Pass, it only took me a few meters to realize I was about to discover a place that would remain in my heart. As you emerge from the forest, near the Roccolo del Tino, you find yourself on a plateau that leaves you speechless. The autumn colors, the blue sky, the unexpected immensity of the plateau, but above all, the feeling of being on a terrace overlooking the world with breathtaking views. In front of me, the Arera emerges above the Corna Piana, to the right the Presolana showing its most massive side, to the left the Resegone with the Alps of lower Piedmont or perhaps the Ligurian Alps in the distance. These are just a few examples from a very long list. As if that weren't enough, on this terrace, the beautiful Monte Campo mountain hut, with its simple beauty, inspires pure envy and invites you to dream of what it would be like to look out its windows at sunset or even during a snowfall, while the fireplace warms you physically and otherwise. Leaving this plateau, we ascend steeply toward the Pietra Quadra lake, a place I also appreciated. From the lake, we then descend to the Tre Pizzi bivouac, offering new sensations. A new terrace is reached via a very scenic trail with burgundy-colored, almost purple rocks. I decided to hike the Tre Pizzi loop, because these three peaks, which certainly cannot be compared to the legendary Tre Cime di Lavaredo, nonetheless offer a one-of-a-kind panorama. My enthusiasm isn't limited to these few highlights; the list is very long, and I would risk boring myself if I had to describe them all. I therefore urge anyone unfamiliar with this place to visit and avoid making the same mistake I did. Furthermore, if you're in company and are experienced, you could climb Mount Pietra Quadra, so highly praised for its beautiful panoramic views, and even Pizzo Nord. A final, personal consideration: I'm angry with myself. Who knows how many beautiful places I haven't seen, simply because the urge to calculate leads you to think that eight kilometers and 550 meters of elevation gain are too short to enjoy!

Beautiful, rarely used circular route, doable when you have a few hours available. Going up you can admire the peaks of the Tre Pizzi, the basin with the Pietra Quadra lake and if you want in 30 minutes you can reach the top (not the real top) with a small Madonna from which you can admire the basin of the twin lakes. You descend starting right from the refuge on an easy path that is always well marked. A day that is far too hot.