The Capanna Mara is a mountain hut located between the mountains Bolettone and Palanzone and precisely just below the pass that connects the Val Bova and Val di Gaggia.
An inscription above the door reads: “Beata solitudo, sola beatitudo“. Holy words, but it must be said that this is the busiest shelter in the area.
To get there there are several paths and here we leave the various possible departures:
– Alpe del VIcerè
– Caslino al Piano
– Crevenna (hamlet of Erba)
To be comfortable we suggest you to park at the height of the cemetery. Coordinate Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cimitero+di+Crevenna,+22036+Erba+CO/@45.8168998,9.2124331,16z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x4786a03d249cda5d:0x8247544689881ae2!2sCrevenna,+Erba,+Province+of+Como!3 b1!8m2!3d45.8144083!4d9.2166519!3m4!1s0x4786a01849308ce5:0x4fcf6f1067b7d7ee!8m2!3d45.8199789!4d9.2152414
Ready go we start straight uphill to the Hermitage of San Salvatore, but not via San Giorgio, but from the direct version of via Minoretti.
The Hermitage of San Salvatore is a beautiful place well cared for and immersed in the woods of the Valle Bova Nature Reserve.
The Hermitage is available to accommodate single people, couples, priests, lay people, religious, who wish to live moments of silence and prayer.
From there starts the real path, with stretches more or less standing.
In this first part always follow the signs for Capanna Mara, while at the next fork be careful that you have to continue towards Monte Puscio to get to the Hut from below.
The trail continues past several “boulders” in the area, famous because you can climb them and make cuts in the trail if you are an experienced climber.
The first and most famous is Sasso Erba, with several equipped points.
The path initially has a lot of cobblestones and then turns into a mountain path.
Keep the path towards Monte Puscio.
The panorama in winter, if you don’t suffer too much the cold can be really suggestive.
The road to Mount Puscio runs first along a forest and then starts to climb significantly. At a certain point you will find the cross of the mountain on your left and you can choose to go straight to Capanna Mara or to pass first by the cross (you can anyway make a ring for the return).
The road to Monte Puscio goes first along a wood and then starts to climb in a significant way. At a certain point you will find the cross of the mountain on your left and you can choose to go straight on to Capanna Mara or to pass by the cross first (you can anyway make a ring for the return).
In very intense winters, the snow you can find here can be around 80 cm even if you are at about 1000 mt.
Monte Puscio and Capanna Mara are about 1150 mt.
The snow offers however some unique views that bring us back to Christmas.
We also leave you with an unpublished video of the arrival at the height of Monte Puscio with about 80 cm of snow under your feet, sinking and having fun like children.
And with a bit of imagination, with some red berries you might even come across a natural Christmas tree.
In about 20 minutes you will reach the hut with the last stretch also slightly downhill.
On the way back make a jump to Mount Puscio that always deserves for the panoramic view, with on the right Mount Bollettone, on the left Mount Palanzone and the mountains of Lecco, while below us, Erba and Albavilla.
The return is made either from the same road, taking left from Monte Puscio or directly in front of you (in winter is not easy to find it traced).
Trail Type: initial asphalt, dirt and mountain trail
Water: only drinking fountain in town
