For a while, I had noticed Rifugio Nicola on a website that collects live feeds from webcams around the world. Given its location within a reasonable driving distance from Milan, I suspected the hike to be relatively short and worth exploring.
The Piani di Artavaggio are located in the municipality of Moggio, in the province of Lecco, not far from Taleggio in the province of Bergamo. This area, situated between 1,600 and 2,000 meters above sea level, is a popular winter destination, known for skiing, sledding, and other snow activities.
Rifugio Nicola sits here, distinguished by its pyramid-shaped architecture, inspired by the nearby Monte Sodadura (2,014m). That peak is now on my list of future climbs.
For this hike, we started from Moggio and covered on foot the distance that can also be reached by cable car. Given how accessible the area is, it was crowded with families, with children skiing, sledding, and playing in the snow in a well-organized and peaceful setting.
The ascent is not particularly demanding, making it suitable for anyone with basic hiking experience. There are multiple route options, allowing hikers to choose different paths to reach the top. At a certain altitude, ice and snow start to appear, requiring more caution.
Upon reaching the Piani di Artavaggio, we took a moment to enjoy the view and catch our breath before making the final push to Rifugio Nicola. At the top, the panoramic view of the snow-covered Sodadura is simply breathtaking. After striking a pose for the webcam, we made our way back down to Artavaggio and took the convenient cable car back to the parking lot.
Trail notes
The trail is easy and suitable for anyone with basic hiking experience. Snow and ice gear are highly recommended, microspikes and snowshoes in particular.
Pics
