Across the Border, to the Ice

A high-altitude hike in the upper Valle Spluga, climbing from the artificial Lago di Montespluga (1,901 m) up to the dark, glacier-carved Lago Nero (2,310 m) and continuing to the border with Switzerland at the Passo del Lago Nero / Pass di Lai Ner (2,569 m), with a bird's-eye view down on the wild Swiss cirque of the Lai Ghiacciato (the "Frozen Lake"), where snow patches survive well into summer. We start from the Stuetta car park (1,870 m) above Montespluga and follow the well-marked trail up the Suretta valley, gaining altitude steadily to reach the Lago Nero, a deep, cold tarn set in a stone amphitheatre. From here the trail steepens through scree and boulder fields up to the pass, the highest point of the day. From the pass we cross briefly into Switzerland just enough to enjoy the view down on the Lai Ghiacciato and the wild Val Ursaregls, with the surrounding peaks of the Suretta and Tambò groups all around. Lunch stop here (packed lunch). The descent follows the same trail back to the Lago Nero and down to Stuetta.