Monte Gioco from Serina: CAI Trail 598 and a Panoramic Summit

From Lepreno di Serina to Monte Gioco along CAI 598: meadows, mountain huts and a final ridge. The destination is a grassy pyramid rising between the Brembana Valley and the Serina Valley, above Serina. It is not an extreme summit: at 1,366 metres, but as soon as you set foot on the ridge you understand why the climb is worth it. You cross meadows, huts and small woods, then the mountain becomes steeper and rewards you with the summit cross. Up there the panorama runs from the Arera to the Alben, with Menna, Grem and, farther off, the Grigne. It is a simple but not trivial hike, one of those that make you feel you have gone far without having gone too far. The summit is marked by an iron cross and a summit register: small details, but they immediately convey the sense of a place that is lived.

Monte Gioco is the recent name for what many still call Monte Zucco; because another mountain above San Pellegrino shares the name, it was decided to distinguish the two peaks. At its foot, Lepreno was once more important than Serina and still preserves the church of Saints James the Greater, Apostle, and Alexander the Martyr, whose foundation stone was laid in 1190. The area is also linked to the ancient Via Mercatorum, which features in the circular route from Serina. More recently, the Fancy Mountain Group, together with the Bergamo branch of the CAI, signposted 598A, the first official trail in the Dossena area, designed to link Corone with the Spettino saddle. The mountain has no great mountaineering history, but it lives through old paths, mountain huts, wayside shrines and trails that still connect the villages today.

• 1190 — foundation stone of the Lepreno church.
• Historical period — the Via Mercatorum crosses the area.
• Today — CAI 598 climbs from Lepreno; 598A completes the circuit around Monte Gioco.

From Lepreno, leave the car in the car parks on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, pass a small shrine, and you are immediately in the thick of it: the CAI 598 climbs between the houses of the village, then emerges onto a wide grassy expanse. You pass fences and mountain huts, enter a small wood and climb in switchbacks. The surface is a hiking trail, the elevation gain from Lepreno is about 500–550 metres, and the full loop is 5.5 km. At the junction with the CAI signs, keep left and tackle the last stretch along the ridge, the steepest one. There are no water sources on the route: better to set off with a full bottle. The difficulty is E, so a basic level of fitness and suitable footwear are needed; it can be done with children, but with caution. On the summit you get wind and views, not the noise of the valley.

The last stretch is the most beautiful: follow the ridge line, enter a beech grove, climb a little further and suddenly the iron cross appears. At the summit there is also a summit register, and the view is truly 360°: Arera, Alben, Menna, Grem, the Grigne, Valle Serina and Val Brembana. If you want to extend the walk, you can descend towards Spettino and close the loop, or explore the 598A from Corone. That trail offers two variants: one almost flat beneath the Corna Rondanina cliff, the other along the ridge. Together they form the so-called Gioco circuit, well marked and suitable for hikers of all levels. Along the way you pass Monte Zucchin (1,206 m), the Passo di Salvarizza (966 m) with its chapel and several wayside shrines.

First reason: the views. From the summit you can take in the Orobie and the two valleys without having to climb a technical peak. Second: variety. In a single loop you move from open meadows to mountain huts, beech woods and ridge, with the chance to link Lepreno, Corone, Spettino and the ancient Via Mercatorum. Third: it is a hike accessible to anyone with a basic level of fitness, yet steep enough to feel rewarding. Trails 598 and 598A are well marked, though at junctions it is always worth checking the red-and-white signs. Don’t expect mountain huts or springs: this is a dry, no-frills mountain that demands careful preparation. Precisely for this reason, when you reach the top, the cross and the summit register feel like a true arrival.

The sky makes the difference. Choose a clear day, ideally after a weather front has cleaned the air: the 360° view does not forgive haze. Avoid the middle hours of hot days; aim for early morning or late afternoon, when the low light traces the ridge and meadows. In the intermediate seasons the route is more enjoyable, but you don’t need a specific date: just avoid snow and ice if you don’t have the right gear. In winter, the climb is for experienced hikers and should be assessed with caution; in summer, bring water and a hat, because there are no refreshment points along the route. If you find wind at the summit, don’t be surprised: it’s part of the package.

In Lepreno, the church of Santi Giacomo Maggiore Apostolo e Alessandro Martire is worth a stop, with its first stone laid in 1190: a testament to the village’s ancient importance. A little further on, the Passo di Salvarizza (966 m) and its chapel make for a simple and atmospheric detour, along the Gioco loop route. Still in the area, the Corna Rondanina crag and the Corone trails add another perspective on the mountain. Those who want to extend the walk can follow the ancient Via Mercatorum on the stretch linking Serina and Corone, among dry-stone walls and woods. These are not contrived postcard destinations: they are lesser-known places, but precisely for this reason they capture the true feel of Val Serina.