Piz Cengalo, NNE Face rockfall

"It's continuing. Those mountains which crown Valle Bondasca were formerly believed to be solid giants of compact, quality granite. But once again a rockfall has taken place on Cengalo, this time from the upper reaches of the NNE Face Tuesday 27 December 2011 and this even invaded part of the NW Face. The debris reached the valley floor and stopped just short of the path which leads to the Sciora Hut at Plan Marene, close to Monte Laret, and the rockfall is estimated at being several million cubic meters large. Fortunately this all happened without injuring anyone and little damage was caused to the few buildings in the area.

Here's a brief history: a first rockfall took place 19 July 2011 at around 6.00am on the NE Face of Cengalo and the debris which exploded during the fall came to rest on the scree slope, falling beyond the Viale path (which connects the Sciora hut to Sasc Fura). After numerous surveys with experts (geologists) the Bregaglia town council decided to close the path. This decision proved excellent because during the entire tourist season Piz Cengalo made herself heard on a daily basis with rockfall of various dimensions which often fell across the path. Towards the end of September things calmed down, that is until last Tuesday's massive rockfall.

With regards to rock climbs which have been damaged, the rockfall involved - and in part rendered those routes unclimbable - which are located on the NNW Face such as Via Classica, Via Attilio Piacco, the eastern pillars, the Kasper - Koch and the route Cacao Meravigliao on the NE Face."


Stampa, 30 December 2011
Marcello Negrini, alpinist, head of the mountain rescue and forest ranger