Corno alle Scale and Lago Scaffaiolo

Corno alle Scale and Lago Scaffaiolo form a high Apennine route in the municipality of Lizzano in Belvedere, in the Bologna mountains of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The standard outing starts at Laghetto del Cavone and climbs above the tree line to the small glacial Lago Scaffaiolo at 1,775 m, with the summit of Corno alle Scale rising to 1,945 m. There is no train to the trailhead. Regional buses run from Bologna to Porretta Terme and Lizzano in Belvedere (tper.it), but the Cavone trailhead normally needs a car or local taxi. No permit is required. The round trip to the lake is about 10 km, with roughly 300 m of ascent, and takes about 3 hours of walking, while the longer ring around Corno alle Scale needs 5-6 hours. Trails are marked by CAI: the lake is reached by CAI trails and the high path CAI 00, part of the GEA (Grande Escursione Appenninica), and CAI 329 serves the way back to Cavone. The surface is a mix of mountain path, stony tracks and open grass, with little shade once the forest is left behind. Exposure to wind and weather is the main hazard, and fog is common; snow can linger into June. The technical difficulty is moderate rather than serious because the route follows marked paths without scrambling. The main landmark is Lago Scaffaiolo and the refuge Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi beside it, which offers shelter and views toward the Tuscan side. Water should be carried at 2 L per person with lunch, since sources on the open ridge cannot be relied on. The ridge can be about 10 C cooler than Bologna, so warm layers and a windproof jacket are needed. Turn-around points are flexible: walkers can stop at the lake or return earlier if cloud closes in. Guided sunrise outings run from the Cavone with Cooperativa Madreselva (escursionismo@coopmadreselva.it, tel +39 349 4653877) and require booking. A printed CAI map or offline GPX track is advisable, and conditions should be checked before going.