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oltre il colle
The rocky peaks of Monte Alben from the meadows of the Monte di Zambla, with woods and hamlets of Oltre il Colle

Itineraries · Two days

A summer weekend between the Alben and the Arera

Two days and two summits for experienced hikers: Monte Alben from the Colle di Zambla on Saturday, the Pizzo Arera by the south normal route on Sunday.

DurationTwo days
Stops5
SeasonsSummer, Autumn
Photo: MatthewGhera · CC BY 3.0

The two mountains that close the Oltre il Colle basin can be climbed in two days without moving the car far. Monte Alben, 2,019 metres, starts from the Colle di Zambla on CAI trail 501; the Pizzo Arera, 2,512 metres, from the Alpe Arera car park above Plassa. In between there is a night in one of the hamlets.

These are climbs for snow-free conditions, usually between June and October. Times, elevation gains and difficult sections are those of the linked pages, which you should read in full before setting off.

Stops

The plan

  1. Saturday morning

    Monte Alben from the Colle di Zambla

    EE · 750 m D+ · 2 h 15 up

    About 750 metres of ascent and two and a quarter hours of climbing via the Col dei Brassamonti and the Passo della Forca, with a final ridge graded EE. You start from the car park on the pass, where there is also a drinking fountain.

    The rocky peaks of Monte Alben from the meadows of the Monte di Zambla, with woods and hamlets of Oltre il Colle
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  2. Saturday, lunchtime

    Lunch at the Passo di Zambla

    Back at the pass, the Al Trapper restaurant at the Passo di Zambla serves Bergamo cooking; the La Baita bar is close by. It is worth phoning to check opening days and hours.

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  3. Saturday evening

    A night at the Passo di Zambla

    The Il Nido B&B stands right on the pass, where the trails up Monte Alben begin. The other places to stay in the municipality, from the B&Bs of Zambla Alta to the Plassa campsite on the road to the Arera, are on the Where to stay page.

    The village of Zambla Alta, a hamlet of Oltre il Colle, under snow with the houses and bell tower among the fir woods
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  4. Sunday morning

    Pizzo Arera by the south normal route

    EE · 922 m D+ · 2 h 30 up

    From the Alpe Arera car park it is about 922 metres of ascent and two and a half hours of climbing, passing the Capanna 2000. Below the summit there is a fixed-equipment gully: that is the section that makes this an EE climb.

    The rocky pyramid of the Pizzo Arera with the first autumn snow, seen from the Cima di Menna
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  5. Sunday, on the way down

    A stop at the Capanna 2000

    E · 400 m D+ · 1 hour from the upper car park

    The municipal hut is on the way back. Opening times change from year to year and in 2026 its renovation was put out to tender: phone ahead to find out whether it is open.

    The stone Capanna 2000 hut with the Italian flag on the pastures of the Alpe Arera, below the rocks of the Pizzo Arera
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Practical tips

Before you set off

  • A helmet is advisable below the Arera's subsidiary summit: the gully funnels stones dislodged by people above.
  • On the Alben ridge and in the Arera gully wet rock changes the difficulty: in rain or with lingering snow, give the summit a miss.
  • The Alpe Arera car park is pay-and-display and the road to it is closed in winter.
  • There are no springs above the Capanna 2000: carry enough water for the whole climb.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions: A summer weekend between the Alben and the Arera

Which summits can you climb in a weekend in Oltre il Colle?

The two best known are Monte Alben (2,019 m) from the Colle di Zambla and the Pizzo Arera (2,512 m) from the Alpe Arera: both end with EE sections. For a quieter summit there is the Cima di Menna from Zorzone, which however takes 4 hours of climbing.

Where can you stay near the Alben trails?

The Il Nido B&B is at the Passo di Zambla, where CAI trail 501 to the Alben begins; in Zambla Alta, just below, there are other B&Bs, the Albergo Neve and the Camping Zambla, open all year.

Times and elevation gains come from the linked pages, which list their sources and the date they were checked.

Sources

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The stone Capanna 2000 hut with the Italian flag on the pastures of the Alpe Arera, below the rocks of the Pizzo Arera

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The meadows of the Conca dell'Alben above Oltre il Colle, with an old ski lift and the rocky spires

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