LaMercanti conquers Corno Grande peak, situated in the central Italian Abruzzo region: it is part of the Gran Sasso massif in the Apennine Mountains and is the highest peak on the Italian Peninsula, at 2,912 m above sea level. The peak was reached and solemnly blessed by Pope John Paul II, June 30, 1985.
On the left we see the whole Corno Grande, with his three peaks (East Peak, Torrione di Cambi, West Peak) and with the Calderotto Glacier, the southernmost glacier in Europe, 200 meters below, in the Canalone delle Cornacchie. On the right the panorama is almost as beautiful, with the Corno Piccolo, the Monte Corvo and Monte Brancastello and other peaks of the Monti della Laga range.
The usual route of ascent is via the western ridge. We chose the “via Direttissima“, uphill climbing difficulty F.