Molare, Canino and Caldara from Praiano to Castellammare di Stabia

Introduction

This route was traveled on April 11, 2022, and all subsequent observations and considerations fully apply only to that day.

The entire route is included in OpenStreetMap and derivatives.

On the CAI Monti Lattari map, only the connecting section between Monte di Mezzo or Canino and Monte San Michele or Molare is missing.

With all this basic documentation, paying attention and observing the territory carefully, one cannot get lost.

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Ascent from Praiano to Monte Catiello or Caldara

After reaching the Church of San Luca, you take the first stairs marked Sentiero degli Dei up to the panoramic fountain and a few meters beyond to the Colle Serra signpost.

Here you leave CAI 327 by turning left onto 327a, walk for just under 400 linear meters, and then exit right onto another path: there are no signposts but the path is clearly visible and as you proceed you find various red paint marks.

Following this non-CAI path you climb about 200 meters of elevation gain until you join Via Paipo road, which corresponds to CAI 329c.

The road remains such for a long stretch (a couple of km between asphalt and dirt) and becomes a path just before the not difficult climb leading to Capo Muro with its characteristic small rock mushroom.

The ascent route to Monte Catiello or Caldara is straight ahead and you take it without hesitation by following numerous painted markers.

The climbing terrain is almost constant: rather steep with some small rocks where hands may rest but only for balance – if you follow the markers well you certainly save some effort.

Just before reaching the summit – if you pay attention – you should notice on the right two tracks marked with red dots and stripes: the first encountered is the continuation of CAI 329e, and the second (about 35/40 meters of elevation below the summit) is the one leading toward Monte di Mezzo or Canino.

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From Monte Catiello or Caldara to Monte di Mezzo or Canino

Descend the above 35/40 meters of elevation and turn left onto a initially very faint trail that would not be easy to spot without the small red marks.

However, shortly after appears a real, well-marked path that, with some exposed steps, leads to the saddle dividing Monte Catiello or Caldara from Monte di Mezzo or Canino.

Here the climb is much steeper than the previous one, and you must seek the right lines to ease the climb if you want to avoid climbing moves.

In the first part there are still some red paint marks that help, then use your eye by following the gentler diagonal lines up to various points where it is easier to climb to the upper line: with a “good mid-distance eye” you find the right lines.

We followed two quite different parts of the slope for ascent and descent.

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From the saddle to the base of the final ascent to Monte di Mezzo or Canino up to joining CAI 350 where the final section to Monte San Michele or Molare begins

This – in my opinion – is the most difficult section of the hike because it can present serious problems if tackled when wet, icy, or snowy: and it is not always possible before starting to estimate precisely what will be found in case of recent bad weather.

From the saddle to the base of the final ascent to Monte di Mezzo or Canino, traverse with a gentle descent for about thirty linear meters, then descend directly into the ravine following the narrow hairpin bends of the path for about forty meters of elevation loss.

Keeping an eye on the rocky band on the left, you approach it always following a path trace and begin to follow it with sections of ledge-style walking.

Upon exiting the ravine, the initial direction is north, but it often changes due to circumventing various rocky ridges and crossing other ravines-channels: the direction changes, but the general exposure is always “north very shaded direction,” and for this reason wetness and ice can be a problem here even when they are not elsewhere on the route.

If visibility is good, orientation is not difficult because the trace is always visible with attention.

However, in this travel direction, there is an “apparent junction” that can be misleading.

You reach a point where the lateral rocky band is interrupted by a recess with a small step of not difficult rocks leading a few meters higher to another pathway with rocky base sections.

The pathway you have been following until now is more evident in the continuation on the level and then slightly downhill: but you must not continue on level, you must climb.

At the base of this little climb there are a couple of obvious red marks, while if you continue on level there are no more markers.

After the few meters of climbing, following the markers, there is a first diagonal and then two small hairpin bends with steeper sections, leading to the easy final where you find a couple of wooden signs (better oriented for those coming from the opposite direction) fixed on tree trunks with the indication (now very faded) of a dangerous path in Italian, English, French, and German.

The second sign is located just a few meters before joining CAI 350.

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Ascent to the summit of Monte San Michele or Molare from joining CAI 350

The path is very wide up to the junction for Croce della Conocchia and shortly after crosses to the other side for a connecting section up to the final ravine-channel.

This ravine-channel leads to the small depression between the two summits that gives this mountain its truly characteristic appearance, just like a “molar.”

It is a rather steep ravine but there is a ground trace not difficult to follow for any non-occasional hiker.

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Descent to Castellammare di Stabia from the summit of Monte San Michele or Molare

The first part is very well known and frequented: just follow the signs to the Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo and to the Faito Cable Car, always along CAI 350.

Five minutes before reaching the cable car, where there is a sign “Monte Faito 1,110 m,” exit right onto a path still with CAI 350 signs.

Here you are on the “Path of the Angel” and just need to follow the markers carefully, paying attention only at a few junctions with similarly evident branches: just a quick glance is enough to see where the markers continue.

With a last stretch on a small road, you cross the Sorrento State Road near the Medieval Castle, and descend by stairs to sea level.

From here … it depends on how you planned your logistics for recovery: we reached the FS Station for the return to Salerno, while to get to the Praiano start point we had used the SITA bus service.