Altino-Monte Vettore Loop

A long and varied loop trail with plenty of climbing and fantastic views, set in one of the most beautiful and unspoiled areas of the Sibillini Mountains. The ridge walk—endless and breathtaking—characterizes the outbound route to the summit of Vettore, from which the descent takes you all the way down the eastern slope of the massif. The distance (about 20 kilometers) and elevation gain (about 1,700 meters) involved mean that you should only attempt the ascent if you are in good physical condition.

The trail begins in the small village of Altino, where, at the fork, you take the path on the right (the left leads to the GAS trail, which takes you to Santa Maria in Pantano); this wide path ascends toward the meadows of the same name. In this first section, you’ll walk through a beech forest, with moderate slopes and occasional glimpses of your distant destination.

The trail emerges from the woods near a farmhouse with a fountain; leave it behind and continue along the clearly marked path as it climbs toward the Prati di Altino, passing through the final stretches of the woods. Following the trail, you’ll find yourself skirting the meadows on the right (facing uphill), with a view of Monte Sibilla opening up. Here, where the trail becomes narrower until it disappears, you begin to climb—without a defined path and over very steep slopes—toward the ridges above. This section of the ascent, due both to the lack of a trail and the steep incline, is quite strenuous and requires careful footing to avoid slipping on the grass.

Breathless, you finally reach the ridge after a climb of about 800 meters. The view that unfolds at this point is truly magnificent and more than makes up for the effort of the climb. You find yourself suspended above the Piano della Gardosa (near Foce), facing the massive spurs of the mountain group’s peaks, with Mount Sibilla behind you. The village of Foce di Montemonaco is a tiny cluster of houses, surrounded on all sides by a 360-degree view of breathtaking scenery. The path to follow now is very clear: along the ridge, all the way to Vettore. You’ll gain elevation several times, then descend again and climb back up, always following the ridge, which has been fairly wide so far. You’ll pass several peaks along the way, including Cima della Prata (1,850 meters), Cima Monte Banditello (1,873 meters), Sasso d’André (2,100 meters, the first peak over 2,000 meters of the day), and Cima Monte Torrone (2,117 meters).

Once you reach the vicinity of the Imbuto del Vettore, the final ascent before the summit begins. You’ll skirt the upper edge of the magnificent valley (known for its deadly avalanches) and begin climbing the rocky, steep, and narrow ridge of Monte Torrone (about 350 meters of elevation gain). Once past the final stretch over small rocks (be careful—you’re walking along a narrow ledge here), you begin to catch a glimpse of the summit cross, which you’ll soon reach along gentler slopes. Here you reach the last peak of the day, the most “famous” and highest in the Sibillini Mountains, Cima Monte Vettore (2,476 meters). 

To return to Altino, you have two options: retrace the trail you took on the way up, or descend along the eastern slope of Vettore to Santa Maria in Pantano and from there continue to the starting point. Here, we choose the second option and head toward the summit cross located on Vettore’s secondary peak, following a few cairns that mark the trail. The descent is practically endless. However, the trail is always clearly visible and marked with red-and-white paint marks and cairns. You traverse the entire Monte Vettore massif—without any particularly steep sections—cutting across the imposing cliff face halfway up the slope. The trail crosses several gullies; as you pass over them, you can hear the gurgling of water flowing beneath the rocks, before entering the enormous Imbuto and continuing the descent once more. As the elevation drops, the scrubland begins to reappear, colored with autumnal reds. You’ll come across a spring and, continuing downhill, a beautiful stretch of woodland. Here you can walk in absolute silence amidst a majestic and unspoiled setting. 

With your knees feeling a bit wobbly, you’ll eventually reach the little church of Santa Maria in Pantano and the Holy Spring located just a few meters below it.From here (to the left of the fountain), following the clear trail markers, you join the section of the Grande Anello dei Sibillini that leads to Altino (which you encountered earlier at the start of the hike). The trail is very easy to walk and almost entirely flat; you’ll first cross a few meadows and then a beautiful forest before reaching the starting point.