Monte Falerio with direct ascent via the south ridge from Cetara-Torretta

Premise

This route was traveled on December 22, 2024, and all subsequent observations and considerations may fully apply only to that day.

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Direct ascent to Monte Falerio via the south ridge

From the Municipal Cemetery of Cetara, take the paved “almost little road” CAI 303b, which rises with a good slope and soon becomes a normal natural ground path.

Shortly after 350 meters of altitude, there is a sharp left turn where the path levels off and immediately after there is a small ruin on the right with a red trail mark.

This is the point to leave CAI 303b.

Follow the track that precedes the small ruin in an environment with a great variety of shrubs, and today (even if late December) also with a variety of flowers and… especially with a large abundance of ripe strawberry trees❗ 😋

After a short ramp where you support your hands, the path continues in a more open environment on slopes that are never really difficult, bypasses a rock jump, and at the end stays slightly to the right in the direction of the ridge ascent line.

At one point, there is a very obvious red mark that looks like an arrow, followed by another couple of red marks ahead: however, there is a further red mark a little to the right and below, and following that in a few dozen meters you reach the entrance of a characteristic cave or natural tunnel.

Basically, this cave “literally pierces the ridge” just below the walking level: you enter from the right side in the ascent direction (or left orographic), and exit onto a suspended meadow on the slope on the other side of the ridge.

You can descend a few meters on the meadow to have a view of the cave from that side and then you must go back along the natural tunnel.

Return to the isolated red trail marks, the track continues without problems up to the summit pole of Monte Falerio.

In our opinion, this ascent can be a valid alternative for those who want to travel the “classic triangle” Cetara-Falerio-Avvocata.

Optionally see the track starting from Albori, of the route → Monte Falerio plus loop to the Sanctuary and Monte dell’Avvocata.

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Closing the excursion from the summit of Monte Falerio

From the summit pole continue normally along the northeast ridge following the CAI trail signs of the normal trail 303a.

After about twenty meters descending directly to the left on the north side, you could reach the entrance of another cave.

However, it is not intuitive and could be difficult if you do not immediately identify the right line.

It is better to continue briefly on the CAI route until the signaled turn descending on the north side that leads to the Sella del Monte Falerio.

After another forty meters of descent, on the left a steep but well recognizable track branches off leading to the cave entrance.

We reached it from below with this second variant, then went back again toward the summit creating a mini-loop in the GPS recording.

Before descending to the Sella del Monte Falerio (with various spots to support your hands) we also made a detour to a couple of panoramic ledges at the edges of the CAI 303a path.

From the Sella del Monte Falerio you have to decide what to do next, and there are many possibilities depending on how much you want to challenge your day.

Our goal for today was just to get to know the direct ascent trail to Monte Falerio, and we returned to Cetara with a loop to the right-east initially following the normal trail to Albori.

It was also possible to return faster toward the left-west by CAI 303b.