A day at Monte Moro of Macugnaga

Macugnaga has thousand faces, small pearl at the feet of Monte Rosa, a beautiful resort to enjoy both in summer and winter, the only one who has two ski districts

After the Belvedere station, suitable for children, beginners and for more experienced people, Friday 13 March our destination is the 2868 meters of Monte Moro.

Monte Moro, a true mountain
A high altitude resort, overlooking Monte Rosa, where the mountain is the real one, with all its virtues and its defects. Like the wind, which recently has continued to blow strongly and that has forced the people in charge to keep the station closed for several days in this month of March. But Giancarlo and I have not been discouraged, and after several postponements, finally Friday 13th, a date so hated by the superstitious, brings us luck.
Sunniest day, but with forecasts of weak wind at high altitude. We reach the village of Staffa of Macugnaga, and turn right into the cableway.

Cable car to reach altitude 3000
To reach the 2868 meters of Monte Moro we have to take two cableways: the first leads to Alpe Bill, 1700 meters altitude, the second cable car instead leads right to the Moor. Just over a quarter of an hour journey in total, almost 1500 meters in altitude, to be catapulted into one incredible scenery and skiing on snow at high altitudes.
At the ticket office of Pecetto we meet Chiara who provides us our ski-pass and we go up by cable car.
There are British and German skiers with us: we are still in active winter sports holiday and the presence of foreign tourists is still marked. Ten minutes and we arrive to Alpe Bill. A couple of flights of stairs to the station of the second cable car that climbs steeply to the summit.

Here we are at the presence of Monte Rosa
At Pecetto, and also at Alpe Bill, the temperature is very pleasant but just outside the exit of the station of Passo Moro, we immediately understand that this is not a joke. The sun is always there, bright, the sky is clear, but the temperature and the wind makes us fall back in the middle of January.
Worn gloves and cap, we're ready to see the Monte Rosa. We soon get used to the temperature changes and we look around: the snow is beautiful, and is waiting for us!
Hook and reach the first ski lift, the San Pietro. Only 320 meters long, with a drop of 75 meters, it is ideal to get warm. But this is not a baby ski lift: this plant also serves the black Pista delle Roccette, and the most famous of the slopes of Monte Moro, Meccia.
Unfortunately, reached the top, the bitter surprise: both slopes are closed due to wind and the subsequent risk of avalanches. Meccia, a very long slope 4 km, is a red run which, together with a variant Meccia Bis, leads to the intermediate station of Alpe Bill. It’s defined by many, including friends of our community, the most beautiful slope of Neveazzurra.
Unfortunately, today we can not go, but we intend to return as soon as possible to verify that and to enjoy the panorama.

At Moro, the most panoramic slopes of Neveazzurra
At Mount Moro, we really can not think of being bored: in the area there are two blue slopes, served by two lifts San Pietro and Smeraldo, the red track lifts Lago served by the ski-lift Joder , which is open only in case of large turnout of skiers, and by the chairlift Ruppenstein. This facility also serves as the eponymous track Ruppenstein, its variant and the variant of the Lago.
The Smerando ski-lift (closed for the wind) serves the Pink Snow Park (also closed because of flooded by heavy snow days) and the two blue runs of San Pietro.
But there's more: there are also two black runs, the Roccette and Roccette Bis, reachable by chairlift Ruppenstein. In short, you are spoiled for choice!
We return to the departure of the ski lift San Pietro where we meet the officer Beppe.
He gives us some indication, and we are recommend to warm up the muscles along the slope Lago up to the chairlift. Once recovered, we can descend along the Lago, take the Moro-Bill with which reaching the intermediate station at Alpe Bill.
It’s a beautiful six-mile descent (plus 1 km and a half of the Lago), which is going to be very beautiful but also challenging, especially in the last part, because the temperatures, falling sea level, will rise inexorably.

From Moro to Alpe Bill, 8 km and 1000 meters of difference in level
We rushed along the Lago trail: it is wide, with fine powdery snow, well beaten, really nice. We reach the chairlift and up again, ready for our 8 km uninterrupted. What can a skier want more?
The path at the last part begins to become laborious, at least for me, but the silence, nature and landscape of the place makes you forget all the efforts, falls (mine) and satisfy the senses.
Along the track we stop several times to admire the Monte Rosa then, after half hour, we finally reach the Alpe Bill.
While we rested, we catch a glimpse of two ski mountaineering, the hides are going to ski down the slope to Alpe Moro. That’s' trouble, and so I understand that it's time to get up and start over.

Lunch at Cai Refuge
Let us take the cable car and back to the high mountains. It’s one and we decide to stop for lunch. At Alpe Moro you can stop for a rest in the station, reachable also by feet, or at the Cai refuge, two hundred meters from the station, where you can also stay overnight and watch the sunrise and sunset on Monte Rosa.
We opt for the latter and allow us a warm meal before getting back on track. At Monte Moro is possible to eat a quick sandwich, or the specialties of the Valley Anzasca. The prices are good, and different promotions are made for skiers.

At Moro is possible to ski until May 1st
After lunch, there's time to ski some more ': the snow, despite of the time and season, continues to be pretty compact and at this altitude is not affected by the rise in temperatures. At Monte Moro in fact you can ski up to the beginning of May 1st.
It 'time to get back to the valley and I decide to take the cable car.
Giancarlo instead wants to take some pictures so we give us an appointment at the intermediate station. From there, in a moment, we are again in Staffa.

Stop at the bar in the square of Macugnaga
A stop in the village for a drink in the square is a must and makes us feel almost on holiday. We meet some friend, we turn to greet Cristina of the Tourist Information Office, and we sat down in a table next to a bunch of English boys.
Macugnaga confirms once again to be a ski resort with a thousand resources, able to fully satisfy the needs of families with children as well as those of young boys in search of fun, both on snow and in the evening.
Nature, fun, culture and traditions make Macugnaga a country .... with thousand faces.

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