Monte Sodadura and Cima di Piazzo, from the Piani di Bobbio car park

Description

Leave the car in the forecourt and continue towards the barrier and take the level dirt track that skirts the picnic area and enters the valley with a moderate climb. Having reached a basin with a fountain a little further on, climb up into the wood until you cross the path coming from Moggio. Turn right and after about half an hour you will come to a clearing where the old Casari/I Bocia hut (1490 m) is now disused. Continue on level ground for a few hundred metres and, at a fork, take the track to the left that climbs more steeply into the mixed forest. Further on, a yellow sign indicates the Cazzaniga Merlini refuge. Continue uphill on the left side of the mountain in a gradually more open environment until you come out on the road that leads to the Piani di Artavaggio and the ski lifts.
Cross the road and continue uphill among sparse mountain pines in the direction of the Cazzaniga Merlini hut (1885 m), which is located high up on a large rock in a clear position. Having reached the base of the large rock on which the hut is situated, we continue in the direction of the large pyramid of Mount Sodadura, which now stands out clearly among the other, softer peaks.
After crossing the wide plateau, we follow the obvious tracks that lead to the Sodadura Pass and from there to the north-east ridge up to the summit (2010 m), which is reached in less than half an hour.
The ascent should be tackled with crampons, which, depending on the snow conditions, should be put on at the base of the ridge at the latest.
For the descent, it is possible to retrace the outward path or to continue down the north-west ridge to the Nicola Hut.
With favourable snow conditions it is advisable to combine the ascent to the Sodadura with that to the Cima di Piazzo.
When you reach the Sodadura pass, instead of descending towards the Cazzaniga Merlini hut, continue along the wide ridge that leads to the crest which, with three fun and easy ups and downs, leads to the summit of the Cima di Piazzo (2057 m).
You then descend following the traces of the normal route and shortly return to the Cazzaniga Merlini hut.

The time indicated for the ascent is relative to the one-way to Mount Sodadura. To reach the other peak calculate another hour and 10 minutes.