Famiglia Ticino Lunga

From Campo Tencia, you will find yourself in serious alpine terrain. This challenging route links two remote mountain huts high above the Leventina Valley, with the imposing peaks of Pizzo Campo Tencia (3,071 m) and Pizzo Penca (3,038 m) towering to your right. The route is short but intense, featuring one steady climb to a high pass, followed by a long, technical descent to Capanna Alpe Sponda. Almost the entire route follows a T4 mountain trail, so expect hands-on sections, narrow ledges, and a wild and remote atmosphere.

The path leaves the hut and quickly joins a narrow but scenic T4 track that climbs across boulders and broken slabs above the valley and among small waterfalls. Waymarks guide you over ledges and through small gullies as you climb towards Passo di Ghiacciaione (2,716 m). From there, you can enjoy views of the Ticino Alps and the dark cone of Poncione del Laghetto (2,769 m), with small lakes scattered in rocky hollows below.

Ready to go back down? The descent on the far side is equally challenging, dropping steeply on loose scree and rocky steps. You will weave between outcrops and grassy shelves before following streams and little waterfalls towards gentler pastures. From the area around Motta delle Fontane, this final stretch is T3, easier underfoot as the previous track that softens into a clearer path. Soon, the stone buildings of Capanna Alpe Sponda come into view on a hillside above the valley. A simple, welcoming place to conclude an intense alpine stage.

It’s your last day on the trail, but it starts in pure mountain silence. From Capanna Alpe Sponda, the path gently zigzags down into the forest. The air smells like pine needles, the trail is soft underfoot, and there’s that quiet joy of knowing you’ve walked through the high Alps as a family.

The trail winds past clear mountain streams and open meadows, with the Ticinetto River playing hide and seek below. There’s a little spot near the Fiume Ticinetto where you can stop, dip your toes in the water, and celebrate the adventure. From there, it's a relaxed descent through the woods and across stone bridges, all the way to the village of Chironico.

As you reach the Chiesa di San Maurizio, you’ll hear the sounds of a village again—bells, voices, the end of your trek. But this isn't just the finish. It's the memory-making moment when you realise: you just crossed the Alps on foot. Together.