A sudden avalanche hit the heart of the Gran Sasso, almost completely obliterating a historic point of reference for hikers and shepherds. The collapse occurred on Monte Corvo, at around 1,650 meters above sea level, where the Rifugio del Monte was literally overwhelmed by the mass of snow. The structure, located along the famous Sentiero Italia, a hiking route that crosses the entire peninsula for over 8,000 kilometres, has been reduced to a pile of debris.
Fortunately, no people were present at the time of impact, avoiding what could have turned into a human disaster. What makes the episode even more disturbing is the awareness that the refuge had already been hit by similar phenomena in the past, without ever causing victims. This time, however, the intensity of the avalanche resulted in almost total destruction. After the event, the authorities ordered the closure of the area, prohibiting the passage of hikers and climbers due to the instability of the snow cover. The heavy snowfalls of the last few days have in fact increased the risk of new avalanches.
The mayor: “It could have been a Rigopiano-bis”
The mayor of Fano Adriano, Luigi Servi, described the gravity of the incident, commenting in clear and unfiltered words:
It could have been a Rigopiano-bis, by pure chance at that moment there was no one either in the shelter or in the surrounding area.
The mayor also reconstructed the context in which the event took place, underlining how the area was already monitored for the risk of snow:
Until some time ago there was an ordinance in force that prohibited reaching the refuge, then the path was reopened, but today it is impossible to reach it due to too much snow.
A historic refuge between transhumance and hiking
The Rifugio del Monte was not just an Alpine structure, but a place full of history. Born as a refreshment point for shepherds during transhumance, over time it had become a reference point for hikers and mountain enthusiasts. Over the years it had changed management several times, until it became the property of the municipal administration. Just recently, negotiations were underway to relaunch the activity by entrusting its management to the CAI of Teramo, a sign of a desire to enhance the territory. Today, however, only the sign of the destructive force of nature remains, which in a few moments erased a symbolic garrison of the territory.
You might also be interested in:
