Alpini March to Monte Rotella

The Alpini March to Monte Rotella

The Alpini March to Monte Rotella is the annual hike that the Pescocostanzo Alpini Group, part of the Abruzzi Section of the National Alpini Association (ANA), dedicates to the ascent of Monte Rotella, the mountain overlooking the town in the province of L'Aquila. It traditionally takes place at the end of August and leads to the summit at an altitude of 2,129 meters, where Alpini soldiers, their families, and mountain enthusiasts gather for a day of walking, remembrance, and conviviality.

The "Alpini Mountain"

Monte Rotella is known as "the Alpini mountain": at its peak stands a monument created in 1986 by mountaineer Sergio Paolo Sciullo della Rocca, depicting the famous hat with the feather worn by the Alpine troops, accompanied by a cross. Since then, the summit has been the destination of a celebration that, at the end of August, climbs up from Pescocostanzo and Sulmona, turning the mountain into a place of gathering and reflection for the entire Abruzzo Alpini community.

A day on the trail

Participants gather in the historic center of Pescocostanzo, in Piazza Municipio, departing in the early morning to take advantage of the cool air and the best light. The route crosses high-altitude pastures and the landscapes of the Abruzzo Apennines, in a territory nestled between the Majella National Park and the plateaus of the Alto Sangro. Upon reaching the summit, the highlight is the gathering around the Alpini monument, amidst the Italian flag, traditional Alpini songs, and greetings from authorities and ANA representatives.

• Where: Pescocostanzo (AQ), Abruzzo — ascent to the summit of Monte Rotella (2,129 m)
• When: Every year, traditionally at the end of August
• Organizer: Pescocostanzo Alpini Group (ANA - Abruzzi Section), founded in 1952
• Character: Open hike, Alpini tradition, remembrance

Pescocostanzo and the Alpini tradition

As one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, nestled in the high plateaus of Abruzzo, Pescocostanzo maintains a strong bond with the "penne nere": the local Alpini Group, active since the 1950s, enlivens the town with gatherings, ceremonies, and this march, which has become a late-summer ritual. For those visiting the Alto Sangro, the Alpini March to Monte Rotella is an opportunity to discover an authentic side of the Abruzzo mountains, defined by community, hiking, and high-altitude landscapes in the town of Pescocostanzo and the heart of the Apennines.