Madesimo. Ski area in Montespluga where ski mountaineering is taught safely The project immediately took off and the media from all over the world are already talking about it
Article Source The Province of Sondrio
«Exploration and safety are the winning combination for us in the practice of a mountain that does not adapt to us, but to which we adapt. It is our philosophy, we are convinced that traditional skiing has an expiry date and very high management costs in every sense. A more human-scale use of the mountains, however, we believe is the future."
This is said by Walter Bossi, 26 years old, from Imbersago (Lecco), who with colleagues from the "Spiagames outdoor agency" of Bergamo, Mattia Cavalleri and Luca Azzola, has undertaken a completely new initiative at a national and European level.
That of creating a "lift-free" ski area, i.e. without ski lifts, which has its beating heart in the central square of Montespluga, at 1,908 meters above sea level in the municipal area of Madesimo.
Sealskins and snowshoes.
One of the most popular and well-known ski resorts in Lombardy and the Alps, characterized by the proximity to the town of the ski slopes and facilities, which have made it one of the most popular ski resorts. Here she is now in the limelight for a completely different type of undertaking.
For Homeland, this is the name of the reality that took off on February 5th two years ago in Montespluga and which finally took flight in the spring of 2023, today under the spotlight of the media around the world. And even the curators of the project themselves are amazed by so much limelight.
«The initial idea came from Spiagames outdoor agency, after which we developed it and applied it to the Madesimina reality - says Walter Bossi -, not without some initial doubts, because the approach was not easy for all the people and operators of the place with the idea of a mountain experienced in a natural way. With sealskins, mountaineering skis, snowshoes, a backpack with an airbag, a safety kit and a tent for those who want to stay out for a night. Instead, the project took off, people like it, and at the weekend we are always fully booked."
We are not talking about huge numbers, obviously, because all the proposals are calibrated for a maximum of 6-7 people, as many as a guide can accompany. But we travel on 35 reservations on Saturdays and Sundays and we couldn't do more.
«People come from Brianza, Milan, Switzerland, France and England - says Bossi - and this is also thanks to the media coverage we have had in those countries. To our surprise, the Financial Times and Le Parisien wrote, just to name two, but the hype is strong in Italy too, so much so that ski mountaineers from Rome and Abruzzo are also climbing."
Another not secondary trick: in Montespluga there is always plenty of snow. The kids at Homeland knew this. They immediately understood the potential of the small high-altitude town, mostly untapped, and they wasted no time.
Even in summer
Thanks to the contribution of 100 thousand euros from the Region on the "Journey to Lombardy" project, and through the intercession of the Municipality of Madesimo, they obtained the construction of the prefabricated structure that hosts them in Montespluga, with low environmental impact, and they established their headquarters there . With the rental of everything needed for ski mountaineering, splitboard and kitesnow, equipment from the best brands, and with the rental, another key aspect, of the safety kit with shovel, probe and Artva.
Safety, in fact, is at the centre, with courses carried out ad hoc by Homeland itself.
But that's not all because Homeland aims to live in summer too.
«The intention is to transform Homeland, in the summer, into a coworking location at high altitude - says Bossi - where people who find themselves passing through or on holiday in the area can have us as a point of reference if they need a place where carry on their work."
Bold solutions, but, as we know, the future belongs to those who dare.
«Exploration and safety are the winning combination for us in the practice of a mountain that does not adapt to us, but to which we adapt. It is our philosophy, we are convinced that traditional skiing has an expiry date and very high management costs in every sense. A more human-scale use of the mountains, however, we believe is the future."
This is said by Walter Bossi, 26 years old, from Imbersago (Lecco), who with colleagues from the "Spiagames outdoor agency" of Bergamo, Mattia Cavalleri and Luca Azzola, has undertaken a completely new initiative at a national and European level.
That of creating a "lift-free" ski area, i.e. without ski lifts, which has its beating heart in the central square of Montespluga, at 1,908 meters above sea level in the municipal area of Madesimo.
Sealskins and snowshoes.
One of the most popular and well-known ski resorts in Lombardy and the Alps, characterized by the proximity to the town of the ski slopes and facilities, which have made it one of the most popular ski resorts. Here she is now in the limelight for a completely different type of undertaking.
For Homeland, this is the name of the reality that took off on February 5th two years ago in Montespluga and which finally took flight in the spring of 2023, today under the spotlight of the media around the world. And even the curators of the project themselves are amazed by so much limelight.
«The initial idea came from Spiagames outdoor agency, after which we developed it and applied it to the Madesimina reality - says Walter Bossi -, not without some initial doubts, because the approach was not easy for all the people and operators of the place with the idea of a mountain experienced in a natural way. With sealskins, mountaineering skis, snowshoes, a backpack with an airbag, a safety kit and a tent for those who want to stay out for a night. Instead, the project took off, people like it, and at the weekend we are always fully booked."
We are not talking about huge numbers, obviously, because all the proposals are calibrated for a maximum of 6-7 people, as many as a guide can accompany. But we travel on 35 reservations on Saturdays and Sundays and we couldn't do more.
«People come from Brianza, Milan, Switzerland, France and England - says Bossi - and this is also thanks to the media coverage we have had in those countries. To our surprise, the Financial Times and Le Parisien wrote, just to name two, but the hype is strong in Italy too, so much so that ski mountaineers from Rome and Abruzzo are also climbing."
Another not secondary trick: in Montespluga there is always plenty of snow. The kids at Homeland knew this. They immediately understood the potential of the small high-altitude town, mostly untapped, and they wasted no time.
Even in summer
Thanks to the contribution of 100 thousand euros from the Region on the "Journey to Lombardy" project, and through the intercession of the Municipality of Madesimo, they obtained the construction of the prefabricated structure that hosts them in Montespluga, with low environmental impact, and they established their headquarters there . With the rental of everything needed for ski mountaineering, splitboard and kitesnow, equipment from the best brands, and with the rental, another key aspect, of the safety kit with shovel, probe and Artva.
Safety, in fact, is at the centre, with courses carried out ad hoc by Homeland itself.
But that's not all because Homeland aims to live in summer too.
«The intention is to transform Homeland, in the summer, into a coworking location at high altitude - says Bossi - where people who find themselves passing through or on holiday in the area can have us as a point of reference if they need a place where carry on their work."
Bold solutions, but, as we know, the future belongs to those who dare.