On 6 April 2026, I reached Lake Pontini, from where I planned to climb to the summit of Monte Comero (1,373 m).
Driving up the valley, I saw snow on the ridges, but, misled by the recent spring outing, I did not worry at all.
A few hundred meters on the trail, and it was flooded by runoff, a clear sign of massive snowmelt above. Indeed, on much of the upper section, I sank into quite a bit of snow (20 to 40cm). Without snowshoes, the climb was tiring and took longer than planned. Still, I enjoyed myself immensely: the snowy surprise just added to the experience. More planning and thought would have helped, and honestly, I felt a bit ashamed. Bertinoro, from our earlier family walk, sits 1,100 meters lower than Monte Comero. In early April, that difference matters.

I never appreciated the mid-season as much as on this trip: below, meadows with primroses and budding trees; above, snow and bare woods still locked in winter.
Route info, map and GPX are on Komoot.