One of the most picturesque and best-known corners of the Valle Spluga is the basin that holds Lago d'Emet, north of Madesimo. There are two ways to get there, one from Lago di Montespluga (crossing the Andossi and then traversing on the level across the slopes of the Spadolazzo). The more classic route is the one from Madesimo (which, coming from Milan, is easier to reach than Lago di Montespluga).
Once we reach the hamlet of Macolini, north of Madesimo, the buildings have all but run out, giving way first to pastures and then to the natural woodland. In early June these meadows produce millions of mountain flowers, a show of vivid colour; far off in the background stands the bulk of Pizzo Quadro.
We walk at first along the valley floor, closed off ahead of us by the great wall of Pizzo Spadolazzo (an optional goal for this hike), then the path bends to the right to tackle, with countless hairpin bends, the steep climb to the basin that holds Lago d'Emet.
When the shrubs, rhododendrons and raspberry bushes thin out and the slope eases, it is a sign that we are nearly there; a little further on the building of Rifugio Bertacchi comes into view, on top of the grassy saddle that closes Lago d'Emet to the west. The landscape here is enchanting: the shores of the lake are home to plenty of marmots, which "welcome" us into their territory with their whistles, while to the west we are distracted by the beauty of the view over the peaks of the upper Valle Spluga.
If we are willing to sacrifice a few hours of rest on these magnificent meadows, we can climb to the top of Pizzo Spadolazzo, the mighty rocky dome rising in front of us. Its panoramic summit is reached by a faint path, perhaps little trodden but perfectly marked with the CAI's red and white waymarks. From Rifugio Bertacchi we skirt the lake to the north, following the signs for Passo d'Emet. Halfway to the pass we find the sign for the Spadolazzo, painted in red on a boulder. The path first creeps gently upwards among imposing slabs and humps of rock, then climbs more decisively up the scree that "spills" down from the summit dome.
We descend to the Bertacchi and to Macolini by the same route.
