The territory of Bormio is renowned for its splendid mountainous scenery and even for stays at the hot springs, yet few know that at almost 3,000 meters above sea level, where today only experienced hikers reach, the ice has, years ago, yielded a memory hidden for thousands of years. Among the trails of the Alta Val di Gavia, on the slope of Pizzo Tresero, lies one of the Alps’ most astonishing archaeological sites: the Punta Segnale rock carvings, regarded as the highest in Europe.
Discovered casually in 2017 during a hike in the Bormio area, these thirteen figures carved into rock tell a distant chapter of human presence in the mountains. Created between Copper Age and Bronze Age, over three thousand years ago, they depict symbols, anthropomorphic figures and geometric shapes that remain the subject of study today, although for centuries they were hidden beneath the Tresero glacier. And guess what? There is a structured trek that allows you to reach them—even if it is not for everyone.
The Punta Segnale Rock Carvings
The Punta Segnale rock carvings lie on surfaces of micaceous schist smoothed by the millennial movement of the ice, smooth rocks that the gradual retreat of the Tresero glacier has slowly brought back to light. The site comprises 13 petroglphs, and among the figures identified by archaeologists appear the “orants”, human representations with arms raised probably linked to a ritual dimension, a dextral (right-handed) spiral, geometric symbols and a possible animal figure.
What makes this place particularly interesting, beyond its thrilling altitude and record, is the unique relationship between humans and the alpine environment. Punta Segnale represents indeed one of the few European examples of a rock complex that has been repeatedly hidden and brought back by ice over the millennia. Today, moreover, it is one of the sites of interest in the territory of Bormio that climbers are increasingly re-evaluating.
How to reach the Tresero Rock Carvings
If you love trekking, the excursion that leads to the Punta Segnale rock carvings is an unmissable experience, capable of delivering extraordinary views of the alpine landscape and a taste of archaeology. The route starts from Rifugio Berni, at the Gavia Pass, located at 2,621 meters above sea level, and leads toward the Pizzo Tresero glacier. To reach the starting point you can reach the Gavia Pass by car or, during the summer, use the Gavia Express shuttle service from Santa Caterina Valfurva.
The hike is classified as medium difficulty (T3) and requires a little more than two hours of walking. The route covers about 4.6 kilometers, with a positive elevation gain of around 472 meters, reaching nearly 3,000 meters in altitude. From the refuge you follow the trail toward Punta Segnale, crossing landscapes shaped by the ice and the morainic slopes of the Alta Val di Gavia. Just before the Capanna Bernasconi you reach the area where the carvings are visible directly on the rock surfaces.
You need to set your alarm very early, because the best moment to observe the petroglyphs is in the morning, ideally before 10:00 a.m., when the sunlight creates the necessary contrast to better distinguish the marks on the stone. The area lies within the Stelvio National Park, a region already rich in historical testimonies, from traces of prehistoric communities to the itineraries of World War I fought in the Alps, up to the ancient paths now gathered in the Stelvio Historical Trek.
