Frontignano, Ussita: Ski Area and Mountain Guide

Things to Do in Frontignano

People come to Frontignano mainly for the high-mountain landscape of the Monte Bove group, which can be reached even without long walks. The Saliere four-seat chairlift leaves from the main parking lot and in about 4 minutes reaches the Saliere, at 1,550 meters. Here there are the refuge, a children's area with foam play equipment and, since 2025, a wooden playground. In summer the same chairlift serves the bike training area and the bike park trails.

In winter there is skiing in the Saliere sector, suitable for all levels. In the 2025/26 season the Lo Schiancio–Le Saliere chairlift, the Pian dell'Arco–Belvedere chairlift and the beginners' area magic carpet were running. The slopes are mostly blue. There are also:

• the two red Starna runs;
• the short black Direttissima del Belvedere;
• the green Trasferimento degli Innamorati, about 2.5 km long;
• a beginners' area with a sledding zone;
• the Saliere snowpark.

The Canalone sector, suited to expert skiers, depends instead on the new gondola lift. The old Selvapiana, Cornaccione and Ginepro chairlifts have been dismantled. In June 2026 the electromechanical part of the new lift was being installed; with ordinance no. 48 of August 25, 2026 the ban on transit for the works was extended to December 31, 2026. The gondola will have 49 cabins with 10 seats each and will also be able to carry bicycles, wheelchairs and people with disabilities.

The village also bears signs of the recovery after the earthquake. In August 2018, on Via Pian dell'Arco, a street poster art work gave new life to an unfinished building abandoned since the 1950s. On October 26 of the same year C.A.S.A. – Cosa Accade Se Abitiamo ("What Happens If We Live Here") was born: an artist-residency space its founders call a "mountain port". Projects such as the Cammino nelle Terre Mutate walking route and the sustainable tourism festival IT.A.CÀ started from here.

Not far away is San Placido, an old hamlet now uninhabited on the slopes of the upper Nera valley, with a very old cemetery. The churches and villages of the rest of the municipality are described on the page about things to do in Ussita. Many buildings were hit by the 2016 earthquake.

Nature and Trails near Frontignano

Trails of every difficulty start from Frontignano. They range from walks in the shade of the pine woods to climbs toward the summits of Monte Bove, Monte Bicco and Monte Porche. The area is frequented by chamois and red deer.

The most complete route is the Monte Bove loop, the Park's route E8, difficulty EE (for experienced hikers), closed even on foot until December 31, 2026 under Ordinance no. 48 of August 25, 2026 of the Municipality of Ussita:

• length: 14.4 km;
• elevation gain: 1,230 meters;
• duration: about 5 hours and 10 minutes according to the Park;
• highest point: above 2,000 meters.

From the village the route climbs the Saliere meadows to Pian dell'Arco–Belvedere, reaches the Cornaccione and, on trail E8, touches Monte Bicco and Monte Bove Sud. The ridge continues north to the cross on Monte Bove. Then it descends into the Val di Bove and returns via the Passaiola, the Cristo delle Vette and the Canalone. There are restrictions on climbing Monte Bove Nord: check them on the park's website before setting out.

A shorter hike starts from the Belvedere, at 1,650 meters. A steep trail climbs to Monte Cornaccione, then an almost level traverse leads to the Cristo delle Nevi refuge (1,830 m), from where you continue toward Monte Bove Sud and Monte Bicco. More demanding, graded EE (for experienced hikers), is the south ridge of Monte Bove toward Passo Cattivo. The pass, at 1,869 meters, lies on the watershed between the Frontignano grasslands and the Tenna Valley. Along the way you can see the Val di Bove, an ancient glacial cirque. Another popular goal is Cima di Vallinfante. Until December 31, 2026 these routes too, which pass by the Cornaccione or along the E8 trails, are affected by the ban in Ordinance no. 48 of August 25, 2026 of the Municipality of Ussita: the closed sections are shown on the Park's ordinance map.

For cyclists there is the Frontignano Freeride Bike Park, open since 2009. E-bikes can be rented at the base of the chairlift.

In 2026 the gondola construction site led to bans on cars and bikes, and in part on pedestrians too. The bans covered the Canalone area, the road to the Belvedere, the Cristo delle Nevi and the Cornaccione refuge, and some bike park trails. That ordinance was valid until August 31, 2026. Then, with ordinance no. 48 of August 25, 2026, the Municipality of Ussita banned vehicle and pedestrian traffic until December 31, 2026 for the gondola works, and the Park reports it as the trail status of the Monte Bove loop (E8): until that date the route is closed even on foot.

Where to Stay in Frontignano

Many houses in Frontignano are second homes. Near the lifts, around the Selvapiana lot and Via Pian dell'Arco, there are also some accommodations. The Saliere refuge, at 1,550 meters, has no rooms. The accommodations available across the whole municipality are gathered on the where-to-stay page for Ussita, which also covers the main town, about ten minutes away by car.

Where to Eat in Frontignano

At altitude, meals are at the Saliere refuge, at 1,550 meters, at the top of the chairlift. It is an Alpine-style place with a bar and simple food, in the middle of the slopes. It opens together with the chairlift and depends on the weather: in May 2026, for example, the refuge and the lift closed suddenly because of bad weather. The Cornaccione refuge will also be rebuilt, above the top station of the new gondola. For lunches and dinners down in the valley, see the page on restaurants in Ussita.

Local Products of Frontignano

Frontignano's cooking is that of the Ussita valley and is tied to sheep farming. The Sopravissana sheep was born from crossing Merino Rambouillet rams with Vissana ewes, which grazed on Monte Bove in the territories of Visso, Ussita and Castelsantangelo. Ussita still produces Sopravissana milk and cheese and mutton cured meats: salamelle, salsicciotti, lonze and prosciutti. Traditional dishes include ricotta gnocchi with Sopravissana meat sauce and stewed abbacchio (young lamb).

The elderly people of Ussita still remember the Caciofiore dei Sibillini. It is a soft cheese made with freshly milked Sopravissana milk and curdled with thistle flower. It can be made only in the 3-4 months when the thistle blooms and must be eaten within 15-25 days. The park also produces Sibillini pecorino cheese (pecorino dei Monti Sibillini), which can age for up to two years in cool cellars.

Weather and How to Get to Frontignano

Frontignano is reached by car, from two sides. The most used road goes through Visso: you drive up to Ussita and from there to the hamlet, in about ten minutes. The other starts from Castelsantangelo sul Nera and crosses the Pian della Croce plateau, with hairpin bends and gradients close to 10%. From Ussita, too, the climb has a central stretch of about two kilometers at around 8%.

The main routes:

• from the Adriatic coast: A14 to the Civitanova Marche-Macerata exit, SS77 var expressway toward Foligno as far as Muccia, then SP209 to Visso;
• from Perugia: SS75 to Foligno, SS77 var to the Pontelatrave exit, then SP209 to Visso;
• from Rome and Ascoli Piceno: Salaria to the Arquata del Tronto exit, SP89 past Pretare, SP477 toward Castelluccio and Castelsantangelo sul Nera, where you follow the signs for Frontignano.

By public transport, the route goes through Macerata, with buses to Visso and Ussita.

Snow varies a lot from year to year. In 2024 snow was scarce and there were very few ski days: most people riding the lifts were hikers and cyclists. The ski season usually runs from late December to mid-March, but it can last longer: in 2026 the slopes closed on April 7. Before setting out, always check the snow report and the weather forecast, especially for ridge hikes.