From the restaurant at the Passo San Leonardo ski area (where signs say "private parking" but everyone parks there anyway), we followed a faint track from the right side of the restaurant on a diagonal up to the tree line. Once in the forest, the track intersects with the well-marked Q3 trail which goes from Pacentro to Monte Morrone. Turning right on the Q5, the trail winds up through wooded switchbacks and soon opens onto a small meadow. Here, it is important to look out to the left for the Q4 which you take to the Mileto summit. It's easy to miss.
The Q4 is an easy trail to climb as it follows a 4x4 road much of the way up. Starting in the trees and then emerging into open space with wide open views into the Maiella park below, the only challenging section is a narrow, steep track along loose scree when the trail departs the 4x4 trail and skirts the edge of the mountainside.
Eventually, the well-marked trail turns to the northwest and off of the 4x4 track. From here, cairns lead over two false summits before reaching Mileto.
We recognized the true summit from the year before, but I can see how it might be difficult for first time trekkers to figure it out. Having no summit cross, plaque, or wooden sign, the only way to know you are at the top is to have tracked your path on a topographic map or find the small flat rock on the summit that very faintly marks the name and elevation of the peak. There's also a large cairn on top, but the false summits have them too.
With warm temperatures and little to no wind, the summit also proved a great place for a post-lunch nap.
The other way to know you are on Mileto proper is that you have this view down into a col containing two partially-abandoned rifugio buildings. We decided that this year we would turn the hike into a loop by heading down to the northernmost rifugio and connecting with the Q3 trail, which we could take back to Passo San Leonardo.
The descent to the building took longer than expected - which posed a problem when it became evident that K's paltry half sandwich had provided too few calories to sustain her for the trek. Further, the trail markers are pretty poor requiring use of the building itself as a way finder. At the rifugio, it is fairly easy to find the Q3 - as long as you know that it enters from the southeast.
Almost immediately, the Q3 enters into woods and is tree covered for the entire descent. Following a very moderate but consistent grade, it made for a very nice contrast from the open ascent on the Q4. As it turned out, the ideal route was the loop direction that we had selected. The climb up the Q3, though moderate, would have been an extremely long slog uphill for many hours. It was nice that we had chosen it for the descent instead. Still, several snack breaks were required to make it back to the car... further evidence that a full trail lunch is always necessary in the Abruzz.
Peak: Monte Mileto
Elevation: 1902 meters (6,240 feet)
Route: Loop trail, Q4 trail from Passo San Leonardo, return on Q3
Distance: 9.5 km (6 miles) round trip
Conditions: Sunny, 70 degrees F
