The peak of Mottarone can be reached by a 20-minute ride on a cableway from Carciano, a frazione of Stresa. This was built to replace a rack and pinion railroad from Stresa in 1963. It overlooks the city of Verbania on Lake Maggiore; Monviso in the Maritime Alps, as well as Monte Rosa, can be seen on clear sky days.
It is possible to reach the peak of Mottarone by car. There are two roads: the first comes up from Armeno, west of the Mottarone summit near Lake Orta; the second, a private toll road, begins from Alpino, a frazione of Stresa on the eastern side of the summit.
On foot, it’s possible to reach the summit using path L1 from Stresa (designated CAI Stresa), which passes near the railway station. The suggested time to the summit is 4:20 from the station.
A ski resort with 21 km of downhill skiing slopes is located on Mottarone.
Skiing on Mottarone has a long tradition. Sci Club Mottarone was founded in 1909. In January 1935 the first giant slalom in the history of ski racing took place on the Mottarone. In 1940 the first ski lift opened called, Slittone. After World War II, the ski resort developed. Today there are 21 trails, something for every kind of skier. There are five ski lifts: Baby, Selva Spessa 1, Selva Spessa 2, La Rossa and Baita Omegna. In addition, there are two moving carpet lifts (tapis-roulants) for the beginners. Unfortunately, another lift, called Alpe Corti, was closed after 2011 at the end of its “technical life”, in accordance with Italian law which allows certain lifts to be used only 30 years.