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Aosta Valley - Alta Via Numero Uno

VanSims1. 08. 2012 18:41:47

In the framework of my mountaineering-tinged holiday, I first headed to the Pennine Alps, rising north of the Aosta Valley, to the trail mentioned in the title.

The trail runs from Courmayeur at the far west of the Aosta Valley to Donnas in the east, over several stages. In three days I hiked its part from Valtournenche to Gressoney, via Colle di Nana, slept in Rifugio Tournalin, and on the second day via St Jacques over Colle di Pinter (fitness-wise the hardest part) to Rifugio Alpenzu and to Gressoney. On the last third day I climbed from Gressoney also to Colle Valdobbia.

The trail itself has no technical features. It is slightly exposed on the descent from Colle di Nana to Rifugio Tournalin (ascent to Grand Tournalin for the more experienced), but fitness-wise quite demanding (marked as Demanding in Lonely Planet Walking in Italy). Fitness-wise the most demanding is the ascent to Colle di Pinter, and that in the part from the bottom of the Cuneaz valley to just below the col (soul dropped winking

). The trail from Gressoney to Colle Valdobbia is without features.

Views from the trail are fantastic on the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa massif, and Gran Paradiso massif on the other side of the Aosta Valley.

Logistical execution, technicalities:

- left the car in Gressoney and in the morning with the first bus (not expensive - 9 EUR and a bit for the whole route) headed to Valtournenche (transfer in Pont Saint Martin and Chatillon) and went to Rifugio Tournalin (ca 4:30h per LP from Valtournenche).

- slept the first day in Rifugio Tournalin (private hut - no discount with PZS card - otherwise sleep 20 EUR, breakfast 7 EUR).

- second day then went to Gressoney (7 - 8h).

- third day went to Colle Valdobbia and back to Gressoney (ca 6 h).

- beer prices pig expensive (5 EUR and more for otherwise 0.4 dcl i.e. medium portion also in the valley e.g. in Aosta itself), tolls in the Aosta Valley also pig expensive.

And some pics for fun big