From Gena Bassa to Forcella Franche via the 3 summits of Piz de Mezodì

Premise

This route was covered on October 17, 2017, and all subsequent observations and considerations can fully apply only to that day.

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From Gena Bassa to Forcella Zana (Forzèla de Iéna or Forzèla de l'Ón)

Just before the Bar alla Soffia, take the paved road closed to traffic leading up to Gena Alta: this can also be done in the dark for those wanting to start very early.

At the entrance of Gena Alta, next to a wooden shrine, the path to Bivacco Valdo branches off.

The path starts fairly calm in the woods, passes the detour to Cogol de la Loreza and Zimon de Gena, and then gradually changes: short exposed sections, some slippery steps/steep parts, and a couple of short equipped segments.

Once you reach the bottom of Val Soffia, you have to... make your way all the way to the end.

Just after the beginning of this typical valley bottom, you pass the junction that leads right to Bivacco Valdo.

In the first section, tracks climb a bit to the right (or orographic left), but then stay mostly in the middle.

New in 2017 (this GPS recording is from October 17, 2017): new markings (well made and help to reduce effort in bypassing various big rocks) in the section from the Bivacco Valdo detour to Forcella Zana; in the same section, a new metal rung ladder removes difficulties on a very steep and somewhat tricky slab where before (my last passage was December 2016) there was a not very reassuring cord.

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From Forcella Zana (Forzèla de Iéna or Forzèla de l'Ón) to Forcella Franche with detours to Piz de Mezodì West and Piz de Mezodì North (also Piz de Mezzodì in other transcriptions)

At Forcella Zana, you turn decisively to the left slope: from here on, there are many red marks, some arrows, a couple of CAI numbers "875", and a fair number of large white-blue markers typical of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole (also in the form of a triangle indicating precisely the route of a high path).

Several cairns too, very useful in the second part of this great ridge leading to the summits.

Beware: there are many because it is long, but not a sign every 10 meters.

You always need to keep your eye both short and medium range to evaluate the ground track and spot the next sign, which will rarely be the same as the previous one: red mark? White-blue? Arrow? Cairn?

The beginning from Forcella Zana is characterized by a fairly long cut of dwarf pines, and soon after, you reach a gully indicated in the guide as grade II: here the rock is solid, clean and with good holds.

Then generally, it is always challenging but very beautiful and varied for good hikers, with a long series of gullies, traverses, small ledges of all kinds, more short cuts through dwarf pines, varied ground steep steps, etc.

You reach Cima al Sass or Zima de le Masiére, which is a "big slab" (double summit) a few meters higher than the ridge you are following just below the crest.

From here on, increase attention because there is the section with "the dirtiest terrain" and you could feel some tiredness: various slippery points due to gravel/scree that “coincidentally” appear where there is exposure.

With a last grassy-bottom gully, you reach a small notch on the summit ridge connecting the two west and north summits of Piz de Mezodì.

Just below the notch, go left to the West Summit of Piz de Mezodì and right to the North Summit or Zima de la Crós.

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Detour to the West Summit of Piz de Mezodì – the detour is not part of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole, and therefore, there are no red marks or other white-blue signs in this entire section.

The first few meters are perhaps not very intuitive, but you need to follow a grassy ledge that bypasses, via an exposed ascent to the right, the first rock leap with a couple of turns – the first short diagonal of this kind of "ZETA" is left (I published a photo with an overlaid line of this passage).

Then follow cairns along a beautiful ridge (sometimes narrow, with a more exposed passage due to a projecting rock) up to the easy final rocks that can be interpreted freely (evident from the two different ascent and descent lines of my GPS track) → cairn on the summit.

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From the small notch, the detour point for the West Summit, in the opposite direction, go to the North Summit following the ridge (just below at first) until passing the descent junction to Forcella Franche, and finally arrive at the large cross on the North Summit of Piz de Mezodì or Zima de la Crós (this second detour is brief and quite simple compared to the rest).

Now return to the descent junction to Forcella Franche (where the white-blue signs of the Alta Via dei Monti del Sole end) and descend via the Cresta della Mussaia: this is a ridge of a different "style" from the previous one, not easy for a beginner, but it is a real well-marked CAI route.

You reach another notch where you turn left; here is the most hazardous section of the entire descent.

Turning right, with a complicated route different from that traced on the Tabacco map, you would reach the upper outlet of Bus de le Neole: very beautiful, but it is another hike (see itinerary → Forcella Bus de le Néole - Piz de Mezodì North and West Summit).

Our left section, instead, is a quite steep, very dirty and slippery slope; there are clear CAI white-red marks guiding the best line, but caution is needed: even a simple "slip" while standing can cause injury.

Immediately after, a short and mild ascent and then on for the final descent on very varied terrain: almost Dolomite-like sections, tough path, scree, with roots, some small steep parts, and finale in the woods.

Now, from Forcella Franche, those organized for a 100% sporty day must jump on their bike – but even if returning to the start by car, there will be great satisfaction.

Those wanting to push it further can finally visit the Soffia Waterfall a few minutes’ walk from the parking lot at the start.