Cengia Mediana Sud Ovest del Burèl from Le Forzeléte to Fratta del Moro

Premise

This route was traveled on June 21, 2023, and all subsequent observations and considerations apply fully only to that day.

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Ascent of Val de Piero from La Stanga to Forcella Odèrz

Val de Piero is one of the "most difficult for GPS" valleys: every time I pass through it, the device records always different tracks from previous ones.

Therefore, it is necessary to rely more on ground traces and markers – paint, cairns and cut branches – which are plentiful.

Start on CAI 502 next to the Ristorante Bar alla Stanga and easily reach, under a cell antenna, the junction with the path that diverts towards Val Ru da Molín.

Then continue a little further to another junction where a guide cable helps to overcome a small rocky step to the left (to the right the wide path descends towards the valley's watercourse).

From here begins a long section in the forest with exposed segments and various "handrail cables," followed by an ascent on a wide forested slope and another traverse that almost touches the watercourse.

Then rise again over a couple of rocky slabs secured with cable to reach a small ledge in a clearing with several waterfalls on the right going uphill or on the hydrological left.

Slightly beyond, the valley branches and you have to ascend (after crossing the left branch uphill) a broad mostly forested ridge between the two branches.

With varied and winding ascent of the ridge, enter much higher into the right branch (now without water): at the entry point (from the left side uphill), look for a secondary rocky ridge shifted to the right somewhat inside the watercourse, where there are immediately a couple of CAI markers and a helping cable to face the first vertical section.

Then the cable continues at the bottom of the channel to assist climbing on a very slippery walking surface due to gravel; enter a sector with a more solid base where CAI markers guide around boulders.

You then arrive at the grand finale under an incision on the right side uphill with wedged boulders impassable in the narrow rock gorge.

Here another cable helps to overcome the first vertical meters on the left rock side, then leads further up into the narrow and steep final gully.

The cable continues along the entire left side uphill to Forcella Odèrz: it is very useful both to reduce effort and to optimize holds while preventing rockfall on fellow hikers below.

Be careful because the ground is loose; if the cable solves problems for oneself, it "does not solve them alone" for others.

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From Forcella Odèrz to Le Forzeléte

From Forcella Odèrz continue descending the other side of Val dell'Ardo losing about 20 meters of altitude or slightly more.

The dwarf pines on the left give way to a gravel-bottomed corridor: climb the fairly compact scree and intercept a chamois path where I found a first nice yellow-red marker of the Viàz dei Camòrz and Camorziéri.

Go right to encounter some small rocky steps on a rugged ridge leading to a channel.

Here “you warm up your hands a bit” (around grade I+) for more use later.

The channel starts on a solid hard track among grass with rocks left and dwarf pines right, then on a grassier but still stepped base reach La Forzeléte, the pass where the Cengia Mediana Sud Ovest del Burèl begins.

You need to ascend more than 100 meters of elevation from Forcella Odèrz.

At Le Forzeléte, there is a dense cover of dwarf pines just cut by the arrival and continuation track.

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From Le Forzeléte to Fratta del Moro via Cengia Mediana Sud Ovest del Burèl

From Le Forzeléte, follow the cut of dwarf pines descending 2/3 meters then turning right.

Soon the dwarf pines end and you get a fine view of the area called “I Gravinèi.”

Here, as a general rule, the ledge trail follows a series of close indentations and crosses small promontory ridges that border it.

Shortly after the start there is a cautious step to cross a small gully with a clearly visible wedged boulder below.

Then reach a steep channel slightly flared where you must descend for several continuous meters of grade I or I+.

Moving further there are delicate steps between ridges until an area covered by dwarf pines.

Here the trail is well cut among the dwarf pines with an initial descent, then turning right to enter a wide channel-basin at the base of the possible steep deviation for those wanting to reach Bivacco Piero Rossi.

For the Cengia Mediana Sud Ovest del Burèl continue following the usual yellow-red markers with a slight climb among ridges dotted with dwarf pines to a “strange passage.”

Basically, you “bump” against a small vertical slab (where the marker is) placed sideways with a very sharp upper edge.

This is bypassed just to the right with a short descent of some close movements of grade II.

Further on, find another similar drop-step of similar commitment, then climb above a broad not difficult slab (about grade I).

The slab is followed by a narrow ledge circumventing a corner with a couple of exposed moves: balance well on small but solid holds – I’d say horizontal grade II.

Soon after, turn left under a wall to enter a long and easy ledge.

After the nice ledge, climb above a first ridge followed by a small flat at the base of another steep ascent towards a second ridge that above “takes almost the shape of a real saddle.”

Here, if I haven’t missed anything, there is the only marker problem caused by a short landslide which can cause considerable inconvenience.

After the last marker just below the “summit of the saddle-shaped ridge” you face the landslide, right on the logical continuation line.

To the left outside there are dirty scree jumps and no visible markers circumventing them.

Right towards the mountain there are solid rocks somewhat dirty with fine gravel but manageable with caution, and again no markers are visible.

I tried to take 4/5 steps on the upper edge of the landslide but… I stopped immediately: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS due to unstable ground combined with great exposure.

I believe the landslide carried away some rocks with markers, which until now were always clearly visible in sequence.

Finally, I climbed diagonally on the rocks on the right, then descended their end with another diagonal towards a dwarf pine before the next vertical drop.

From the dwarf pine descend easily to the original landslide altitude after fully passing it… there I immediately found a new marker.

Continue for a few more meters on flat ground and enter a descending narrow gully with a vertical step and excellent small solid holds.

In my opinion this is grade II for verticality.

Still descending further to finish inside the large basin that precedes the spectacular climax on a breathtaking wall.

The climb to the ledge line of this wall is not marked by markers, likely because there are many equivalent alternatives all within grade I maximum with some single I+ moves.

I chose a line above a slab resembling a “very laid-back dihedral.”

You reach the final ledge line at the start of a help cable on a stretch otherwise beyond normal hiking limits: certain grade III, and even with the cable it requires concentration.

Then VERY EXPOSED moves up to a small juniper bush mentioned by Piero Rossi in his 1982 guide: apparently the junipers here never grow!

From the small juniper bush, the markers descend a little, and the traverse continues… trusting always to find solid holds because it is really narrow and ultra-exposed.

You find a second cable circumventing a corner again on a route beyond grade II.

Finally, a short stretch of narrow ledge well manageable (relative to what came before) up to the third and last cable that leads beyond the exit corner from the wall.

From the corner, with 25/30 easy meters under rock band, you reach Fratta del Moro with a small meadow and large rock cave, and a large pine that characterized the place which, unfortunately, is now fallen and withered.

Alone it is not possible – without risk – to photograph the end properly, but the most beautiful photos are those "taken with the mind," and these photos under Burèl cannot be erased.

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Return descent from Fratta del Moro to La Stanga via Val Ru da Molín

It is a descent, for those experienced with similar terrain, possible even without having seen it uphill, but it is always better to know it to end the day calmly.

I had already “assimilated” it with the route → Colón de Costa Bramosa with Viàz Sud, Colón del Forzelón and Fratta del Moro, but it’s not necessary to do the entire loop.

Looking downhill from Fratta del Moro, just right of the large fallen and withered pine, begins a cut of dwarf pines.

Descend there meeting a "junction of cuts" with a last yellow-red marker of Viàz dei Camòrz and Camorziéri: the trail continues right, and for Val Ru da Molín go straight ahead.

Now the cut corridor narrows and widens several times, be careful of some false tracks: watch the cuts that are always on the right track.

After the dwarf pines, enter a medium slope forest immediately covering.

Here there are cairns marking the fainter more consolidated uphill route with various turns, but it’s not worth looking for them descending because you can descend straight without problems.

Just stay more or less near the slightly flared central hollow and continue to about 1350 meters altitude.

Here you should spot a series of close cairns just before the emergence to the right of a true wide obvious path.

Enter the path that continues well visible descending to a traverse south where the track ends.

Here descend straight down the slope finding a couple of cairns and as many cut branches: I say what I saw, but there could be something else.

After losing about forty meters of altitude, encounter a few fallen trees easily bypassed, and slightly below to their left re-emerges the clear path which shortly leads to the junction with the path descending from Forzelón (that is the pass north of Colón del Forzelón).

Continuing descending right, after about 5 minutes you find a section with several fallen trees on the path.

The various trunks have not been cut “in one go,” but there are some partial cuts allowing passage with bending or climbing over “non-acrobatic.”

You thus reach the bottom of Val Ru da Molín in the area named La Crosera after a series of very close cairns and an arrow placed for those exiting the valley in the opposite direction.

The start of the descent through the valley is in the watercourse meeting immediately a huge rock with shelter underneath, then some small caves on the right at the junction of the path going up to Borál de l’Ors (for this latter trail see route → Boràl de l’Órs - Monte Coro - Zéngia del Re - Cengia Van del Castèl).

Continue enjoyably among the boulders then exit via a small path on the hydrological left.

Return to the watercourse for a short distance then exit on the hydrological right (several variants signaled by cairns and cut branches).

Now stay long on the hydrological right with several close passages near the watercourse.

Easily circumvent a landslide section of the small path and pass the marked junction (paint on rock on the ground) with the track that would climb to La Spirlonga (those interested in La Spirlonga can refer to the route → La Spirlónga via Val Ru da Molín-Fratta del Santo-Forcella de la Spirlónga).

Cross again for the last time towards the hydrological left at a point with much water, various small waterfalls and potholes (there is also an equipped stop for canyoning).

From here continue towards the exit from Val Ru da Molín, reconnecting to the initial junction with Val de Piero after a long traverse with some almost-ledged steps flowing above Val Cordevole.