Viàz de l’Órs from Forcella Toanella to Forcella del Matt

Premise

This route was traveled on October 17, 2022, and all subsequent observations and considerations may fully apply only for that day.

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Ascent from the parking lot at Lago di Pontesei to the start of the Viàz de l’Ors just after Forcella Toanella

From the parking lot at Lago di Pontesei, climb to the Rifugio Bosconero via one of the possible and obvious variants, and then continue behind the hut following the initial signs of CAI 490 (today on the way up I took the shorter variant).

Out of the woods, continue following cairns on the hard scree, maintaining a generally fairly straight line: do not be fooled by a large cairn leading to the right towards Rocchetta Alta, and higher up by smaller ones guiding left towards Forcella del Matt (the return route for this hike).

However, the entrance to the channel leading to Forcella Toanella is very evident and can be reached by walking along the edge of a large landslide ditch.

At this point (even though there are no painted numbers except for red marks) you are on CAI 482 and climb the long gully staying on the left side, with some turns that bring you close to the rocky band: very beautiful view of the "vertical pyramid" on the northern face of Sasso di Toanella.

Near the end, the trail traverses to the right side of the gully in the climbing direction, and it can be said that one arrives at Forcella Toanella almost always with good foothold for the shoes.

The GPS here suffers greatly from signal bouncing between the high walls and is unreliable.

Arriving at Forcella Toanella, to the left there is a scree basin with a clear path crossing it.

Follow the path to the nearby ridge, immediately after which the Viàz de l’Ors officially begins.

It is the Costa dei Nóni, and before climbing it you can admire the characteristic towers of the Nóni di Val Larga a bit lower down.

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Traverse of the Viàz de l’Ors from Forcella Toanella to Forcella del Matt

The viàz can be divided — as a type of route — into two clearly distinct parts separated by the key passage.

The first part is entirely "ledge style" on real ledges with always evident paths, marked by cairns and some cut branches among the few mountain pines.

After turning the first corner, you bypass a pronounced inward bend of a channel that penetrates well inside the wall.

The turn beyond the corner exiting the channel changes the direction of travel from east to north, with exposure changing from south to east accordingly.

The end of this second section passes under partly overhanging rocks that force to "hunched steps" more than true "cat steps."

You enter a recess in the wall beneath a couple of characteristic pinnacles that you bypass always following the ledge line.

Beyond the corner that follows the bypassing of the pinnacles, the viàz trends upwards on a partially grassy path and turns left again to reach (again on a ledge) a true "cat step": the base of the passage is quite wide, and if you "crawl" towards the outside you do not need to remove your backpack.

Then a few more meters of gentle uphill on grass: caution is needed here since you don't continue on the obvious long-rising bench but must pay attention to the cairns that guide, with a short descent, to a mini-saddle bounded externally by a whitish rock block.

There are two red marks painted at the entrance to the mini-saddle, and from here on you also need to "keep an eye out" for the red marks.

From the mini-saddle, you descend a rocky ramp and then a few easy rocks among grass (always watch the red marks) to end on a small ledge marked by a large cairn: here is the key passage.

After the cairn, the narrow ledge ends above a 2nd-grade drop: the holds are solid and there are red marks that guide the line… but are visible only from the opposite direction.

They are 4 meters according to Vittorino Mason and his guide "Il libro delle cenge."

Just before the cairn, on the right, there is a notch channel accessed by passing through a hole bounded by a wedged boulder.

There is a two-meter drop to enter and various solid hand and footholds that allow descent with small splits in opposition steps: this seemed easier to me and I followed it.

Then the notch channel is easy and you arrive a few meters below the red marks of the official variant, but still within the continuation of the viàz.

From here on, the Viàz de l’Ors changes aspect, and attention is needed for orientation by watching cairns and numerous red marks painted mainly for those traveling in the opposite direction: therefore, it is good to look forward and check backward from time to time.

After the key passage, continue a little downhill in the same diagonal direction, then turn right (reversing the direction) onto a wide bench.

At the end of the bench, there is a left hairpin turn that leads into a ramp (still descending) followed by a series of turns (more or less on the steepest slope) among grass and sparse mountain pines beside a wide white rock channel: attention to the cairns among the various easy little drops (and the red marks visible only behind).

After losing 35/40 meters of elevation, cross the channel on flat ground toward the right to travel a section of "almost ledge" trail that reverses direction above a partly grassy saddle.

Here is the last technical section of the Viàz de l’Ors: a steep notch channel with passages of almost grade I partly dirty with gravel and small stones (about twenty meters of elevation difference).

This is followed by the beginning of an evident path cutting through mountain pines that continues regularly except for some easy rocks crossing a channel.

Then you find a signposted fork for Casera Valbona (difficult route) after which the Viàz de l’Ors becomes a gentle grassy bench climbing toward the entrance of the eastern channel of Forcella del Matt.

The entrance is a few meters below the saddle and … the snack break is near. 😉

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Closing the hike from Forcella del Matt

You arrive climbing from the east at the saddle sign which is placed far to the left, while the downhill trail signs on the west side point towards the right wall.

So you initially traverse right and descend "gently" the high narrow passage: then the path becomes almost comfortable always heading right where the gully widens greatly.

You reach the end of the rocky band and, always following the red marks, descend another section among wide scree and stones that "cut" through a band of mountain pines.

Thus intercepting the CAI 482 trail (no sign), which to the right leads to Forcella delle Ciavazole.

Continue descending on the right side of the now easy open gully, and after a few dozen meters the cairns guide the passage from right to left.

On the left, immediately leave the bottom of the gully and, always following cairns and red marks, cross an area with vegetation to reconnect with the same trail used on the way up to climb to Forcella Toanella.

After returning to Rifugio Bosconero, for the Pontesei Parking, I took the slightly longer variant passing Casera dei Zot and Pont de la Capòtola.