2nd stage Balconata d'Ormea (Ormea - Valdarmella - Chionea - Ormea)

From the parking lot in Ormea, climb up to reach a panoramic ridge where you touch the Pilone delle Caranche, a votive shrine whose wide vaulted ceiling can offer shelter in case of bad weather. The ascent continues traversing along the ridge through deciduous woods until a somewhat unclear fork at about 1180 m, where a branch on the right is ignored and instead you descend on the path to the left, heading towards the valley basin. After passing a metal cross in memory of Pietro Peirano, cross the Rio Conche on two consecutive wooden footbridges. Continue on the opposite slope along a level path, crossing hazelnut groves and then old terraces. You pass the ruins of the Church of San Maurizio, whose facade stubbornly resists time, and enter the now completely destroyed lower hamlet of Perondo. Cross the hamlet ruins, soon leaving the mule track on the left and turning right onto a small path (pay some attention as this fork is not very clear), which crosses in gentle ups and downs among oaks and chestnuts. You then reach a panoramic rocky ridge, where you join the old paved mule track ascending from Valdarmella towards upper Perondo (marked A09). Follow it to the left, descending with long hairpins through beautiful chestnut groves. Ignore a branch to the right towards Case Bensi, pass behind some houses and enter a dirt track that you follow to the right. Cross a stream on a concrete footbridge and immediately after recross it to the left on a wooden bridge. Shortly descend to the paved municipal road, a few dozen meters above the chapel of the Valdarmella district (1045 m). Follow the road to the right, uphill, ignoring several branches on both sides. At the first hairpin, leave the pavement for a dirt road that goes straight ahead; after a few meters, though, you must leave it on the right and continue on a mule track. After a few dozen meters, you encounter another fork where you leave the mule track to the right towards the Borgo di Cuni and take left the path that descends to cross the Armella Stream on a wooden bridge. After the bridge, there is a paved mule track from which several branches depart. However, by following the signs, it is not difficult to follow the main itinerary, passing by some ruins of the Galvagni Houses. The mule track quickly becomes a path and begins a fairly steep climb through a thick hazelnut forest. After passing a ridge, after a stretch along the slope with gentle ups and downs followed by a long traverse with a slight climb, interrupted only by a few tight hairpins, the path joins a grassy mule track. Follow it to the right (uphill) for a few meters, arriving at the Colla di Chionea (1223 m). At the crossroads, take the paved mule track, bordered by dry stone walls, descending steeply to the left, ignoring branches leading to terraces around. You reach the underlying paved lane, turn left, pass through the houses of the upper roofs of Chionea and, continuing the descent, arrive at the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the center of Chionea. The Chionea Refuge (1107 m) is located a few dozen meters downhill towards Ormea, on the upper left of the paved road. From here, descend via paths and road back to the parking lot in Ormea.