Winter hikes in Piemonte

My first excursion in this National Park reaching an alpine lake standing at the feet of the giant Mt. Leone.

A simple and really satisfying route from the bottom to the summit of Val Buscagna (Alpe Devero).

A truly long and very demanding trak from Varzo (568m) ascending the valley to reach a beautiful panoramic poing: Bocchetta di Solcio (2600 m)

A nice winter experience ascending rio Menta valley reaching Alpe Menta, a small group of cabins on the border with Val Grande national park.

Winter classic of the Val Grana

A really easy excursion that will permit you to reach a panoramic point where you will enjoy a magnificent panorama that includes Lake Maggiore and Mount Rosa.

This simple excursion will allow you to reach Lago Vannino and the close Lago Sruer starting from Ponte. Unfortunately it was a really foggy day so I was not able to enjoy the panorama. However the experience was quite special thanks to the special atmosphere created by the mix of fresh snow, silence and foggy day.

Winter hike on foot possible due to the current low snowfall

A very easy excursion from Devero to Crampiolo

The route: departure from the parking lot at the Capanne di Cosola pass, you take a road first paved with a concrete surface, then dirt, which gently climbs among the trees. Upon reaching a house, abandon the dirt road to turn right along a path, with a sign indicating Monte Chiappo, which crosses a fence and climbs through meadows, gaining the broad and grassy south ridge of the mountain. Passing a small weather station with an anemometer and crossing another fence, you climb over the broad sub-peak of the mountain (1668 m), ascend along the panoramic ridge, cross a third fence, and arrive at the broad summit of Monte Chiappo (1700 m). Return a few meters on the ascent path, then descend to the right along the west ridge of the mountain, then cross the grassy summit of Monte Prenardo (1649 m) and descend through wide meadows to the saddle called Bocca di Crenna (1551 m), located between Mounts Ebro and Chiappo. Here you meet the mule track that rises directly from Capanne di Cosola, which we will take on the return. Continue along the panoramic grassy ridge, with a long and steep ramp, reaching a shoulder; here turn left and, shortly, reach the summit cross of Monte Ebro (1700 m). From the summit, return shortly to Bocca di Crenna (1551 m), take the dirt road descending south and follow it for a few tens of meters. At the first curve to the right, leave it to take a path to the left (signs: two yellow dots, red marks) that cuts across the broad southwest slope of Monte Chiappo. First cross wide pastures scattered with shrubs, then after passing a sacred shrine, enter the beech forest. With some ups and downs, cross a small valley where there is a spring, then descend more steeply until you meet a flat dirt track. Follow it to the left and now encounter the first isolated small houses. Then rejoin the outbound path just before Capanne di Cosola, and finally reach the parking lot.