Logistics.
We will not be doing a loop, so the starting place cannot be reached by car: we will get there by bus (organized by us).
On July 5, we will pick up people either in Chivasso at 11:00 or in Ivrea at 11:30.
Chivasso is easy to reach by train from Milano (leaving at about 9AM) or from Torino (leaving at about (930AM). Ivrea is easy to reach by car. In Ivrea there will be a (public, free, unattended) parking space where you can leave your car until the end of the tour here: 45.45191433081665N, 7.862204008315718E , which is very close to the A5 highway Ivrea exit.
(We will be asking you where you want to be picked up.)
We will reach the starting point, above Champorcher, by bus. We will have a picnic (organized by us) for lunch along the way or before we'll start walking.
On the first day we will reach the Rifugio Miserin, on a beautiful alpine lake. It will be an easy 2-3 hour hike with a gradual start.
On the second day we will climb Torre Ponton, which is a 3100 m peak with beautiful views (a short walk from Rifugio Miserin). We will be seeing Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Gran Paradiso, Grand Combin, Monte Rosa all from one spot! Gran Paradiso is the only 4000m high mountain which is entirely inside Italy (the other ones are all on the borders).
On the third day we will hike to Cogne which is one of the nicest villages in the nort-west Italian alps. This is a very substantial (but downhill and beautiful) hike where we will be crossing very diverse habitats and views (going from high altitude to medium, to low altitude mountains). It is not necessary to get all the way to Cogne, but people will be expected to at least get to Lillaz, where there is a shuttle but to Cogne. However, the walk from Lillaz to Cogne is also very nice and easy walk in the woods, so I suggest we do it.
On the fourth day serious hikers can walk all the way up to Rifugio Sella. Whoever feels like it can catch the shuttle bus up to Valnontey (which shaves almost 200m off the elevation gain). Valnontey is the heart of the Gran Paradiso National park and we'll be treated with a nice walk in the woods, while admiring the high altitude glaciers of the Gran Paradiso.
The last day, depending on people's motivation we have a few options to close the tour. The most rewarding (but somewhat nontrivial) is the walk to the Casolari dell'Herbetet, where we'll see Valnontey and its renowned waterfalls from above and the peak of Gran Paradiso and a grand view of multiple glaciers from below. Then we'll close the circuit on the easy walk along the valley bottom. Otherwise we can just walk along the bottom of the valley both ways which is great. Other options exist, which we can discuss.
We will then get a bus in the village of Valnontey to go back: this will be July 9. People can choose to stop in Cogne (please arrange your stay on your own in this case), or the bus will continue to Chivasso and to Ivrea. We will try to be in Chivasso by 18:30 so that you can be in Milano by 20:00 or in Torino by 19:30. If, instead, you choose to stay in Cogne for the night, the following day there are public buses to go to Aosta, where you can catch the train to wherever (after having visited the beautiful town center of Aosta, where you'll find some amazing Roman ruins).
For any questions on the logistics, please contact Lorenzo.
For suggestions on the gear to bring, please see here.
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