Mountaineering - a few routes

Day one
Leave your car in the square at the upper station of the Aosta-Pila cable-car and head up to Chamolé on foot following the chairlift track or - even better - by taking the chairlift.
From the upper chairlift station you can then take the easy path that heads across level ground eastwards and leads to the Chamolé Lake (2311m) in a short time. From here follow the right path that starts to head upwards along the grassy slope winding around numerous turns until you come onto the Chamolé Pass (2641 m). With a steep, short descent you will reach the plain below where the Arbolle Lake is to be found and, slightly to the side, the refuge of the same name at 2510 m.

Day two
From Arbolle follow the path that runs alongside the lake and river inlet. Then steer to the left, heading into a stony valley - but with the occasional snowfield at the start of the season - and head up the steps until you come to Lake Gelato (2956 m).
A steep climb up stony ground starts from the lake shores, aided by the presence of stone figures that indicate the route. Once you emerge on the plain, head to the left to avoid a ridge and face the stony slope that ends with the Tre Cappuccini Pass (3241 m). From here, heading northwards, there is an easy slope of blocks and debris that leads to the summit, where you will find a statue of the Madonna and a visitor’s book.
Descent: down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

First day
From Thumal, take the path that gently climbs towards the top of the valley. This rejoins with the dirt road near a bridge where a well-visible hut is found at the end of the ramp. Continue along the road crossing near the Lavassey mountain pastures to quickly reach the Benevolo hut,
Second day
From the hut, follow the path that leads towards the Basei mountain pasture located on the right of the valley watershed. From here, continue until the mule path starts its steep climb to Colle della Nivoletta. Leaving the path, head towards the tip of the Fond glacier that is easy to reach over the mainly sediment ground. Climb on the glacier ice cap and, careful of crevasses, ascend next to the small typically yellow calcium towers. You will soon reach the top where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Valle d’Aosta and French Tarantaise mountain ranges.
Descent: along the ascent route.

The route requires alpine climbing experience. Alpine guide assistance is recommended.

Day one
From Thumel take the pathway that gently slopes up towards the head of the valley. You will join back up again with the unsurfaced road close to a bridge, at the bottom of the ramp and at the foot of which stands the refuge in clear view. Carry on along the road passing close to the Lavassey mountain pasture from where it will only take you a short time to reach the Benevolo Refuge.

Day two
From the Refuge, carry on to the right crossing the Dora di Rhêmes on a stone bridge and you will come to the Soches mountain chalets. From here start climbing along the hillside, heading southwards, until you come to a stony basin, from where a pathway leads off that climbs up along a grassy fan. Amidst pastures and moraines, you will come to a saddle at 3078m, characterised by a stone slab with the writing “San Bernardo”. Then climb up the glacier, trying to keep to the bottom of the western slope of the Granta Parey. Pass by the ridge that heads north-eastwards and this will take you onto the western slope of the mountain; climb back up the stony slope, sometimes covered in snow, and head in the direction of the saddle that divides the northern point from the southern one. A easy rocky passage will allow you to reach the southern point. In order to touch the northern point, you will have to overcome some passages that area easy to climb. Whatever, the view doesn’t change and it is fantastic.
Descent: down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

First day
From Thumal, take the path that gently climbs towards the top of the valley. This rejoins with the dirt road near a bridge where a well-visible hut is found at the end of the ramp. Continue along the road crossing near the Lavassey mountain pastures to quickly reach the Benevolo hut,
Second day
From the hut, drop briefly to the bridge to cross the Dora di Rhêmes and take the path to Lake Goletta. At the first grassy lawn, leave the main path and follow the path to the south that cuts across the grassy slope leading to the back of the summit called Truc Sant’Elena. Continue along the edge of the moraine that runs along the large east face of the Granta Parei. The foot of the Tsanteleina glacier is at the end. Hug the slightly steep southern face of the Granta Parei until you see the Colle di Tsanteleina that rises between the Picco di Goletta and Punta Tsanteleina. From the valley, continue south along the left edge of the snow-covered and rocky northern face. The slope is steeper near the end: In bad weather you can climb to the left using the rocks on the edge of the eastern face.

Descend along the ascent route.

The route requires alpine climbing experience. Alpine guide assistance is recommended.

Day one
Between the hamlets of Pecou and Chaté, take the mule track on the left that heads up the north side and passes next to a chapel, located in an important position. Flank a characteristic hump at 1845m then head up the Châtelard (1891 m) pasture where you will come to the unsurfaced road coming from Septumian. Follow the trail that extends through the forest to come to the Loditor pond on the flat (1900 m). Here, to the left, a path branches out that heads above the hump at 2107 m and that, after a flat stretch, heads close to the remains of an old Chateau hospice. Here you will again find yourself on an unsurfaced road that should be followed to the end, where you will come to a pathway that heads up the Grand Drayère pasture (2350 m). Then turn right to climb back up the grassy slope. Once you reach the plain, you will leave it pretty quickly to head up a steep, open slope; above it, you should head left to face the stony slope that comes out onto the basin before the Rivolta bivouac, that you should reach in no time.
Day two
From the bivouac you will come onto the Fort Pass (2906m) where, the Punta Tsan ridge starts. After the first steps, you will come to a face that can easily be climbed to carry on without too much difficulty as far as the end of the first projection. The next flat stretch leads to the foot of the second step, that can be overcome to the left by climbing a sloping face towards the right and leads to the ridge edge. Move obliquely towards the right and you will come to the northern slope at the bottom of the beautiful compact faces. Climb up to the left using two long ropes, until you come to the base of the camino Maquignaz, an essential passage to reach the top of the second projection. Yet another flat stretch leads to the bottom of the third projection: climb up along a large dihedron that ends just a few metres from the peak.
Descent: come back down the third projection to the bottom with a descent. From here, look for a series of stone figures that allow you to take a diagonal channel on the southern side. Come down it, still following the stone figures, until you come to the bottom of the second projection. Then carry on along the stone path until you reach the basin downstream from the Rivolta bivouac. Here you will pick up the upward itinerary again.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

Day one
From Usellières, follow the farm road, closed to unauthorised traffic, that enters the valley. After a couple hundred meters you’ll find a road on you left that rises to Mont Forciaz. The road soon enters a wood, winding in wide curves. Taking the left fork for Alp l’Epée, continue on your right to Mont Forciaz where the road ends.
Continue on the path to the right that winds through the pastures on the right bank of the stream. Continue on the moraine to the valley scattered with sediment. The path is concealed at times. After you leave the valley, turn slightly to the right to the moraine ridge and follow it - lastly on easy rocks - to the Ravelli camp.
Day two
From the camp, continue up the moraine that ends on the right branch of the Invergnan glacier. Continue south-east on the steep glacier, careful of the crevasses. Hug the rocks on the north-west spur to the steep slope that leads to Colle della Grande Rousse. From the pass, turn to your left and climb the rocky south ridge which has two cliffs (a III level climb), and the difficult climb to the northern peak.

Descent down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

Day one
From Usellières, follow the farm road, closed to unauthorised traffic, to the Saxe Savoie mountain pasture. Continue along the east path that hugs the right bank of the stream and crosses the narrow part of the valley where you will usually find a small snowfield. Climb up the pastures and where you’ll find the Bezzi hut after the grassy rises.
Day two
From the hut, take the path with several hairpins that climbs the slope behind the hut to the Piano del Vaudet. At the edge of this grassy and stone covered area, leave the path and follow a watershed to the moraine on the left edge of the Bassac glacier. Climb the rocks that rise to altitude 2,870 m where the glacier starts. Still on the rocks, keeping to the left of the crevasses, you’ll reach a wide gap at altitude 3,414 m between Grande Traversière and the south Bassac peak. From the depression, cross the easy snow and then rock ridge to the top.

Descent down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

Day one
Leave your car at the tunnel exit on the road for Usellières that hugs the right bank of the Beauregard basin and take the farm road that climbs towards the Plontaz basin pastures. At the fork, keep to your right until you find the hairpin where, again on your right, a path enters the woods. Continue along this marked path that carves a diagonal and cross the bridge over the stream that originates in the pass above. You’ll finally reach Alpe l’Epée and the nearby Chalet de l’Epée hut after several hairpins.
Day two
From the hut, turn immediately to the left and climb the wide route that enters the pass, hugging the stream, Higher up, the path crosses the stream and, after the pasture, continues towards the Vallone del Bouc. Continue along the stream on the Alta Via n. 2 path in Valle d’Aosta until you pass the rocky ledge at altitude 2670 on the opposite bank. Leaving the path for Col Fenêtre, pass the stream to the Bouc glacier moraine and work the slope that becomes suddenly steep. This will take you to the final rocks, about one hundred meters and easy to cross to the peak.

Descent down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

Day one
From Pont, take the flat mule track that crosses the river with a wooden bridge. Carry along the flat for about a hundred metres, then start to climb upwards winding initially through a forest, then in the open air. After an initial steep stretch, the slope becomes more gentle and the bends wider, until you come to the Vittorio Emanuele II Refuge (2732 m).

Day two
From the Refuge, climb the steep moraine above the lake and enter the valley that leads to the Gran Paradiso hill. Once on the plateau, behind the moraine peak, continue on the well-marked route for about two hundred metres and follow the posts that drop to the right towards the tip of the Ciarforon glacier. At about 2,900 metre altitude.
Climb the glacier to the marked Ciarforon slope crossing diagonally to the left if particularly icy.
From the slope, head for the rocky ridge staying on the North side to a narrow and steep ice funnel (some anchored cords and belay stations, check solidity).
You can also reach the same rise from the opposite side (South) going behind the rock and climbing up a the narrow channel and easy stones.
From the rise at altitude 3,400, climb on the edge of the ridge on the North side on the rocks with short II/III level passes.
Once you reach the snowy gap at the base of the ice cap, climb to your left along the edge of the rocks and, once you’ve surpassed them, walk in a arch to your left to avoid the sheer face.
Descent: down the ascent route.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

Day one
From Pont, take the flat mule track that crosses the river with a wooden bridge. Carry along the flat for about a hundred metres, then start to climb upwards winding initially through a forest, then in the open air. After an initial steep stretch, the slope becomes more gentle and the bends wider, until you come to the Vittorio Emanuele II Refuge (2732 m).
Day two
From the Refuge, take the path that heads to the left across stony ground. The path will quickly turn into a trail that leads onto the rocky plateau closed in by the last offshoots of the Becca di Moncorvé ridge and the crag that includes the Testa di Moncorvé. The Gran Paradiso glacier starts at the end of the plain. Once you have put on your crampons, climb up the terracing until you come to the Schiena d’Asino snowy hump, divider between the Moncorvé and the Laveciau glaciers. Following the hump south-eastwards, carry on until you come to the flat area of the Becca di Moncorvé Pass. From here, head to the left to climb the standard frozen slope that ends under the terminal crevasses; once past the obstacle, you will reach the easy rocks on the south-eastern ridge. There is one last passage, easy but exposed (fix protection), that provides access to the terrace where the statue of the Madonna stands.
Descent: down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.