Hiking

RIFUGIO FONTANA MURA-ROUSSA PASS

Difference in altitude: 293 m         Altitude at arrival: 2017 m         Difficulty: E. DURATION: 45 minutes

From the refuge, take the GTA 414 path, near the drinking trough, the path, well marked, rises among the pastures with numerous hairpin bends towards the west, until you reach Colle La Roussa, where you can admire a remarkable landscape on the val Sangone and Val Chisone. From here you can then tackle numerous excursions.

ROUSSA PASS-CURBASIRI PEAK-BOCCIARDA PEAK

Difference in altitude: 488 m         Summit altitude: 2214 m         Difficulty: E. DURATION: 3 hours

From the refuge, take the GTA 414 path, near the drinking trough, the well-signposted path rises between the pastures with numerous hairpin bends to the west, until it reaches Colle La Roussa. Passing the chapel of the hill, continue on the left on the GTA 412 path, after about ten minutes of walking you will arrive at a crossroads, on the left you proceed by cutting from the south side towards the Bocciarda, while on the right you reach the Curbasiri tip following the comfortable path-notches and cairns, where you can enjoy an excellent view of the Val Chisone, Val Sangone and the main peaks of the Orsiera-Rocciavrè Group.

To reach Mount Bocciarda, proceed downhill through the grass until you rejoin the path that passes over the wide hill that joins the two peaks, always keeping to the side of Val Sangone.

You pass the junction for the Fontana Mura refuge that you will have to take later and continue up to Mount Bocciarda, characterized by a large little man and a little further away by a cross and a bizarre alpine sheet metal that overlook the side of the Val Chisone.

After that you go back taking the crossroads previously passed and you begin the descent towards the source and the refuge that can be seen in the distance. The first part of the path is quite evident while in the second you have to be very careful not to lose the track in the midst of the rhododendrons. In this way you reach the source of the Sangone first and then the refuge.

SOUTH LAKE PEAK-ROUEN LAKE LOOP

Difference in altitude: 800 m         Summit altitude: 2535 m         Difficulty: EE DURATION: 4 hours

From the Fontana Mura refuge you reach Colle della Roussa 2019 m, after which you turn right, following the well-marked path, passing the first elevation of the south-east ridge, Rocce dei Mortai, then a short depression leads us to the beginning of the actual ascent to the top. The path always climbs fairly evenly, except for a couple of steeper tears, keeping close to the ridge or sometimes on the side of Val Sangone. You touch the modest Punta dell'Ila 2241 m, and continue upstream up to about 2400 m when you meet a crossroads. At this point you can decide whether to continue right and continue towards the Balma collar or take a small detour to Punta del Lago Sud. In the latter case, continue straight, following slightly faded red / white paint marks, with a path that is now steeper and more tiring, first through steep slopes of slippery grass, then through a strip of rocks that can be overcome without any difficulty (sometimes you put your hands on, there is no exposure).

After passing a gully, you move to the right to avoid a slightly more difficult rocky ridge, and for a short but steep grassy stretch you reach a large little man on the edge of the ridge, placed on the forecourt. From here you continue on the edge of the ridge reaching a second little man and then to the small cross at the top (you can see it only at the last moment).
For the descent, return to the crossroads at about 2400 m, after which if you want to continue along the ring, continue to the left following path 440, which touches a hill overlooking the Balma valley, with a splendid view of the Sottano and Soprano lakes, and then continues in the direction of Colletto Balma, making a traverse with a slight ascent on the north side of Punta del Lago, until it reaches the Colletto della Balma 2450 m. From here you quickly descend to Lake Ruen via path 364, which then descends into the wild and homonymous valley, crosses the crossroads for Gran Faetto and thus reaches the Roussa pass, from which you descend towards the refuge.

MONTE ROBINET with return from the lake Rouen 

Difference in altitude: 950 m         Summit altitude: 2679 m         Difficulty: EE Distance: 10.8 Km

From the Fontana Mura refuge you reach Colle della Roussa 2019 m, after which you turn right, following the well-marked path, passing the first elevation of the south-east ridge, Rocce dei Mortai, then a short depression leads us to the beginning of the actual ascent to the top. The path always climbs fairly evenly, except for a couple of steeper tears, keeping close to the ridge or sometimes on the side of Val Sangone. You touch the modest Punta dell'Ila 2241 m, and continue upstream up to about 2400 m when you meet a crossroads. At this point you can decide whether to continue to the right and continue towards the Tyrol ridge or to take a small detour to the Punta del Lago Sud (challenging climb with very exposed sections). Continue to the right following the path 440, you will reach the beautiful and breathtaking Cresta Tirolo, with a splendid view of the Sottano and Soprano lakes, and then continue towards the Colletto Balma, making a traverse with a slight ascent on the north side of Punta del Lake, until it reaches the Colletto della Balma 2450 m. At this point we descend making a traverse at times exposed up to the plain above Lake Rouen. From here, continue up to the Loson peak and from here to the real peak (cross) 2780 m. From the summit the Robinet is clearly visible, to reach it you go down from Loson on an easy path until you reach the Loson pass which separates the Loson from the Robinet. From the hill, stay on the right and follow the well-marked path that passes through the stony ground. At the top a chapel is built which is useful as a support point and for a possible bivouac. For the return, take the same road up to the descent of Loson, from here continue the descent towards Lake Rouen and we recommend the landslide variant towards (GTA 364) paying attention to landslides. You reach the splendid Lake Rouen and begin the descent into the valley of the same name, the first very steep part, to Colle della Roussa and finally descend to the Fontana Mura Refuge.

VALLONE SELLERY-VALLONE DELLA BALMA LOOP

Difference in altitude: 800 m         Summit altitude: 2325 m         Difficulty: EE DURATION: 6 hours

From the Fontana Mura refuge you reach Colle della Roussa 2019 m, after which you turn right, following the well-marked path, passing the first elevation of the south-east ridge, Rocce dei Mortai, then a short depression leads us to the beginning of the actual ascent to the top. The path always climbs fairly evenly, except for a couple of steeper tears, keeping close to the ridge or sometimes on the side of Val Sangone. You touch the modest Punta dell'Ila 2241 m, and continue upstream up to about 2400 m when you meet a crossroads.
A questo punto si può decidere se proseguire a destra e proseguire verso il colletto della Balma oppure fare una piccola deviazione per  la Punta del Lago Sud.
For the descent, return to the crossroads at about 2400 m, after which if you want to continue along the ring, continue to the left following path 440, which touches a hill overlooking the Balma valley, with a splendid view of the Sottano and Soprano lakes, and then continues in the direction of Colletto Balma, making a traverse with a slight ascent on the north side of Punta del Lago, shortly before reaching the col, take the crossroads for the Balma refuge, pass a steep traverse and you arrive at the refuge passing between the lakes, after which you continue to descend via the path of Case Agostino, thus reaching the starting point near Pian Neiretto.

AQUILA CROSSING 

Difference in altitude: 1200 m         Summit altitude: 2213 m         Difficulty: EE DURATION: 6-7 hours

During this crossing it is necessary to leave a car in the square of Alpe Colombino, while the other one near the bend where the dirt road to the Fontana Mura refuge begins.

After reaching the refuge, continue towards the Roussa pass (see itinerary n.2). Keeping the Val Sangone behind, take path 412 on the left which at the end will reach Punta dell’Aquila; this is taken by taking the track towards the slopes of the Courbasiri mt. 2214, the first of the many peaks that will be encountered in the traverse, which can be reached by climbing an open slope keeping to the right. The top is marked by a large stone cairn and from this you can already see the next one: Mount Bocciarda. You go down on the opposite side, losing some of the difference in height, thus reaching the very extensive underlying floors that you cross; preferably always staying on the edge, you can easily climb to the top of Mount Bocciarda mt. 2201 where a metal cross emerges with the silhouette of an Alpine next to it.
From here on, things get a little more complicated. If you want to make the crossing without any problem, faithfully following the marked path that does not reach the intermediate peaks, you should briefly retrace your steps to the point of maximum depression between this mountain and the Courbasiri. Turning left, you easily descend to the visible Alpe Bocciarda where the path continues around the mountain on the south side, that of the Val Chisone, finally reaching the depression of Porta Sarasina. Otherwise from Mount Bocciarda, after having gained the big little man which is the real top of the mountain, go down the steep, rocky ridge made of rocks and stacked masses on the opposite side. Reserved for expert hikers, this demanding stretch reaches the Porta Sarasina below, avoiding a couple of rocky jumps that can be overcome by bypassing them on the north side of the Sangone valley, descending to the notch where you find the path coming from the Bocciarda alp, on which one enters it, traversing for a stretch on the side of the Val Chisone right under the collar that anticipates the next peak, Mount Uja. Reaching it, you faithfully walk along the ridge made of rocky slabs and natural steps that you climb with difficulty reaching the top, mt. 2159. The extended stony ground that follows descended on the opposite side, not without a certain difficulty one gains a subsequent pass, the Meina pass, after which one resumes climbing, now more easily, towards the next peak, the Punta della Meina, which is reached in a short time. Again you go down on the opposite side, losing a lot of altitude, thus reaching a hill at the bottom, the point of maximum depression of the crossing, mt. 1975, where we find indications. Once again here, go up the opposite, now easy slope, reaching the top of the nameless peak where the crest of Inverso la Morte starts, ending at Punta della Merla. Going down and then traversing north of this relief, you reach the last collar where the ramp leading to Punta dell’Aquila starts at mt. 2119, the last peak of the traverse, also reached by rock slabs and steps. From this peak the view opens onto the long, challenging ridge traveled by Mount Bocciarda, the mountains, the valleys and the plain.
Continuing along the ridge, you can easily reach the chapel of the Madonna della Pace where an evident, at times ruined track descends interminably towards the visible arrival buildings of the former L'Aquila ski lift where you continue towards the valley staying on the side of the walkable, steep path carved by the stream. Crossing through the Pian delle Lese, devoid of trees, you reach a panoramic ridge at the bottom where the imposing Rocca Parej emerges on the right, you still go down with a few turns to the pastures near a collar where there are some drinking tanks and thus you reach the Alpe Colombino.

Or by significantly lengthening the tour (without having two cars) you can leave the car at the sanctuary of the Madonna of Lourdes, and after reaching Alpe Colombino, take the path towards Pian del Secco, and reach the small road Gta 412 del Colletto del Forno, and turning left, continue to the path to the right of the Via Crucis that reaches the Sanctuary.

Quite long route, about 6-7 hours, which it is advisable to tackle at the beginning of the morning.

(taken in part from http://www.lafiocavenmola.it/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8247)