Gran Paradiso - Rif. Vittoria Sella to Valnontey via Bivouac. Leonessa

 Rifugio Vittoria Sella (2588m)

Muesli, bread and jam with plenty of tea for breakfast at Rifugio Vittoria Sella (2588m). Well done to the family, good evening meal and breakfast makes you wanting to visit again. I wish all the refuges offered museli for breakfast, it keeps you going much longer than just bread and jam.

On the Herbetet traverse looking south 

We followed route 18b south from the refuge. The path remains at approximately 2600m following a balcony route called the Herbetet traverse above the Valnontey valley. In places the ground dropped steeply from a narrow path but a rope was provided for reassurance at the most exposed parts. If you manage Col de Entrelor you will be fine on this. We passed a couple of small lakes (L. del Lauson) and saw both chamois and ibex.

Looking up Vallone Herbetet to Herbetet

Looking SE from Biv. Leonessa

At the National Park hut (PNGP l'Herbetet) we chose to climb up the Vallone Herbetet instead of heading down into the valley. We headed up the route 22g to the magnificent Bivouac Leonessa (2910m). It sits high on a spur of Herbetet and is used as a overnight stop on its ascent. The hut was very nice with two dining tables new looking mattresses and blankets. The outside had large copper sheets on the walls so  it shone in the sun. We were were tempted to stay for the night but we had not brought enough food and the weather forecast was deteriorating.

Valnontey

We chose to head down the valley to Valnontey following the route 22d. It started to rain lightly but enough to require our jackets.


We pitched the tent at the large Stembecco campsite in Valnontey. The pitches are on terraces with excellent facilities. There are hot showers, washing up sinks and a cafe on site.





That evening we ate at the local Pizzeria Lou Talapen The food was really very good.
Later in the evening we took advantage of the cozy cafe on the campsite to sit and drink wine and look back on a lovely holiday.

Ascent 780m
Descent 1697m

Gran Paradiso - Bien in Valsavarenche to Rif. Vittoria Sella via. Col Lauson

The final few meters to Col Lauson looking west

The exposed part of the descent on the east
 side of of Col Lauson

We set the alarm for 6 but it was raining so we turned over and had another hour in bed. We left at 9 and it was still drizzling. The track opposite the campsite gave a link to route 10b that climbed through the forest to join the AV2 near a National Park chalet at 2303m (Casotto PNGP Levionaz). Once in the hanging valley of Costa de la Tsau the path climbed a grassy tongue with zig zags making the climbing gentle. Only the final 300m were steep on stony scree. A narrow gap formed Col de Entrelor (3299m) and from this height the other cols that we had grossed looked small and low in comparison.

Looking back to Col de Entrelor on the east side

The first part of the descent required a good head for heights as it took a narrow sloping path on loose gravel with a rope in some places for reassurance. After this the descent was much easier and took a short time for us to reach Rifugio Vittoria Sella (2588m).

The refuge was one of the hunting lodges used by Italian nobels in the past. It consists of two large blocks rather like military barracks and a small cafe with a sunny and sheltered outside seating area where we sat drinking tea and beer and eating cake. It was very quiet this late in the season so again we had a large and comfortable room to ourselves. The restaurant was in the other building and it was being run by a family with their children helping out.

We were served vegetable soup and a veggie burger with an excellent salad and potatoes.

Ascent 1700m
Descent 760m
Dist. 15km

Col Lauson