Col du Petit Ferret, from Arp Nouva

Description

Park at Arnouva (1769m) just before the Val Ferret shuttle bus terminus (if the Val Ferret road is closed to traffic, you can get to Arnouva by shuttle bus). Leave the car and immediately cross a small wooden bridge over the stream coming from the Vallon de Bellecombe. Proceed along a practically level farm road. After a few minutes, you will come across a signpost indicating the direction to take. Proceed for a short stretch on level ground until reaching the junction for the Comino Bivouac (1785m, 0h10'): ignore the path and proceed along the road, which begins to climb. A splendid view of the Triolet glacier slowly opens up. The trail briefly skirts a branch of the Doire de Ferret until reaching, at a hairpin bend, the start of the path to the Dalmazzi hut (1857m, 0h15'). A couple of hairpin bends take you slightly uphill, continuing halfway up, passing under a sloping rock. A series of hairpin bends and semi-straight stretches follow one after the other until you reach the last turning, to the right, before the hut: after a few metres you will notice a yellow marker on a stone, this is the start of the path to the bivouacs (2038m, 0h40'). Take a nice path to the left that proceeds in the direction of the moraine ridge that descends from the Pré de Bard glacier. After a few minutes, turn left, marching parallel to the aforementioned ridge: at this point, it is possible to encounter some early season snowfields. After a short, slightly uphill stretch, turn right to begin a long, steep climb. The path climbs up a small grassy ridge sandwiched between two small depressions in which steep streams flow. With rapid turns, you gain height and begin to skirt a small waterfall until you cross it (2300m, 1h35'). From here, the trail proceeds with less intensity, heading in the direction of the Col du Petit Ferret depression. One more small climb and you reach the col depression: cross a few snowfields (at the beginning of the season) and, keeping to the right, finally reach the Col du Petit Ferret (2485m, 2h00'). The return is along the same route as the outward (1h15'). Don't be frightened by the steep section: just maintain a steady pace, without forcing, and even this difficulty is solved. At the beginning of the summer season, there are still some snowfields along the way: crossing them is not difficult but due care must still be taken; the use of poles is recommended for greater stability when crossing them.