Monte Cistella, from San Domenico

Access

as far as Gravellona Toce. From here you continue on the convenient Val D'Ossola highway to Domodossola, then on the Simplon state road to Varzo, where you turn for San Domenico. The road climbs up hairpin bends in the middle of the village and up the overhanging Valle Cairasca to the splendid pastureland basin of San Domenico, dominated by the elegant and imposing mass of Monte Leone, which at 3552 metres - the highest peak in the Lepontine Alps. The road continues for another couple of kilometres into the basin, ending next to a bridge, where the splendid hike to Alpe Veglia begins. We, however, stop in the central square of San Domenico (1430m), where we park.

Introduction

When one looks from Domodossola towards the upper Val D'Ossola and the branch-off between Val Formazza and Val Divedro, one's attention is caught by a large mountain that wedges like the prow of a ship into the deep recesses of the two valleys below, ending in a sharp spur jutting out into the void: Monte Cistella (2880 m). Despite the imposing appearance it shows from the valley floor, due to the great difference in height, Cistella is actually accessible to good walkers from Alpe Ciamporino, and presents no difficulty, provided the spring snow has melted. The presence of the Bivacco Leoni (Leoni Bivouac) on the esplanade below the summit allows those who wish to do so to break the trip into two days, and to enjoy the extraordinary panorama of dawn from the summit.

Description

Shoes on, backpack on our shoulders, we take the ski lifts to Ciamporino (1990m; if we ascend on foot, along the path through the woods, this stretch, allow 1h30' more), home of the area's small but pretty ski resort; it is a beautiful basin of pastures, in a splendid panoramic position overlooking San Domenico and the glaciers of Monte Leone. Opposite, in a dominant position, the squat mass of Pizzo Diei (2906 m), a 'twin' peak in terms of position, but at least antithetical, in terms of shape and elegance, to Cistella. From here, among other things, it is possible to make a splendid and renowned traverse to Alpe Veglia. From the arrival of the chairlift, however, we start walking in the opposite direction, on the ski slopes, following the red and white markings of path F16. The first part of the itinerary is clearly visible: it is necessary to walk up the slopes to the recognisable notch of Passo Sella (2330m, 1h00'), centrally located in the basin. From here, bending to the right, continue until the arrival of the highest ski lift in the area (Bocchetta dei Crosi, 2550m), pass it and, following first a cart track, then a path, approach the vast scree slope descending from Pizzo Diei. It is necessary to pay a little attention to the track at the base of the scree, which is not always so evident, especially in the case of residual snow (we are at a little over 2,500 metres, but it is easy to find snow until late in the season: it snows more in Val D'Ossola than in Valle d'Aosta, and Ciamporino never lacks snow, except when the wind carries it who knows where!) In any case, it is worthwhile to head for the centre of the gully over large boulders, which leads to an obvious depression in the ridge between Pizzo Diei and Pizzo Dosso (2551m). Having passed the base of the scree slope, the track becomes evident and becomes a small path that climbs the steep flank on the orographic right of the gully in narrow bends. You quickly gain altitude and the panorama, as it widens, begins to become spectacular. At the top of the gully, Monte Rosa suddenly appears, in the distance, the Weissmiess and the peaks of the Valais, as well as all the peaks forming the border with Switzerland. One has the impression of being at a great height, although in fact the altitude reached is not that high, due to the great difference in altitude that separates from the valley floor. From here, the route continues, somewhat uncomfortably but in spectacular surroundings, in a long traverse over scree, below the terminal rocks of the south-west face of Pizzo Diei. The trail is not always very clear, but it is essentially a traverse across the vast sloping scree without ascending or descending. The route is never exposed, but in the last section, attention must be paid to the possible presence of steep tongues of residual snow: you are proceeding on a gently sloping slope, which, however, a little further down, turns into a beautiful escarpment! In the last part of the traverse, the path, which has become more marked again, continues up and down, crossing a few gullies until a last steep section of a few metres (it may be useful to help yourself with your hands, but the route remains elementary), at the top of which you come out onto the vast summit plateau of the Diei-Cistella group. The squat peak of Pizzo Diei is now behind us, while opposite, at the opposite end of the plateau, the regular cone of Cistella is finally visible, which actually rises a few dozen metres from here. At the base of the cone, one can clearly distinguish the Leoni bivouac (2803 m). We descend a few small rocky jumps and continue straight on to the hut, with no obligatory route, across the endless plateau, at first in a marshy environment, then across boulders and snowfields that never give us any problems, and finally over the last few bends, still slightly uphill, that lead to the bivouac. Here we rested, refreshed and watered before the short but steep final climb: the summit of Cistella. The trail starts up again and attacks the south side of the mountain, via steep ramps, gullies and twists and turns until, in a few minutes, we reach the summit (2880m). The arrival at the summit is spectacular: one finds oneself stretched out into the void on three sides out of four, the Val D'Ossola and Domodossola appear very distant, down there, 2600 metres below, as do the Val Formazza and its bucolic forests. The view of the Alpine arc, from Monte Rosa to the Lepontine Alps, is equally exciting. Great Cistella! For the descent, you can either take the same route as the ascent or, if you have organised in advance with a second car near the Crosta refuge at Alpe Solcio (1751m, halfway down the valley of the same name that descends directly from Cistella to Varzo), you can continue as follows and descend directly to Varzo. The descent thus becomes rather long and tiring, but the excursion undeniably gains in landscape richness. Returning to the Leoni bivouac, instead of crossing the plateau again, take the path heading in the opposite direction, southwards and the steep slopes above the Varzo valley floor. The path descends steeply through stony ground to a vast basin filled with large boulders. On the right, the steep pinnacle of Pizzo del Morto is easily distinguishable: it is a vertical cliff that owes its sinister name, according to legend, to its first intrepid climber who, upon reaching the summit, realised he no longer knew how to descend. In vain the unfortunate man would call for help for days with all the breath in his throat, hoping for help from below. But the shepherds who lived in the huts below, hearing screams coming from those sinister rocks, accessible only to eagles, thought it was the ghosts of the mountain and barricaded themselves in their houses, instead of running to the aid of the unfortunate mountaineer, whose cries became fainter and fainter, until they were reduced to silence. The affair was cleared up a few years later, when a team of mountaineers once again reached the summit of the mountain and found a pile of bones bleached by frost... Today, Pizzo del Morto presents beautiful sport climbing routes for those interested. But back to us. At this point it is necessary to cross the uncomfortable and vast scree slope, aiming for the wide and clearly visible valley that begins right at the foot of Pizzo del Morto: this is the Vallone di Solcio. Having reached the top of the gorge, descend it on the orographic right along an evident track, in a severe and wild environment, until you reach a beautiful flat basin, where you enter the wood and come out near the Crosta hut. Continue down the pastureland for a few minutes until you come to the tarmac road.