Monte Faceballa, from Ollomont

Introduction

The village of Ollomont is dominated to the east by Mount Berrio and the more modest Mount Faceballa and Pointe des Faces. Mount Faceballa, according to Buscaini, in his unclear report, has no 'mountaineering interest' and yet it has aroused the interest of mountaineers such as Abbé Henry and Adolfo Balliano who have climbed its crests and slopes. And indeed, the albeit short N and O ridges offer easy climbing, which can also appeal to the hiker who wants to get his hands on the rock. It can give added flavour to the hike on the Breuson pass.

Description

The village of Ollomont is dominated to the east by Mount Berrio and the more modest Mount Faceballa and Pointe des Faces. Mount Faceballa, according to Buscaini, in his unclear report, has no 'mountaineering interest' and yet it has aroused the interest of mountaineers such as Abbé Henry and Adolfo Balliano who have climbed its crests and slopes. And indeed, the albeit short N and O ridges offer easy climbing, which can also appeal to the hiker who wants to get his hands on the rock. It can give added flavour to the hike on the Breuson pass. From the square in front of the Ollomont town hall, follow the signs for the col Breuson and the high route, which immediately ascends on a tarmac road to the start of the path that climbs comfortably with many hairpin bends to a plateau with a beautiful view of the Grivola, then descends a few metres into the forest to a spring and climbs again to the steep pastures of the Berrio damon alp, shelter during the resistance of the band led by Ettore Castiglioni. A new, more direct and more scenic path was opened in 2012 (recommended). Having reached the high dirt road from Ollomont, follow it to the left, over a small bridge, until you reach a hairpin bend where a sign advises of the start of the 'Berio theme path'. The path enters the forest, and after a few metres at a fork in the road, turn right. Go over some steep stretches with the help of metal frames until you reach a fence with a beautiful view of Velan, beyond which the slope decreases and you reach the ruins of the Berrio desot alp, from which you can see the white Berrio damon alp. Continue in the direction of it until reaching the inter-pasture track described above. The path, which is always well marked, turns southwards for a long time and then begins to climb up steep hairpin bends until it reaches the ridge between Monte Berrio and Monte Faceballa at a point a few metres higher than the minimum depression (Col Breuson). Follow the ridge southwards and towards Faceballa (which looks horrifying from here but softens as you get closer) staying on the steep slopes of the Ollomont side, using chamois tracks or the avalanche terraces. Once past the slightest depression, you reach the base of the NO slope, which rises steeply for about forty metres, and climb up along chamois tracks and rocky outcrops until you reach the rocky outcrops of the O ridge a few metres before the summit.