Monte Becco, from Oropa

Introduction

The proposed excursion leads to the Colma pass on the watershed between the Oropa and Cervo valleys, and then continues up to Mount Becco.

Description

Just beyond the car park, take a mule track (signposted D17) that begins to climb parallel to the course of the Orione stream until you reach a fork in the road. Here, leave the path marked D31 to the left and turn right into a coniferous forest, gaining height with a series of hairpin bends. When you reach a second fork, ignore the D17a path and keep to the right back into the forest, until you emerge from the forest after a long diagonal stretch just below the Colma pass. A series of hairpin bends takes you to the Colma pass (beautiful chapel), where trails D17 and E29 from the Cervo valley join up. At the pass, turn right, taking the path that runs along the watershed and is not numbered. The path begins to gain altitude on the Oropa side, and so reaches a saddle just below the summit, which is reached in a short time. For the return journey, once you have returned to the Colma pass, take the E29 path and descend to the road that goes up to the Rosazza tunnel from Rosazza. Climb up to the tunnel, cross it and along the road down to the car park. Further information at: http://www.biellaclub.it/turismo/escursioni/colle_colma/colle_colma.html