Cima Castello

Description

This excursion takes us to the beautiful Val Cavaione, above Boccioleto, where there is still an uncontaminated natural environment. As we leave the sparse woodland that covers the lower part of the area, a beautiful panorama of pastures and medium-elevation peaks opens up before us, dotted with many mountain pastures, both well restored and ruined, testifying to the rural industriousness still present among the valley dwellers. Part of the route is in common with the itineraries of "I sentieri dell'arte" (The paths of art) maintained by the CAI section of Varallo, which aim to safeguard the territory and the votive chapels, with accurate architectural descriptions alongside, that are numerous on them. The progression is pleasant along the entire route except for the final part, from Alpe Piana Selletto to Alpe Drusei, where the climb is very steep and tiring and on terrain that is also somewhat ruined by water erosion. The panorama from the summit offers a spectacular view of the nearby Monte Rosa group with all its peaks from the Nordend to the Punta Giordani and of some 4000 m peaks in the Saas Fee area, as well as the countless peaks of the surrounding pre-Alps; on a clear day, the view even reaches as far as Lake Orta. Description From the car park, continue along the asphalted road to its end and then take an easy mule track that, on a level route, arrives at the Solivo huts (1030 m); having passed in front of the beautiful church, the gradient of the mule track increases noticeably and with numerous hairpin bends it rises into the sparse woodland. After passing a fork in the road (1094 m), the ascent continues to Alpe Selletto (1226 m), where there is also a beautiful chapel. Here, the path flattens out a little and continues halfway up the hillside into the beech forest. Coming out into more open spaces, you pass another chapel and immediately afterwards the huts of Alpe Sass (1357 m); on this stretch you have a beautiful view over the whole of Val Cavaione and the numerous alpine pastures that dot it. Still on a moderate slope, the path arrives at a fork (1398 m) where, on the left, with a very short digression, you climb up to the Seccio refuge, while on the right you continue towards Alpe Seccio; having turned right, you head towards the numerous huts, many of which have been well renovated, of Alpe Seccio (1387 m), which you cross. Having passed the last hut, trail 390 begins, which, still following a half-hill path, leads us to lose a few metres in height difference, skirting a high rocky bastion to then pass Alpe Scarpia (1375 m) and arrive immediately after at another crossroads (1399 m) where we keep to the left and take trail 391. You now enter a small side valley, the central slope of which you begin to climb, passing on the opposite side of the Alpe Brughiere; in this section, the trail gets a little lost in the grass, but as you climb towards the clearly visible upper huts, you will find the track again, which crosses from right to left and brings you close to the Alpe Piana Selletto (1557 m). Leaving the alpine pastureland to the right, we now have to tackle the most tiring part of the excursion: from this point, the path, which is also somewhat ruined by water erosion, becomes steep and very tiring to climb up the slope culminating in a col. From the ridge of the huts, one moves, crossing a stream, to a rib on the left that is always laboriously climbed, then moving further up to the left towards the evident hut located just below a col. When you reach the Alpe Drusei hut (1883 m), go up a few more metres to reach the ridge, taking the track that turns to the right; immediately cross a short passage that is a little exposed and then walk along the comfortable ridge again, with the summit close by, which is reached, without a fixed route, with a last steep climb.