Risari Path

Introduction

Everyone is familiar with the well-known Sentiero Roma (traced out around 1928 to unite the CAI Milano shelters: Gianetti, Allievi and Ponti) and sometimes mistakes the Sentiero Risari (between the Omio and Gianetti shelters) as a stage of the same. In fact (together with and as an alternative to the longer access from Val Codera) it would be a logical preamble to the well-known traverse: very scenic and technically interesting, it undergoes careful maintenance every year - route and equipment - being the final part of the route of the famous skyrace "Trofeo Kima". 

Description

After passing the buildings of the Bagni del Masino baths 1172m, continue on level ground, leaving the signs for the Gianetti hut to the right; then start to climb up a stony path through a beech forest (also avoid a second fork to the left, which leads to the Ligoncio waterfalls). After the ruined huts of the so-called Pian del Fango 1590m, a new section in the forest on a still steep track leads into the open at the caverns under huge boulders of the Alpe dell'Oro 1767m. Further on, you climb up the strenuous pastureland, often taking advantage of outcrops of granite slabs forming real "stone paths"; you soon reach the visible Rifugio Omio 2100m. Continue to the right, following the signs for the Rifugio Gianetti, which head towards a buttress of the Cima del Barbacan; having reached the base of this rocky bastion (again leaving to the left a track that leads to the Passo dell'Oro and then to the Rif.Brasca), one accesses the most convenient of the gullies that reach the summit: a series of steep switchbacks - one rocky section is assisted by a progression chain - leads to a gap in the crest (often erroneously indicated as Passo del Barbacan) 2620m. From here, a steep rocky descent (always with handrail chain) along a series of exposed diagonal ledges quickly leads to the upper terrace of Val Porcellizzo; having overlooked a barely visible (faded signs) diversions to the right towards Casera Sceroia, the long traverse begins towards the visible Rifugio Gianetti 2530m: extensive stretches of pastureland alternate with ups and downs with stable rocky terrain or boulders. From the hut begins the easy descent back to the Bagni; steep pastures traversed by long granite drifts quickly lead to Pianone 1899m, an extension of meadows still laden with livestock. The descent continues along a beautiful paved path beside the stream in an increasingly wooded environment: having passed the evocative passage of the "Termopili" (a corridor tunnel between two boulders placed side by side) we arrive at the Corte Vecchia huts 1405m; the path then enters a dense humid wood that in a few hairpin bends descends to the meadowy esplanade a few hundred metres from the Bagni del Masino hotels.