Lake Gabiet, from Orsia

Access

Get off the [A5] motorway at Pont-Saint-Martin, take the Gressoney valley and follow it as far as the hamlet of Orsia, after Gressoney-La-Trinité, parking on the left-hand side of the road in the large car park serving the ski lifts.

Introduction

When the ski resort lifts close, and are not yet in operation for the summer season, if there is still plenty of snow and good conditions as there was this year, ski mountaineers reclaim otherwise impassable trips, which before the wild advent of cable cars were the classics of our grandparents.

Description

Cross the road and head towards the downhill slope (1743m), which is to be taken uphill following the signs for Lake Gabiet; after an initial steep section, which if it is hard frozen is less tiring with knives, pass to the left of a beautiful alpine pasture, go up again and then take a junction road to the left which is less steep; continue uphill, turn slightly left entering a beautiful gully next to an electricity box. In front of us is Monte Rosa, Punta Vittoria, Giordani, the Vincent Pyramid, the Lyskamm, and behind us Testa Grigia, Rothorn and the Colle Bettaforca area. At this point you can either take the diversions to the left that leads directly to the Gabiet basin, or go up the slope towards the Seehorn lift arrival point, and then take the junction protected by nets on the left that crosses slightly downhill; once in sight of the lake and the hut, we went up to the right, to the arrival hut of the chairlift above the Gabiet lake (approx. 2400m).