Walking and Trekking in the Gran Paradiso. Gillian Price
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Lago Goletta (Walk 17)
The park area and surroundings are naturally open all year, but access is subject to snow cover, avalanches and landslides which close paths and occasionally roads. The most suitable period for non-skiing visits is May to October. The high-altitude refuges function from late June to late September, although you can base yourself at any of the valley resorts at other times of the year. In May and June herds of ibex graze the fresh new grass on valley floors and even around roads and settlements, but by midsummer they have returned to their rocky spurs and can be seen at about 2200m, never far from chamois.
For flower lovers, July is probably the best month. August is peak holiday time for Italians and valley accommodation for weekends is then best booked in advance. The higher refuge-to-refuge itineraries are feasible in high summer with less snow on the passes. Crowds are rare higher up although organised group tours are becoming more common on popular central routes. Late summer brings crystal clear days, burnt autumn colours and deserted paths. Italy stays on summer time until late October, meaning a bonus of extra daylight for visitors. The choice is yours.
How to use this book
This guide does not purport to cover the whole of the Gran Paradiso and southern Valle d'Aosta comprehensively. The itineraries explore highlights and special places to whet walking appetites. With a map and a sense of adventure, you will be able to concoct scores of other delightful walks.
We begin with the superb longdistance route, Alta Via 2. It lends itself to numerous variations and each stage could be followed as a day walk. The successive chapters of the guide contain walks suitable for visitors who prefer to make their base in a valley hotel or campsite and embark on shorter excursions. A handful of excellent traverses is also included, brilliant routes that convey walkers to wild exhilarating heights and act as inks between the inhabited valleys. Suggestions are given for combining these into a further series of long-distance routes.
The descriptions of the individual walks and the stages on Alta Via 2 all begin with some basic information: time, distance, ascent/descent, grade and map required.
Time
Based on a walker of average fitness, the estimate of walking time gives a rough idea of how long it will take to complete the route in good conditions. Roughly speaking, it is based on 1h for 300m of ascent or 500m of descent or 5km on level ground (but there isn't much of that). However, it does not include stops for rests or meals, so always allow plenty of extra time. Groups should always remember that their pace will be dictated by their slowest member.
Distance and ascent/descent
Ascent/descent (or height gain and loss) is also provided, as is distance, although this is of limited usefulness in alpine circumstances. For instance, 1km might sound short, but combined with a height gain of 1000m, that works out at a 45° gradient, so you can be sure the path will be verging on vertical in places. Profile diagrams are also supplied for the Alta Via and include transport and accommodation information. They enable longdistance walkers to see timing, height gains and losses and the steepness involved at a glance.
Grade
This is an indication of the difficulty of the route. Do remember that adverse weather conditions or snow cover will increase difficulty by several degrees.
Grade 1 – a straightforward path with moderate slope, suitable for all walkers
Grade 2 – a fairly strenuous alpine walk, but not especially difficult
Grade 3 – some experience on alpine terrain is a prerequisite as there may be particularly steep and exposed sections. A head for heights and orientation skills may also come in useful. (Note: walkers with little alpine experience will be comforted to learn that difficult sections of popular paths are often fitted with chains or a length of cable attached to the rock face to facilitate passage.)
Path marking
Path signposts in Valle d'Aosta
All the paths followed in this guide are numbered. This entails identifying markers carrying the number along the way, be they paint stripes on tree trunks and prominent stones or signposts at junctions. The style varies from red and white paint stripes with a number in black in the southern Piemonte region (in conformity with the Italian Alpine Club system used nationwide) to a system of yellow and black arrows and stripes in the northern areas covered by this guide, namely the Valle d'Aosta region. The Alta Via 2 is distinguished by a black and yellow triangle and the number ‘2’. (A note of caution: the Forestry Authority in the Valle d'Aosta also uses red and white stripes for tree markings – do not be led astray!)
Then there are the lifesaving cairns, appropriately referred to in Italian as ometti or little men. These mounds of stones heaped up by thoughtful walkers seem banal but on an uncertain path in low cloud they stand out like beacons, while painted marks are swallowed up by the mist.
Dos and Don'ts
Signboard Piemonte style
Find time for some basic physical preparation prior to setting out on a walking holiday, as a reasonable state of fitness will make your excursions more enjoyable, not to mention safer.
Read the walk description before setting out and start gradually, choosing walks suited to your experience and state of fitness. Start out as early as possible and always have extra time up your sleeve to allow for detours due to collapsed bridges, wrong turns and missing signposts.
Don't overload your rucksack. Pop it on the bathroom scales at home before setting out – 10kg is the absolute maximum! Remember that drinking water and food will add weight each day. And as the afternoon wears on and that refuge never seems to get any closer, your pack will become inexplicably heavier.
Never set out on a long route if the weather is uncertain. Areas such as those featuring extensive ice and snow fields can be unexpectedly submerged in a thick layer of mist, making orientation problematic. Rain, wind and snow are tiring and can make even easy paths dangerous. Do keep away from crests and any metal fixtures during an electrical storm and don't shelter under trees or rock overhangs. Ask at tourist offices or refuges for weather forecasts or check the local newspapers. An altimeter is a useful instrument – when a known altitude (such as that of the refuge) goes up, this means the atmospheric pressure has dropped and the weather could change for the worse.
Tempting though it may often be, especially in descent, don't stray from the path during excursions, especially not to cut corners. This will cause irreparable erosion and damages vegetation. Remember that your behaviour will encourage others to do the same.
Carry all your rubbish back down to the valley where it can be disposed of correctly to save the park and refuge staff time and money. Even organic waste such as apple cores and orange peel is best not left lying around as it could upset the diet of animals and birds not used to such food.
Be considerate when making a toilet stop. Keep away from watercourses, don't leave unsightly paper lying around and remember that abandoned huts and rock overhangs could serve as life-saving shelter for someone else!
Wildlife should not be disturbed unnecessarily or handled. Under no circumstances are dogs allowed in the park, even on a leash. Collecting flowers, insects or minerals is strictly forbidden, as are fires and wild camping.
Always carry extra protective clothing as well as energy foods for emergency situations. Remember that in normal circumstances the temperature drops an average of 6°C for every 1000 metres you climb.
Learn the international call for help – see Emergencies. Don't rely on your mobile phone as there may not be any signal in remote valleys.
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