The Tour of the Bernina. Gillian Price
All local tourist offices can provide help with accommodation and transport enquiries.
Chiesa in Valmalenco Tel 0342 451150 www.sondrioevalmalenco.it
Maloja Tel 081 8243188 www.maloja.ch
Pontresina Tel 081 8388300 www.pontresina.ch
Poschiavo Tel 081 8440571 www.valposchiavo.ch
Sils Maria/Segl Maria Tel 081 8385050 www.sils.ch
Sondrio Tel 0342 219246 www.sondrioevalmalenco.it
St Moritz Tel 081 8373333 www.engadin.stmoritz.ch
When calling from overseas, preface Italian numbers with +39 and Swiss numbers with +41. Also, to call an Italian landline phone number locally or from overseas, always include the initial zero of the area code; the exceptions being mobile numbers (which begin with ‘3’) and emergency services (which begin ‘1’). Conversely, to call a Swiss phone number from overseas, always remove the initial zero – but include it if calling locally.
When to go
These are alpine routes, so there are restrictions due to snow cover and the opening period of the high-altitude refuges. The answer is to go from late June through to late September but always check individual refuge openings at the beginning and end of that period. Up until mid-July there may still be extensive late-lying snow, although this will of course depend on the extent of snowfall over the previous winter. Early summer walkers may need to verify the condition of access paths to north-facing locations such as Diavolezza – ask locally. August to early September is probably the optimum time; later on, October can be a magical month with crisp conditions and autumn colours – although, alas, the majority of huts will be closed, with a handful open only on weekends.
Accommodation
The marvellously positioned Rifugio Cometti Grandi (AVV, Stage 1)
Walkers on these treks will enjoy overnight stays in a string of comfortable hotels and guesthouses, as well as in mountain huts that are only accessible on foot.
Hotels and guesthouses naturally have separate rooms, sometimes with an en suite bathroom. Always ask what choice is offered.
The alpine refuge is a life-saving establishment for walkers across the Alps. It is known as a rifugio in Italy, a Berghaus or Berghütte in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, and chamanna in the Romansch-speaking part. Old, modern, rambling, tiny, cosy, spartan, cramped, family-run, miles from anywhere… whatever the description, the huts all have the same mission: to provide beds and meals for walkers and mountaineers during the summer months. They also act as café-restaurants and can be relied on for a drink and meal if you’re passing through.
The majority are owned by alpine clubs – either CAS (Club Alpin Suisse) or CAI (Club Alpino Italiano) – but anyone is welcome to stay, members and non-members alike. The manager (gestore/Wirt) and their hardworking, versatile, multilingual staff welcome guests and deal with the day-to-day chores, which range from baking cakes to chopping wood, backpacking in supplies and handling emergencies. They can also be consulted for information about the condition of local paths.
The refuge routine
Inside Chamanna Coaz, on the extension to TB Stage 1
So what’s the procedure at a refuge? When you arrive at a hut, the first thing to do is announce yourself to a staff member, who will check your reservation and tell you which bed and room to occupy. This is a good opportunity to ask what time dinner’s served.
Walking boots are never worn into the bedrooms, but are left on shelves or racks in the hut entrance. Here you change into your own sandals or use hut slippers if available. Sleeping quarters range from 2–4 beds or bunkrooms up to cavernous dormitories (dormitorio/Lager) with mattresses lined up along the walls. Duvets or blankets and a pillow are always provided, to be used in combination with your personal sheet sleeping bag, and a lightweight pillowcase. Space restrictions mean there is not usually much privacy.
You will probably feel like a wash and change at this point – using your own towel and possibly soap too. Bathrooms are mostly simple affairs with a couple of hand basins, mirrors and toilet cubicles (toilet paper is always provided). There is always a hot shower (doccia calda/warme Dusche) unless specified otherwise. Some huts charge for the privilege, in which case you’ll be given a token to insert in the shower box: don’t forget that the hot water is time-limited. Afterwards you may consider washing out your day’s clothes; these can be hung outside on the clothesline unless there happens to be a drying room. Don’t leave your washing hanging outside overnight, as the dew will soak everything.
The refuge café/bar is always open if at any time you feel like a soft drink, cup of tea, slice of cake, glass of beer or whatever. Tap water is drinkable unless specified non potabile/kein Trinkwasser. Dinner is generally a set meal, the same for everyone who has opted for half board. A three-course affair, it begins with soup or pasta, proceeds with a meat dish and vegetables, and concludes with some sort of dessert or fresh fruit.
Breakfast (colazione) tends to be a light affair in Italy, with a choice between caffé latte (coffee with milk) and tè (tea) served with bread, butter and jam (pane, burro, marmellata). The superior quality Swiss version (Frühstuck) usually means cereals, yogurt, cheese and cold meat as well.
Meals are covered by half board – mezza pensione/Halbpension – with drinks such as beer, wine, and hot beverages billed extra. At the time of writing, charges were around €50/SF60 for members in Alpine Club huts in Switzerland and €58/SF70 for non-members. On the other side of the border, charges in Italy are a third lower – around €43 for members and €56 for non-members. For non-alpine club refuges expect anything between €35 and €60.
Hut lights-out and silence is usually from 10.00pm to 6.00am. The generator may be switched off, so keep your torch or headlamp handy in case you need it during the night.
During the refuges’ closed period, unmanned premises are accessible at most alpine club huts for emergency use. The Winterraum in German and bivacco/locale/ricovero invernale in Italian usually contains bunk beds, sometimes blankets, a stove, basic food and a note about where to find water. Self-sufficient walkers passing through when the refuges are not operating will greatly appreciate these facilities.
One well-equipped unmanned bivouac hut is encountered (on Stage 7 of the Tour of the Bernina), but unless you split the stage in two you should not need to use it. If you do, take your own provisions. Please note that where a refuge is described as being open ‘some weekends’, this refers to weekends outside of the main summer and autumn periods.
Reservations
Advance booking is a good idea for both hotels and refuges in midsummer. Some of the places listed accept reservations by email, but by no means all, so book by phone to be sure.
At the huts, members of affiliated overseas alpine clubs are eligible for reduced rates; UK residents may wish to join a British branch of the Austrian Alpine Club (http://aacuk.org.uk), if not the Italian (www.cai.it) or Swiss (www.sac-cas.ch) counterparts. At the time of writing, membership of the Swiss club does not include insurance cover, unlike the other two clubs – see Emergencies below.
Reservation