Becca di Viou

Mountain/Rock

Becca di Viou

Page Type: Mountain/Rock

Location: Aosta Valley, Italy, Europe

Lat/Lon: 45.79720°N / 7.36251°E

Activities: Mountaineering

Elevation: 9370 ft / 2856 m

Page By: Antonio Giani

Created/Edited: Feb 20, 2002 / Apr 6, 2011

Object ID: 150866

Hits: 7379

Page Score: 82.98% - 39 Votes

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Table of Contents

Overview

First Ascents

Getting There and Route

Important Information

Overview

The Town of Aosta is dominated by the massive shape of Becca di Nona (3142m), standing south of the town.
Another summit closely related to Aosta is Becca di Viou, a prominent peak standing NE, more than 2000m above the town.
It belongs to a small mountain group, including (starting from West):

Tête de Valfreyde (2638m)

Becca de Roisan (2546m)

Quota (2494m)

Becca di Viou (2856m)

Mont Mary (2815m)

Tête di Arpisson (2856m)

Pointe de Senevé (2928m)

Tsaat à l'Etsena (Punta W. 2971m, Punta E. 2967m)

Becchi di Fana (2951m)

Croce di Fana (2212m)

Pointe Henry (2918m)

Becca Conge (2914m)

Becca Morion (2719m).

The last part of the normal route leading to the top of Becca di Viou is rather steep, but it is worth to face up it, because of the great view from the summit into every direction towards the principal mountain groups of the Valle d'Aosta:

ENE: Monte Rosa Group

NE: Matterhorn (Cervino)

N: Grand Combin

NW: Mont Vèlan

W: Mont Blanc Group

SW: Rutor and M. Paramont Group

S-SW: Grande Sassiére and Grande Rousse Group

S: Emilius, Gran Paradiso Group and Grivola

SE: Punta Tersiva, Mont Glacier, M. Avic and M. Ruvic

Its ascent can be combined with the one of Mont Mary, since only Col di Viou (2716m) separates the two mountains. One can also take advantage of the fixed Bivouac, named "Penne Nere", placed recently (July 16th, 2005) in proximity of the pass.
Moving the cursor one can see the overall scene

First Ascents

First on the summit (E-SE Arête?): Unknown.
In winter (S Wall): Osvaldo Cardellina, Armando and Rino Poli, (Jan 21th, 1968).
SE Wall: Osvaldo Cardellina, (May 04th, 1967).
S Edge: Osvaldo Cardellina, (May 04th, 1967), in descent.
SW Wall: Ilario Antonio Garzotto, (May 04th, 1967).
SW Pillar: Osvaldo Cardellina and Camillo Roberto Ferronato, (Nov 21th, 1976).
W Arête: Marco Cossard and Giuseppe Lamazzi, (Nov 21th, 1976).
W Arête (integral from Quota 2494m): Osvaldo Cardellina, and Camillo Roberto Ferronato, (Nov 28th, 1976).
N Arête: Osvaldo Cardellina, (Nov 11th, 1999).

Getting There and Route

BY CAR:

From Torino, Milano, etc: Motorway A5. Exit at Aosta Est.
From Switzerland: through the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel or the namesake pass.
From France,through the Mont Blanc Tunnel or Petit Saint Bernard Pass: It is not necessary to take Motorway A5: you can drive on SS.26, in the direction of Aosta.

BY PLANE:

Aeroporto Internazionale "Corrado Gex" Saint Christophe (Aosta) www.airvallee.com

From the Aosta Est exit of the motorway, go towards the City of Aosta. Soon after the Corrado Gex Airport turn right toward the Village of Saint Christophe (615m). Follow the signs for Sorreley (790m). Past Sorreley, continue to the Village of Parleaz (1214m) and on to the Village of Blavy (1471m). (Be warned that the road, although paved, is very narrow and twisty.)

The NORMAL ROUTE is in common with the route leading to Mont Mary as far as Col di Viou.
From here reach the summit climbing the wide ridge.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: descend northwards from Col di Viou (2698m): after the Lac d'Arpisson (2480m) (enchanting reflection of Grand Combin) follow towards Fouillou ruines (2092m), Alpe Neuve (2026m), Arpisson (1882m). A further long descent will lead you to the valley bottom, not far from Valpelline (1022m).

TOUR of Becca di Viou: follow the previous routes as far as Alpe Neuve. Near Arpisson, turn left going westwards and after the Alpage of Chante des Meyes (1847m) placed in a clearing, enter in the wood along the old trail named "Ru de Mort". The circular trail turns southwards arriving at Praperia Alpage (1737m). From here one can descend along an unpaved road returning to Blavy (1471m).
A further alternative consist in completing the circular path returning at Viou Pastures, placed along the ascending trail from Blavy.

Difficulty

The route can be considered from EE/F.

L'itineraro è da classificarsi da EE/F.

Equipment

Normal hiking equipment.

When To Climb

For hiking the best season is from May to September.

Huts

Bivacco Penne Nere

Bivacco Penne Nere

Campings

Remember that free camping is forbidden (except for emergency reasons, over 2500m, from darkness until dawn).