Bec Costazza

Smart triangular mountain, between the Valley of Champorcher and the Valley of Cogne, visible from the "Sogno di Berdzé refuge" on high Urtier Walloon and going from the front to the West from Dondena Village towards Lake Miserin or Fenêtre de Champorcher. Placed on the axis South/North between the saddle 2.946 meters and the Fenêtre it has four sides the last of which, addressed to Champorcher Valley, is divided into two parts by a few rock outcrops above a short vertical wall more towards Southeast. Another ridge descends to the East-northeast transforming itself at the top, on a steep pillar a hundred meters feet, very steep, so as to separate this from a second side facing North-northeast. In general, the rock is somewhat broken and often unstable, for which reason all the climbs, including those on the ridges, requiring prudence and caution, even if they are not very demanding. The routes are those along the three ridges, mainly for what comes from the Top of Péradza (3.021m), while much less popular one that goes from Fenêtre also Northwestern Ridge, since broken by a vertical wall of bluish-green rocks, of around 25/30 meters, that forces a detour left on the North side to Northeast. On the Champorcher, ie starting from Dondena also from the Miserin Shelter, uses the ridge that rises from the East-northeast of "Truc of Lake" (2.703m) until this is "dampens" against a small corner-pillar greyish. This last part is passed to the left with a diagonal ramp that starts from a very small fork or through this to the left (Southeast) and ending with the grooves rocky with soiled dirt. As for the walls is to consider that none provides a safe climbing: the Western has two-way route and rock very much exposed to falling of stones; more "interesting" to the left which ends on Ante Top Northwest not far from the Summit. The North-northeast Face, which is used for the first ascension complete in 1848, is made up of a scree slope that supports the base; the same, there is a thin trail that goes diagonally from Northwest to Southeast toward the East-North-East Crest, most likely used for the first ascension, as the castle rock Summit is quite steep and not easy to get on and it is a "loophole" by Ridge Northwest, as happened most likely in the ascent of the Abbé Gorret in 1866. The last side, that of Southeast, is yet to be explored except the part more facing East, used as a variant to climb the East-northeast Crest or Normal Route from Dondena into Valley of Champorcher. From its summit an exceptional panoramic view of the close Punta Tersiva, Rosa dei Banchi in Southeast and entire Gran Paradiso Massif.

 

 

Eastern Crest, between S (left) and NW Ridges, above Truc del Lago and Miserin Shelter on Champorcher Valley

First Ascents

• First on the Summit: Abbè Chanoux, (1848), in ascent from Cogne or Lillaz Village through N-NE Face.
• In winter: Unknown.
• S Arête (Normal Route): Unknown, in ascent from Peradzà Alp through Saddle 2.946 meters.
• W Wall: Emilio Bertona and Osvaldo Cardellina, (Oct 19th, 2003), from Sogno di Berdzé Shelter.
• W Wall (Northern Antesummit): Osvaldo Cardellina, lone (Jun 08th, 2008), in ascent from Lillaz.
• N-NW Arête (Integral): Emilio Bertona and Osvaldo Cardellina, (Jul 13th, 2000), in ascent from Peradzà Alp, Integral route from Fenêtre de Champorcher.
• NW Arête-N-NE Face traverse at base and E Crest: Abbè Aimé Gorret, (1866), in ascent most likely from Lillaz Hamlet or directly by Cogne Municipality.
• N Wall Osvaldo Cardellina and Alessandro Cardellina (Aug 20th, 2005), from Dondena, Dondena Refuge, fork 2.526 meters between Lacs Blanc and Noir, fork 2.768 meters to Finestra de Champorcher; in descent Southen Crest to mini saddle 2.983 meters, Truc del Lago, Miserin Lake and Refuge, Dondena.
• E-NE Edge: Osvaldo Cardellina, lone (Aug 19th, 2007), from Dondena with three times ascents and descents on the same day to search for Emilio Bertona.
• E-SE Wall: Osvaldo Cardellina and Nicola Colajanni (Aug 19th, 2007), from Dondena with three ascents in same day to search for Emilio Bertona.
• E Arête: M. Adrovandi and Gamekeeper Champorcher Perruchon, in ascent from Dondena (1912).

Getting There

BY CAR:

• From Torino, Milano, etc: Motorway A5. Exit at Aosta Ovest. Drive to the near Aymavilles. Follow the directions for Valle di Cogne.
• From Switzerland: through the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel or the namesake Pass. Drive to Aosta, then follow the direction for Courmayeur on SS.26. Just after Sarre, turn to the left, in the direction of Valle di Cogne.
• From France: through Mont Blanc Tunnel or Petit St. Bernard Pass. It isn't necessary to take Motorway A5: you can drive on SS.26, in the direction of Aosta.Before arriving at the Village of Sarre, turn right following the sign for Valle di Cogne. After Aymavilles, the Regional Road n°47 crosses the Villages of Vieyes, Epinel and Cretaz and after about 25 Km arrives at Cogne (1.534m). From Cogne you can get the Village of Lillaz (1.617m).

BY PLANE:

• Aeroporto "Corrado Gex" Saint Christophe (Aosta).

Approaches & Routes

A) - From Lillaz towards Urtier Walloon and by Sogno di Berdzé Refuge: Starting from Cogne (1.534m) you must arrive (bus or car) to the car parking of Lillaz (1.617m). Follow the path n° 13/TVC/Alta Via n° 2 below upaved road, until reach Baite di Gollies Low and Upper (1.831m, 1.869m; here you can also get along the same route with slightly longer, less direct but certainly more scenic). Move on until tiny Church of Crêt (2.020m; wooden fountain), clearly visible from lowlands. Once gone beyond Tsavanis (2.296m; fountain), preceded by a magnificent waterfall upon the Torrent Urtier and above the private farms dirt road and Manda (2.370m) Pastures, the refuge is reached, immediately after a fresh spring water from a rock in a great boulder (3h'30/3h'45, from Lillaz parking). From Sogno di Berdzè (2.526m) hut, follow Southeast direction down the vallon, proceeding through a series of parallel rocky slabs alternate with ledges at the bottom and on snowfields not too steep in the upper one, heading for a most visible saddle, progressively climbing. Keep going left (North) direction, and once gone beyond some steep slopes, move toward the true base of the mountain (*** Remark: the crest, especially in the descent phase, can be walked just below with significant savings in time), through a ridge. Continue to climb on rag rocks to arrive at a big stone, then marching on wreck slopes to reach the final rocky ridge and the Summit (2h'00/2h'15, from the Hut "Sogno di Berdzé").

 

 

 

B) - From Champorcher also from Dondena Refuge to Miserin Shelter neighbor the Lake: Champorcher-Château (1.427m) go to the Village La Cort where, shortly afterwards, began the dirt "Royal Route" numbered 9/High Way n° 2; crossed to the Alps Vardette, Brenvei, Champlong Grand, Grand Pianas and Leituerie you arrive at the small parking lot just above the Village of Dondena (2.110m, panels and reports signs in yellow). After a short descent we cross the Torrent Ayasse on a small stonebridge continuing through the private farms dirt road (prohibition of passage for cars) that reaches the Dondena Refuge (2.200m). From this continue Westward with it, concomitant with the path n°7B/Alta Via n° 2, concluding with a short ascent to the South; or starting immediately behind the same, better, with the path n° 7 to reach the Miserin Shelter (2.582m; Sanctuary; 1h'00/1h'15) at the lake of the same name. This trip is already satisfactory for itself along a route that each year is crossed by a famous procession which takes place August 5th, dedicated to Madonna delle Nevi (Our Lady of the Snows) and full of a centuries-old tradition and with the participation of the inhabitants of the nearby valleys of Piedmont. It should surely the second path, the more "rapid" and less "busy" from the crowd of Walkers. From the Rifugio Miserin move towards West to a grassy-rocky promontory just to the right of the "Truc of the Lake" (2.703m); absolutely not go up directly, but using a small path unnumbered, to dub the same to the North, reaching the summit of the same (2.841m). Here the East-northeast Crest appears simple and consists of a large, grassy rounded off; the same ends, after a large rounded saddle at a edge of rocks bluish, very thin and dangerous, especially when wet to moist soil or worse. Cross it with almost flat path but exposed on both sides. After a long flight of soil and debris (around 70 meters, boring and tiring) leads to a small fork against a small and gray pillar. Do the same on the left and climb through a ramp diagonally from right to left highlighted by a block detached to about half (II°+/III°-); or descend for about 10 meters and climb through a gray slab and "lying" that leads to a rocky groove (II°-). Through this you reach the point of crossing with the previous ramp, just above. A series of fairly easy rocks, arranged in terraces but covered with soil and grass also leads after eighty feet the cairn on the Summit (EE/A/PD-; 1h'30/2h'00 from Shelter near Lake Miserin ; 2h'45/3h'15 from Refuge Dondena).

 

 

 

Difficulty

This route can be considered F+/PD-.