Sentiero Roma

Disclaimer

1. With regard to another album I have been warned that it should better be trip report, and the same may hold for this one here. But I think that a TR must contain a story, must be considerably more than a commented ordered sequence of images like this and that one (perhaps a new category "Trip Album" should be created ...).

2. I know that the pics of this album are mostly of modest quality (scanned-in slides). The rationale to publish them is that an illustrated description of this great outstanding alpine walk is missing on SP, so I try to fill in a gap. Anyone with better material is invited to add it in.

Preface

Sentiero Roma is described here in the sense from east to west, the sense we did it after careful consideration. The normal sense appears to be the inverse direction, but I strongly recommend to go it this way, because:

1. One enters immediately the scene when starting from Preda Rossa resp. Rif. Ponti, and avoids the long and cumbersome ascent from almost zero m through Val Codera.

2. On the other hand, it is very satisfying to finish this adventure by calmly walking out Val Codera and thus saying gently good by to what has given one invaluable experiences during the past days.

3. The difficult and exposed passage at Passo Camerozzo is thus made in ascent.

Day 0

We were enough people for 2 cars, so we were in a position to park one at Novate Mezzola, the end point of our walk. The other one was left above Filorera at about 1200m in Valle di Sasso Bisolo, from where we ascended to Rifugio Scotti, 1470m, for staying overnight.

Day 1

This slow initiating day brought us up to the most beautiful plane of Preda Rossa at about 1900m


and to Rifugio Ponti, 2559m, a nice and well-organized hut at the foothills of Val Masino alp's main summit, Monte Disgrazia, 3678m.

Day 2

This day saw us steaming from Rif. Ponti to Rif. Allievi, 2385m.
First one ascends about 400m to the pass of Bocchetta Roma, 2898m


which has a steep descent to the north side, partly equipped with chains


Then follows a very long haul cross upper Val Cameraccio


to Passo Cameraccio, 2950m (the highest point reached on Sentiero Roma)

from where one has a splendid view over all the crests to be crossed on the remaining part of Sentiero Roma.

Passo Cameraccio is by far not the end of the rope for this day. There is still a descent of about 600m of altitude and a (easy) climb of about 230m to perform in order to reach Passo di Val Torrone. From there it took us still more than half an hour to reach Rif. Allievi. In the end it was a 13 hours day.

Day 3

Rif. Allievi is at about midway of Sentiero Roma (excluding the long Val Codera walk). It is situated in an impressive cirque of young granite mountains just born "recently".


Val Masino alp's principal summit presents itself very impressively from here:


After crossing the small Passo di Averta, 2540m, Val Qualido and Passo Qualido (requires a little bit of climbing), 2647m, and Val del Ferro, one reaches the almost 200m ascent to Passo Camerozzo, 2765m:

Approaching Passo Camerozzo ascent

Climbing up to Passo Camerozzo

The last steps to Passo Camerozzo

This ascent - partly secured by chains - is probably the most demanding part of Sentiero Roma and may become quite dangerous when wet.

Now it is almost done for this day. There is still a comfortable descent to upper Val Porcellizzo:


which is very scenic to cross, giving splendid views to some of the most famous peaks of Val Masino alps:


and through a beautiful scenery


Gianetti hut is reached.
Note that this hut poses (or has posed?) some problems, described elsewhere. Knowing that, I had brought my sleeping bag with me just for this case, to sleep outside the hut at the (inofficial) camping ground somewhat above:

Day 4

The next morning I was tempted to guide my troop to beautiful Punta Torelli, 3137m,

but they protested and wanted to set out for the last but one leg right in the morning. They were right - in fact it took us the whole day to reach Rif. Brasca in Val Codera.

The way passes Passo del Barbacan, 2598m, from where a long and steep 1200m descent goes down to Rif. Brasca. The outlook over Val Codera is great:

Overlooking Val Codera from about 1000m above it

Descent to Rif. Brasca

Looking back on descent from Passo del Barbacan

That Val Codera is very historic in character show these herdmen's huts, which one passes on descent:


One arrives at Rif. Brasca and is similarly overwhelmed by the beauty of its setting and by having arrived finally. People are waiting in relaxed mood for fine food to come:


In particular the view to La Sfinge's (famous short climbing peak from Omio hut = from east) north-west face, with 3 ED+-routes (only 3 - so you can set out to create more!), is stunning:

Day 5

This was still a full day of hiking, following the long, rural, calming and slowly descending Val Codera:

It appears that there's no road to this valley, so people here can't quickly go down to towns for work, they seem to live on subsistence farming, handicraft and - tourism.

The scenic village of Codera offers a rest and a restaurant with good pasta on demand:

Images

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