Champdepraz, Saint Marcel, Laures, Arpisson Vallons & Pila Basin.
It reaches from Champdepraz (523m), Saint Marcel (630m), Grand Brissogne (827m), Pollein/Charvensod (575m, 746m), Gressan (603m), Jovençan (631m), Aymavilles (646m) Municipalities.
Middle Eastern Vallons (From Voella Hamlet to Pila Basin)
"Mount Avic or Au... ",
by SalVal
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1)- Basic Itinerary b° 1: from Champdepraz Commune to Voella Hamlet (+; 1307m), with Regional Road; from this to Prà d'Oursì Alp, trough path in Southwest (1791m;
M-; 2h '0/2h '30), below the
"Fourchettes" (Forks) on Northeast Ridge of Mont Rouvì or Revic (2922m) and in Southeast from Valmeriana Hill (2281m) and Mont Barbeston (2482m).
2)- Exceptional Via n° 1: from Saint Marcel Commune to Les Druges small Village (1600m; fountain near a squared
"rascard"), with Regional Road; from this in South towards Fontaine Froide (1829m) Pasture, with path up to the dirt road. Through the last towards fork 1885 metres with dirt in Southeast to Meye Alps (1893m; near pond 1866m) on Meye Tableland; after, pathless, through Southwest Crest to La Torrasse or Touriasse (1895m;
M-; 3h '30/4h '00).
3)- Exceptional Via n° 2: from Les Druges Alte (Upper; about 1600 metres) to Fontanafredda, Bren (1965m; source), Prapremier (2010m; ruins) Alps, before with path in South, after dirt road in Southeast; crossing West through small path or not always obvious traces, to Corquet Désott Alp (semiruined; 2146m; source);from this with path
"more open" to Mont Corquet (+; 2531m;
M-; 5h '00/5h '15), through North Slope and final Est Crest or North-northwest Crest.
"High Les Druges old rascard & fountain ... ",
by emilius
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4)- Minimum Route n° 1: from Fénis between Le Perron (582m)/Pommier (614m) Fractions, with Municipal Road towards Champlan, Crou de Ban (926m), Le Pieiller de Sermoz (1075m), Maison Longue (1112m), Le Plany (1174m) small Villages into Pieiller secondary Vallon to alternative around 1215/20 metres below Le Pieiller Alpage (1230m); with short dirt road in East to Le Coteau small Village hemi abandoned (1234m; fountain in right just before the same); from this, with path in Northeast on Western slopes, passing near Saint Joseph Chapel, to Saint Julien Summit (1384m; + Saint Grat Sanctuary;
T; 1h '00/1h '15); descent in Southeast to Saint Julien Heremus (about 1300m; T;
0h '30).
5)- Basic Itinerary b° 2: from High Les Druges Village in West towards Picnic Area, Pouria, (1586m), Vargney Pastures to fork around 1775 metres with path from Fontillon Alp (1653m); from this in North, through private Reserve Turati dirt road and below Servette-Chuc Coppermines, to Eteley Alpage Alp (1741m), fork 1836 metres to Choulet Alp (1821m; to Eastern Arpisson Vallon), Mulàc-Saint Louis Turati Hunting House (1937m; fountain;
M-; 3h '00/3h '15).
6)- Minimum Route n° 2: from High Les Druges Village to Area Picnic or from following
"Magazzino", with private dirt road to abandoned Servette-Chuc Mines, through various paths into forest, after Vargney Alpage; numerous walkways reported to the various entrances of the copper mines; remains of miners' houses and old wooden cable cars. (1810-1819m; T; panneaux and variaous signals;
1h '15/1h '30), below Mont Roux (2277m) Northwestern Slope and above the dirt road to Marquis Turati's Nature Reserve (steinbocks, Chamoises, marmots, hawks and great aigles).
Special Note: Do not enter the same as the support beams are rotten and crumbling, exposed to landslides of stones.
"To Great Roise Range ascending on Saint Marcel Vallon ",
by emilius
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7)- Exceptional Via n° 3: from Grand Brissogne Commune (827m) to Gremonenche or Gramonenche (1112m) with private dirt road; through path-muletrack from Larp (1311m) towards La Vieille (1615m), Le Tramouail (1997m) Pastures and Alps. Crossing various small bridges above Les Laures Torrent (before ad after the Fontane Neire Arera) to following rocky promontory (Charrey Brothers/Norat little Chapel on top), through short descent, to Les Laures and Ernesto Ménabreaz Shelter (private but open) near Dessous Laures Lake (2546m, 2544m; D-;
4h '30/5h '30).
8)- Minimum Route n° 3: from Regional Road to Pila in altitude about 950 metres; from alternative in East into wood towards Reverier or Rayer du Tzat (1019m), Reverier Dessous near Saint Joseph little Chapel (1042m), Rongachet Bridge (1113m) up Comboé Torrent to Rongachet small Village, through private dirt road (1092m; T;
1h '15/1h '30).
9)- Basic Itinerary b° 3: from Rongachet Village, through farms private dirt road in East into forest leaving left (Northeast) the alternatives to Terre Blanche Dessous, Dessus, Chenaz or Chénoz also Tchino (1015m, 1064m, 1017m) Pastures, in West towards Gorrettaz House (1089m), La Barma or Barmes (1255m) Alp and, further East in terminal part, to Martsaouchy Dèsot, Meitin (Middle) and Damon Alpages (1349m, 1362m, 1416m;
E-; 2h '00/2h '15), below North-northeast great Crest of Becca di Nona (3142m) and at the entrance of Western Arpisson very wild Vallon.
10)- Exceptional Via n° 4: from Martsaouchy Damon (Upper) Alp, through path, to Plan Croix ancient Alp (1607m; ruins), Combué Alp (1852m), Plan de l'Eitze Tableland (1901m) and along Arpisson Torrent and crossing the same to outlet water neighbor Arpisson Inferiore (Lower) and Upper Alps (1951m, 2010m m; F;
3h '30/4h '00 from main road to Pila), at the base of Emilius Sources and two Arpisson Glaciers below the North Wall of Monte Emilius (3559m).
"But continue to rise",
by emilius
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11)- Minimum Route n° 4: from Pila-Bettères near arrival of Cableway from Aosta (1750m), below Lyon Noir Restaurant, and just below Perchu Dessus Alp (1865m) to famous Saint Grat Sanctuary, with private dirt road into Vernaillère Forest; leaving right the fork to Saint Grat Alpage, reach the same (1787m; T;
1h '15/1h '30; wooden benchs and tables). Possibility, through short descent to the East to reach Combatissière with its wonderful
"rascards".
12)- Basic Itinerary b° 4: from Pila upper parking (1850 metres around), through path with different possibilities, to Chamolé Cableway Upper Station (2311m), Chamolé Loch (2325m; F;
2h '00/2h '15), below Testa Nera (2820m).
13)- Basic Itinerary b° 5: from Pila Resort upper parking (1850 metres around) to Grand Grimod (2193m) Alpage, Grimondet Pasture (2105m; F;
2h '00/2h '15), below the watershed Drinc (+; 2663)/Pointe de la Pierre (+; 2653m).
14)- Exceptional Via n° 5: from Grand Grimod Alp, through path in South towards Grand Grimod Dessus (2332m; arrival of two ski lifts), Drinc Pass (2565m) to
1)-Punta del Couiss (Tip of Blizzard; 2611m; D-;
3h '45/4h '00 from Pila upper parking).
Variant 2)-: from Pila, with dirt road, towards Gorraz Damon (1962m), Chalechémoz (2031m), Lap (2076m) Alpages to Grand Grimod Dessus and preceding route.
Variant 3)-: from Chalechémoz, with dirt road more to South, towards Champ Vert (2071m) Pasture, Leissè Lake (2114m) and Alp (2126m), Leissé Damon (2338m) Alp, connection in West with Grand Grimod Dessus and previous routes in terminal part.
Variant 4)-: from connection, with dirt road in South, to fork 2381 metres to Couiss Pass (2637m), nearby Simone Facchinello "Arno" Bivouac (2660m; always open) immediately under Couìss Summit (2661m).
Variant 5)-: from fork below Couiss Pass in Southwest to Piatta (Platform) di Grevon on the same watershed (2752m; more or less the
same time and difficulty for all Variants).
15)- Basic Itinerary b° 6: from Ozein-Dailleuy (+; 1369m, 1480m) Villages, with farms dirt road, to alternative 1476 metres, Rompérein (1867m), La Ruì (1923m), Borbolet Viou (2072m), la Pierre (2077m) Alps (F;
2h '30/2h '45).
"Ascending to Pointe de la Pierre ... ",
by emilius
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16)- Variant n° 1: from La Pierre Alp to fork 2303 metres and from this, with path,
a)- in East, on Western slopes, to de la Pierre Hill and Summit, through easy Southeast Crest (2584m, 2653m;
M-; 2h 15/2h '30); in South, with small path and debris traces in final part, to
b)- Punta Vadaille or Vedailles (2338m; F+;
1h '00/1h '15 from La Pierre Alpage.
17)- Exceptional Via n° 6: from Ozein to Dailleuy, with Regional Road, and to Rompérein, Champchenille (2212m) Pastures, with dirt road; from this Pointe de la Pierre, through path-traces on Northwest Slopes and easy North Crest with frequent avalanche danger in final part (2653m;
M+; 2h '45/3h '00; from fork after Dailleuy
3h '45/4h '00).
18)- Minimum Route: from Turlin Dessus (1536m), between Aymavilles/Jovençan Communes, to Bren du Milieu (Midst; 1642m), Alpetta (1718m), Fernier (1773m) Alps, Fernier, Plan de Leyvie Torrents, Posse Village (1776m;
T/E; 1h '45/2h '00), below Pila Resort. Walk fashion, round trip on farms road becomes a track in winter cross-country skiing.