The Sentiero degli Alpini, a dizzying route
This is the most spectacular route of the Ligurian Alps and probably in all of Liguria; it partially includes trail no. 4 of the Alta Via (Colle Scarassan-Sella d?Agnaira). The route develops around the slopes of Mt. Pietravecchia and Mt. Toraggio (these are not the highest summits of Liguria, they are surpassed by the 2200 metres of Mt. Saccarello, but they are certainly among the most picturesque and panoramic) in a landscape which at times reflects the Dolomites, with the presence of particular and rare botanical species. The starting point of the excursion is Colla Melosa (1541 metres) located well beyond the old villages of Pigna and Castelvittorio; the route continues through the high Val Nervia. The start is easy: for one kilometre an old military road continues in the direction of the Mt. Grai refuge. However, in the vicinity of a hairpin curve, the Italo fountain-head marks the beginning of the trail, which is very steep in the first stretch. Continue to a fork to the left, and then, once the middle of the incline is reached, enter a thick wood full of rhododendrons. Beyond the woods, the view opens onto the rugged face of Mt. Corma and on the valleys that dip to the sea. The most intense stretch of the trail begins here: with the 2038 metres of Mt. Pietravecchia behind you, the route continues along a narrow, exposed trail. In the most difficult stretches, several ropes facilitate walking. Beyond a fountain-head, rises the striking south face of Mt. Toraggio (1973 m). A route fitted with cables and iron steps ? for alpine climbers ? leads to the summit, while the path descends and continues through a trail carved into the rock until it reaches the Gola dell?Incisa (1680 m), which is reached by a series of hairpin curves. The most spectacular stretch of the Sentiero degli Alpini unwinds east of the ravine, ending in the vicinity of the Alta Via: here the landscape radically changes, the trail continues through grasslands, almost reaching the western summit of Mt. Toraggio (easily reached from the Passo di Fonte DraguRina, 1815 m). We are on the border with France, surrounded by a scenario of century-old larch trees and patches of rhododendrons. Beyond the Gola dell?Incisa, the stretch of the Alta Via rises to the 1910 meters of the Passo della Valletta, from which a colony of alpine chamois is occasionally spotted. A dirt road to the Grai refuge makes it possible to reach the Colla Melosa. It takes about seven hours to complete the above described itinerary. Because of exposed stretches, this trail is not for everyone and is exclusively recommended for expert hikers.
The stretch of vehicle road that leads to Colla Melosa, starting and ending point of the itinerary, is rather long and winding: go up the Val Nervia along the road which (between Bordighera and Ventimiglia) leads to and beyond Camporosso and Dolceacqua; then continue on for Pigna and Castelvittorio and beyond, up to the 1127 meters of Colla Langan. Here, a fork in the road to the left leads to Colla Melosa.
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Length: ?
Difficulty: EE
Difference in level: 432 m
Recommended season: April - October
Dirt road: yes
Time necessary: 7 hours
Ospitality in this area:
Stages of other paths