Piz Piot, from Juf

Access

Juf, in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, can be reached from Italy via the San Bernardino tunnel or Splügen Pass, then descend for a few kilometres towards Chur, and take the first carriageable valley to the right (val Ferrera; above val Avers) to the end of the road. It is best to park at the entrance to the village.

Introduction

Piz Turba and Piz Piot are the mountains that close the Avers Valley above Juf. Juf is a small, year-round inhabited alpine village at an impressive 2126m. They are isolated and relatively little-visited mountains, especially the second one, but along which interesting traverses can be made, linking them together: ascent to Piz Turba on the north side, descent to Juferjoch on the west side, ascent to Piz Piot on the north-northeast ridge. For those who are not yet tired, it is possible to continue to the western summit of Piot (3038m) and then descend to Piotjoch first to the west and then to the north, reconnecting with our route at the base of Juferjoch. Along the ridges, the panorama of Bernina, Disgrazia and the mountains of the Masino-Bregaglia group is splendid. On the descent from the Juferjoch, interesting mineralisation of serpentine and other phyllosilicates can be found (see my website for more information). In case of snow, an ice axe can be useful on the descent from Piz Turba.

Description

After passing the village on foot, continue along the little road that runs along the valley floor until, at the signpost, a path branches off to the left that climbs the slope towards Fuorcla da la Valletta. Just before the pass, the turnoff for the Forcellina branches off to the right. On reaching this last pass, climb up the mounded rocks on the right (cairns) that give access to the morainic amphitheatre on the northern slope of the Turba. Climb up the latter to the western ridge a few steps from the summit, which is reached without any problems. Return to the western ridge and traverse it, upwards over a scree gully, and downwards over a dip to the right, to the Juferjoch. From here, climb up the wide scree slope to Piz Piot without any problems. Returning to the Juferjoch, descend over scree on the western side and then down into the valley, keeping to the right side of the stream, over wide moraine and scree slopes, on an easy but trackless route. You thus reach the base of the scree valley and, now on the meadows, the little road to Juf.