Maria Luisa Refuge, from Riale

Access

Leaving the A26 Voltri-Gravellona Toce motorway at the last exit of Gravellona Toce, continue along the dual carriageway to Domodossola and then on to Crodo and Formazza. From here continue to Riale, the last village in the valley, and leave your car in the small village or, better still, in the convenient car park 200 metres before it in the vicinity of the Centro Fondo di Riale.

Introduction

Easy hike on a well-trodden route popular with numerous ski mountaineers and snowshoe hikers with beautiful panoramic views of the upper Formazza Valley.

Description

From the car park, continue along the road for two hundred metres to the no-transit sign in front of the village of Riale Superiore. From this point, cross the cross-country track a couple of times, heading towards the north-eastern slope. In the first section, it is better to ascend directly, cutting across the path of the summer dirt track, to avoid going too far under some points where, in the presence of heavy snow accumulation, detachments can occur. Then you can alternate the somewhat steep sections with the comfortable track of the dirt track itself. The zig-zag ascent allows you to enjoy the splendid view of the valley floor with the village of Riale Inferiore, Lake Morasco with the overhanging Corno di Ban and other surrounding peaks. At the end of the hairpin bends of the dirt track and having reached the wide shoulder, one enters, keeping to the right, into a valley and, with a moderately sloping path, reaches a stone bridge; beyond this, one turns to the left and from here, after a few dozen metres, one reaches the hut, which is hidden from view to the last. From here in a few minutes you can easily climb eastwards and reach the shores of the Toggia reservoir with the gentle slopes leading to the San Giacomo pass at the bottom.
The return journey is by the same route as the outward journey (1h00').

The hut is open from December to April.