Trekking dei laghetti alpini - Stage 4: Maria Luisa mountain hut-Cristallina mountain hut

Logo Trekking dei laghetti alpini - Stage 4: Maria Luisa mountain hut-Cristallina mountain hut
Logo Trekking dei laghetti alpini - Stage 4: Maria Luisa mountain hut-Cristallina mountain hut
Tour data
14.38km
2,167 - 2,684m
Distance
952hm
603hm
Ascent
05:30h
 
Duration
Difficulty
difficult
Rating
Technique
Fitness
Landscape
Experience
Starting point

Maria Luisa mountain hut

Route
Rifugio Maria Luisa
0.0 km
Ex caserma della finanza
3.7 km
San Nicolao
4.8 km
Passo Grandinagia
7.4 km
Capanna Cristallina
14.3 km

Best season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Description

An easy-going dirt road, closed to traffic, skirts Lake Toggia and takes you all the way to the San Giacomo Pass. Built in 1929, the road had aroused fears among the Swiss of belligerent intentions. All that is in the past: today it is a place of utter peace and tranquillity.

Just below the pass is a white-plastered chapel, namely the oratory of Saints Nicholas, Catherine and James, the last remaining trace of a hospice that stood there in the Middle Ages, welcoming wayfarers, pilgrims and merchants crossing the Alps. Here, too, are lakes and watercourses. From here, a narrow path climbs up a barren scree slope to the Grandinagia Pass (2698 metres)—the final destination of the entire trek.

As you descend, you will see the Robièi basin from a different perspective. Then, passing Lake Sfundau, you will climb up to the Cristallina mountain hut, a milestone in modern high-altitude architecture, newly built and inaugurated in 2003. There is nothing more beautiful than to watch the sun set from its terrace.

Directions

Rifugio Maria Luisa-Lago Toggia-Passo San Giacomo-San Giacomo-Passo Grandinagia-Lago dei Cavagnöö-Cortino-Lago Sfundau-Capanna Cristallina 

Highest point
2,684 m
Endpoint

Cristallina mountain hut

Height profile
© outdooractive.com

Equipment

good hiking boots
suitable clothing
sunglasses and sunscreen
map with a scale of 1:25,000, altimeter and, if possible, GPS
travel pharmacy and emergency thermal blanket
sufficient food and drink
identity card and cash (francs and euros)

Safety instructions

The Alpine lakes trekking route (Trekking dei laghetti alpini) runs mainly along mountain paths (level of hiking difficulty: T3) with some section of Alpine tracks (T4). However, the trek should not be taken lightly, especially in terms of the length of some of the sections and the elevation, reaching altitudes of around 3,000 metres above asl in places.

The following are therefore required:

good physical condition detailed planning (current conditions, weather forecast etc.) surefootedness on uneven ground (scree etc.)

Not to be underestimated:

high elevation sudden weather changes presence of snow at the beginning of the season trekking time (particularly when hiking in large groups) often no mobile coverage lack of drinking water sources along some sections

Emergency telephone number: 112

Tips

Some huts open as early as June, when the connecting sections are usually still covered in snow.

Generally, the best season for trekking is between July and Septem­ber/October.

However, even in the height of summer, you are advised to contact the guardians to check the state of the route. Overnight stays must be booked in advan­ce in order to avoid unpleasant surprises and find oneself without accommodation.

Additional information

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General info

Refreshment stop
Insider tip
Flora
Fauna
A lot of view
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