Fraction Piamprato, Valprato Soana – Fraction Fondo, Traversella

Piamprato 1551 m – Alpe Giaset 1740 m – Bocchetta delle Oche 2415 m – Alpe Gheia 1878 m – Tallorno 1222 m – Fondo 1074 m

An ascent through a wild environment, less easy than usual (some parts on stony ground and others a little exposed but equipped); the itinerary softens and opens up on the slope of the Valchiusella, where it descends through broad pastures and along a picturesque river until it reaches hamlets with typical architectures.

From Piamprato, follow the provincial road to Ronco for 100 m from the church square, and immediately after the bridge over the Santanel stream, follow the orographic left bank of the same stream in the meadows, until you meet and follow the mule track (EPT 632) which at large zigzag in sparse larch forests leads to Alpe del Giaset 1740 m (the maps show Grange Giassetto); 0.45 hours Leaving the alp on the right, you continue to climb with a slight slope, leaving the last larches and reaching the Giaset stream which cuts through the valley, 1911 m; 0.30 hours.

After crossing the stream and going up the opposite bank, you follow the path that goes up in hairpin bends among the alder vegetation, descends for a short distance to cross a tributary and continues eastwards reaching a sudden widening of the valley, which towards the top appears like barred by a rocky rampart of a hundred metres. Following the red signs (the path is missing), you go to the base of the ramparts and, after a pile of debris, once again on the path you go up among the alders overlooking the gorge through which the stream flows. Some slightly exposed sections of the path have been equipped with chains. Finally, you exit at the top of the rocky cliff at approximately 2100 m; 0.35 hours, continuing to climb along traces of the path, between mountainous rocks alternating with scree, while the alder cover soon ceases. On terrain with a slightly rough but easy morphology, with a beautiful view of the southern face of Monte Marzo above, you finally reach Bocchetta delle Oche 2415 m; 1.00 hour. This pass was the most frequented passage between Val Soana and Vachiusella since Roman times, and is still the easiest passage between the two valleys today, despite the route being abandoned on the Val Soana side.

For those traveling along the GTA in the opposite direction it is necessary to follow the red signs very carefully, in order to take the path that descends the rocky rampart.

You descend on the opposite side (EPT 708) into a valley with three successive shelves, which can be admired from above, carved out by the ancient glacier: on the first there are the mountain pastures of the Oche Superiori 2280 m and on the third those of the Oche Inferiori 2107 m. Sometimes steep, the path descends into an open and suggestive environment, always on pastures and frequented in summer by herds and flocks. After Alpe Ghiun 1943 m and Alpe Gheia 1878 m, cross the Chiusella and descend on the orographic right. You pass several Alps and, just below Alpe Spartirolo 1649 m, you descend to the Chiusella stream and cross it again; 1.40 hours: from here the itinerary will run entirely on the left side.

Between Alpe del Pra 1617 m and Alpe Pasquere 1486 m, (you can see on the Chiusella, not far away on the right, the first ancient stone bridge in the valley which dominates a body of water with beautiful shades changing according to the hours). Continue the descent along the moderately sloping mule track, in the bare valley and always along the picturesque stream full of lakes and waterfalls and skirt the locality «Piani del Lupo, recognizable for being a rocky plain smoothed by ancient glaciers, with some giants’ potholes ».

Before the houses of Tallorno the mule track is embellished by becoming wide, paved or paved, delimited by side walls, for the entire 2 km length that still separates it from Fondo.

(The hamlet of Tallorno 1222 m, is made up of two villages, located on opposite banks of the

stream, one of which is crossed by the mule track you are following. This is the first encounter with the characteristic architecture of Valchiusella. It is worth noting, in addition to the typology and layout of the buildings, some frescoes and sundials, to visit the second village, where it is the small church dedicated to the Madonna della Neve, you pass the aerial wooden bridge over the Chiusella).

After Tallorno you reach the paved mule track at Fondo 1074 m; 1.30 hours. After crossing the bridge you will find the Trattoria del Ponte guest house stopover.

Fondo, which today is a fraction of Traversella, was at the time the capital of the former municipality of Valchiusella which included several hamlets is now semi-abandoned. The village looks like an image of times gone by, the small church with the high bell tower, the town hall and the typical houses with the stonework, and above all the elegant stone bridge over the Chiusella built in 1727 dominates undisputedly