San Bernardo – Varzo

San Bernardo 1628 m – Alpe Casariola 1717 m 1.00 ora – Alpe Variola 1977 m – Passo Variola 2258 m – Alpe Lorino 1820 m – Alpe Selvanera 1138 m – Alpe Salviggia 762 – Varzo 568 m

Long and tiring stage, apart from the first part the route is all downhill, crossing many pastures and arriving at Passo Variola (very panoramic), from here begins the long descent towards the bottom of the Varzo valley in some sections the path is steep passing through many mountain pastures.

From the San Bernardo refuge go down to the oratory and turn left, follow the signs for Alpe Dorca after passing the Rasiga stream go up to the first hairpin bend, leave the road and go up through the woods pass the crossroads for Alpe Paioni, cross the stream go up the pastures and you reach Alpe Casariola (1717 m) 1.00 hour, continue passing a wood that has suffered a fire and new larches have been put back in and you reach Alpe Dorca (1874 m), continue, go around a ridge rock and descend to a stream, cross it (bridge), start to climb again, pass a visible cross that can already be seen from below and arrive at Alpe Variola (1977 m) 2.15 hours, continue along the path upstream of the pasture cross a small stream you reach a crossroads, ignore it but follow the signs indicating the path of the Variola lakes and Passo Andromia, pass another crossroads on the right that leads to Passo di Andromia, follow the trail signs go around the base the moraine and climb to the left, climb the final stretch (steep) and arrive at Passo Variola (2258 m) 3.30 hours. The path continues to the left, passing a large boulder with indications for Varzo, turning right to reach a basin and climbing a somewhat steep section with narrow hairpin bends, following the trail signs you pass through shrubs and rhododendrons, you pass a basin, after a series of hairpin bends you arrive at Alpe Lorino (1820 m) 0.40 hours from the Pass, continue along the path (steep) ignoring the indications Alta Via Val Divedro, continue passing Alpe Wolf (1377 m) descend into the woods making a few hairpin bends and you reach Alpe Selvanera (1138 m) 2.00 hours. Follow the path to the left and enter the wood with stretches of mule track that cross slopes over some rocky drops, long hairpin bends, you reach the start of a cable car and you arrive at Alpe Salviggia (762 m). Continue on the dirt road which will become paved when it widens flat it is possible after 200/300 m, there is a trail sign where you enter the wood (avoid some hairpin bends) you reach a chapel near Tugliaga (690 m) continue on the road but before the tunnel go down to the hydroelectric reservoir cross the bridge continue on the road on the left pass the Sempione road and the railway you enter Varzo continue on Via Sempione when on the right you cross Viale Stazione take Viale Castelli on the left and you will have arrived at the stopping place Hotel Sempione (568 m) 7.30 hours