Fraction San Lorenzo di Piantonetto, Locana – Fraction Talosio, Ribordone

San Lorenzo di Piantonetto 1045 m – La Colla 2171 m – Lago d’Eugio 1900 m – Monte Arzola 2158 m – Talosio 1225 m

A long hike with an unusual altitude gap that is necessary in order to pass in the shortest and easiest way over the high mountain barriers that separate the vallone di Piantonetto from the vallone d’Eugio and the latter from the vallone di Ribordone.

Steep slopes but with large pastures that are well kept up characterize the first part, shrubs and Alpine moorland are predominant in the middle part and the last section is of a more peaceful agroforestal nature.

At San Lorenzo, take the mule track that climbs steeply northwards onto the steep spur that divides the lower Piantonetto valley from the Eugio valley. After an initial stretch between meadows, delimited by side walls, the mule track climbs among low tree vegetation (especially hazelnuts), in serpentines in the steepest or most craggy sections. At an altitude of 1287 you reach Alpe Ciadagn, above 1500 m the woodland cover becomes less intense and the higher up the last birches are left, while the panorama widens especially over the Gruppo Paradiso group. At the huts of La Ca 1715 m you now go up through open pastures, with other turns alternating with steep climbs you reach the lower Alpe Praghetta 1976 m, and then the upper Alpe Praghetta 2150 m, where the most tiring climb ends; 3.00 hours. The GTA continues south-east on a moderately sloping path and then on a slight slope halfway up the hill between rhododendrons, reaching the Colla pass at 2171 m where the abandoned Alpe Colla huts are located, located in a splendid panoramic position, and a PNGP house , 0.30 hours. You descend into the Eugio valley through pastures rich in rhododendrons and blueberries and, further down, after a few moments you reach an old grassy road, you follow it until you emerge just below 1800 m on a road that was laid out during the construction of the dam of Lake Eugio (also in this case, as in the Teleccio dam, the first part of the slope on the Orco Valley was overcome with a cableway). Go up the road to the left until the western barrier of the Eugio basin, 1900 m; go along it and continue up to the eastern barrier, which is the actual dam, 1.15 hours, the basin was built between 1957 and 1959, significantly expanding a pre-existing lake of glacial origin. Since passage is prohibited on the dam, it is necessary to descend on steps to the base of the imposing reservoir structures, then follow the red signs in the pasture to go up the opposite slope perpendicularly until you find the path again. This crosses towards the south-east, with an unsustained slope and halfway up the slope, the steep western slopes of Cima Testona, populated with blueberries and rhododendrons. It touches Alpe Giassetto 2066 m, passes next to two springs, continues on a slight slope and finally you go up to a saddle just below the 2190 m of Monte Arzola, 1.00 hours. From the saddle you pass to the right of the 2190 m altitude, you touch the crest and then (after 500 m of slightly downhill ridge) the true summit of Monte Arzola 2158 m; go down for a stretch to the right and after a half slope you take the wide and regular meadow ridge downhill, towards a small chapel which however you cannot reach. In fact, once you reach the end of the slope (1975 m) where the terrain becomes flat, you turn left onto a path that descends into the Ribordone valley below. You overlook Alpe Arzola, which you reach by walking around pastures first towards the north-east and then towards the south. From Alpe Arzola 1793 m (with a mountain hut with red lichen walls) you cross halfway up the southern slope of the evident elevation listed at 1764 m. You lose altitude among birch trees with blueberry undergrowth, then passing through denser broad-leaved thickets, until the path becomes a paved mule track that shortly leads to the village of Posio, 1390 m. From here along the road you reach Talosio; 2.15 hours.

Talosio, 1225 m, is the largest and most populous hamlet of the Municipality of Ribordone, located in a panoramic and sunny position: its houses, often characteristic and in good condition, are presented in beautiful succession on the grassy slope located on the orographic right of the Ribordone stream which flows further down.