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Refuge
Q. Sella
If
compared with Lambronecca, or Verra’s Glacier, the “Sella” is
located rightwards, even if it’s reachable from Champoluc, precisely
from St. Jacques, even if a lot of trekkers prefers to use Gressoney’s
cableway to Bettaforca (2672 meters).
The
refuge Quintino Sella is, as you probably know, hosted by CAI section of
Biella, in Piemonte. It’s one of the highest refuges of Europe: in
facts it lays on a plan at 3585 meters of altitude, overlooked by
Felik’s 4061 meters, Castore’s 4221 and, on the right, by Western
and Eastern Lyskamm, peaks which go beyond 4400 and 4500 of altitude.
Of
course, there’s the possibility to sleep and enjoy hot meals. The
refuge interiors aren’t very wide, but pretty long: it’s in facts
exposed to strong winds and poor weather condition, to the point that a
famous sports clothing factory decided to test there its best products.
It’s a modern 142 – places structure, which takes the place or the
first refuge, built in 1885.
How
can we get there?
Varasc.it
came back th 14th of July 2004, climbing then to Mount
Castore (4226 meters) the following day. Here the chronicle of this
satisying high altitude excursion. I
left Bettaforca at about 14.15 PM, walking towards the glacier. From
there the run takes about three hours and a half to the refuge, really
faster than climbing from Verra Plan via Bettolina Pass, 6 hours on path
8, and from St. Jacques, via Bettaforca, with path 9.
The
first hour is pretty calm, a simple walk in high altitude: the path runs
across rocks and sandy parts. The panorama is more and more astonishing:
the Sella is lies on a wide plan at foothills of ice, but it’s
possible to admire Gressoney and Ayas also from lower points.
Once
we’re arrived in a plan strewn with rocks, there’s, on the left, an
ancient building which is difficult to see in bad weather days: it’s
the “Capannina del Mulo”, which means “Mule’s Hut”, a good
point to relax a while. That’s the beginning of a second part,
characterised by a major difficulty, which soon will end with the
beginning of a ridge, the last part.
The
path gets harder, there are some snowfields, with a slippery surface:
it’s good to help himself with a pair of mountain rackets. We’re
just under the ridge, a long rocky formation, remnants of a period when
snow limit was lower than today. On
the ridge, the path is well marked, but you often find big rocks, which
have to be crossed: it’s a bad point, but well prepared. You’ll find
chains, hemp ropes and even a little bridge; it’s good to remark that
this excursion is absolutely unfit for those who suffer of dizziness.
Anyway,
if sun’s shining, the panorama will make you forget any effort. I
recommend to look down on your left: here’s the Upper Verra Plan, and
the green ridge to Mezzalama.
Once
you’ve crossed the wooden bridgem the track climbs up again, then
takes right and then presents a bad point: a little vertical wall to be
climbed, but obviously there’s the hemp rope. The passage is pretty
exposed, but covered from the wind you’ve had from the beginning.
You’re almost arrived. Still few steps, and the ridge lets you see the
long and elegant Castore’s back: here’s the Italian Flag and the Val
d’Aosta’s flag. A hundred meters from us, there’s the refuge’s
front side, at 3585 meters over sea level. I’m
arrived by half past five PM, and I found the refuge exactely like I
left it many years ago: big, clean, efficient, and crowded. Italians
alpinists are few; thre are many foreigners, instead: French, Germans
and – more than the others – Helvetics, who come from Zermatt to
climb our “4000s”.
The
new refuge is long and, seen on the left side, is covered by gray plate;
the front side is wooden, and has got many solar panels; on the right,
instead, there are many windows looking the Lyskamm. It’s
a three stories structure, really imposing; at first floor we’ve a
dark lobby where you have to leave boots, creepers and ice axes, a wide
dining room and the kitchens. Upstairs we’ve got a narrow and dark
corridor with 8 beds rooms on both sides. Finally, on the last floor,
there’s a large dormitory. It’s
a high mountain structure, and it’s not so unusual that somebody can
feel ill: it’s the so – called “Mountain Illness”. Sometimes
there are alos serious problems, as pulmonary edemas. The administrators
are trained to face these problems, in order to stabilise ill’s
conditions while he’s waiting for the helicopter; there’s also an
innovative hyperbaric case, a kind of rubber “coffin” painted of
orange.
Toilets
are located in the covered structure on the right of the big refuge;
just a few meters of walk, particularly annoying during the night; at
the back there’s the old refuge, wooden and hut – shaped, which
reminds a little the Mezzalama, maybe a little bigger, which is still
used as a winter room, with 35 beds.
The
Sella is a high altitude refuge, but also offer unaspected comforts, to
begin with the food. I’ve choosen a half board treatment, which
included, besides a night in a warm room, dinner – abundant and really
tasteful – and breakfast, served in three turns to favour all the
guests. The wake – up call is quite early, at about 4.30 AM, with the
passage of an electric torch; the second call, instead, is half an hour
later.
Talking
about prices, at half July 2004 I spent 37 Euros, thanks to CAI
members’ easings.
Althought
it’s a big refuge, it’s also one of the most crowded, so it’s good
to book, especially if your group is numerous. The telephone number is:
+39 0125 366113, the email address is felik@supereva.it,
the website is www.rifugioquintinosella.com.
The administrator’s number, Alfredo Favre, is finally +39 0125 307263:
I recommend to climb there from July to September, but it’s good to
remember that the refuge closes on September 15th.
Briefly,
it’s an extremely satisying excursion, which can take to more
important peaks. It must be attentively planned and done by people
seriously fit. Anyway, it’s to be tried... and not only once!
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