Rothorn Pass

Rothorn Pass

Located at 2687 meters, this pass is located on the border ridge between Ayas and Gressoney Valley, little col between Mount Rothorn (3152 meters, southwards) and Mount Bettaforca. It’s a three hours run, fit for expert excursionists. As for City of Mariano Bivouac, path number 11 presents parts almost cancelled; once again my advice is to print these instruction and avoid to lose time. Here the chronicle of our run to Rothorn, happened the 20^th of August 2004. We left Champoluc at 9 AM, when the night showers left a blue sky. At 9.35 AM we were in Frantzè, and at 9.40 AM we were in Crest – Moreletè. Then we simply reached Saler Lake, where we arrived at 10 o’clock AM. From there we keep on going towards Contenery, the little lake at Belvedere’s foothills. Where starts path no. 11?

The path is, in the beginning, cancelled. To find it again you have to go at the curve’s summit, where there’s a crossroad. In this point you’ll find a big rock covered by vegetation, behind which the roads starts to descend: the old signals are painted behind it, in facts. You have to descend and, then, climb the slope rightwards. Anyway, the Pass is already visible from the lake: it’s simply the lower point you’ll see towards Gressoney, in front of you on the right, between the high rocky mounts. At 11.17 AM we reach the plan overlooking the carriageable, then we crossed a beautiful green meadow characterised by a beautiful brook running leftwards. Then you cross a ski track, it’s the Ostafa II – Sarezzam just after the brook. The path goes on.

At 12.10 we have finally reached the last meadow, just under the Pass. To get there we had to renounce any kind of path, because there’s only grass: you have to follow the totems, in Hymalaian style, which will take you at your aim. We are at foothills of the big heap of stones which hiddens the Pass. We are in a big meadow at about 2650 meters of altitude. The bigger rocks are stable, the normal ones are not so trustful. You have to go in the heap directely in its middle, where thers’ a kind of canyon. The signals are the older one, in red paint. The canyon’s floor is made of big blocks to be crossed, which make you lose time but are not dangerous. It’s good to note that there’s no field for mobiles, and there’s a little spring, instead, about ten meters on the left of the canyon.

Our excursion ended at 13.30 when we arrived at Belvedere Refuge, but it’s also the possibility to descend with path 10 to Frachey. Breifly, this excursion can’t miss in skilled excursionist’s holiday, interested in knowing all sides of Ayas.