Have you set your sights on summer 2024 as the ultimate time to chase your dream of becoming a mountaineer?

Read our training tips to reach the goal of Capanna Margherita.


The critical points to consider:

Check out our advice on equipment, clothing, and altitude sickness here.

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Copy the checklist of everything that shouldn't be missed:

  • - 5 layers for the upper body (thermal shirt, spare shirt, fleece, heavier fleece, down jacket, windproof shell)
  • - 2 pairs of gloves (lightweight and ski gloves)
  • - windproof mountaineering pants
  • thermal leggings
  • - gaiters and mountaineering boots
  • - two pairs of ski socks
  • - hat that covers ears well
  • - Sunglasses with good sun protection (category 3 or 4)
  • - Sunscreen and lip protection
  • - Ice axe, crampons, and harness
  • - Headlamp
  • -Sleeping bag liner
  • - 1-liter water bottle/thermos
  • - Telescopic trekking poles
  • - Helmet (optional)


Pay close attention to the boots you will use.


Mountain boots must be warm, ankle-high, and waterproof. Hiking shoes are not suitable. Boots can be rented, ensuring proper footwear at a reduced price. In Alagna, you can rent boots at Base Camp at the start of the lifts.

Capanna Margherita training

Before the ascent, we recommend hiking in the mountains with around 1000 meters of elevation gain. Achieving a 1000-meter elevation gain in 3 hours is a good starting point for a successful high-altitude climb.

The Monte Rosa guides train together throughout the spring because training in a group is more motivating and enjoyable. At the end of each day, with their coaching, you'll have the opportunity to assess your progress and receive personalized advice on how to improve your preparation.

Preparation

You might be physically fit but feel unprepared to use crampons or concerned about roped progression?

The Monte Rosa guides offer a three-day course to begin exploring Monte Rosa with a mindful perspective. They'll teach you to acclimate to altitude, learn to use crampons, navigate glaciers, and then together, reach Capanna Margherita after a coaching journey that will mold you into an alpinist. If you lack experience, the coaching from the Monte Rosa guides is the perfect training ground to reach the summit.

Capanna Margherita, the highest refuge in Europe, rocks!

The ascent to Refuge Margherita is the dream and mission for many mountain enthusiasts. Learn more about Margherita hut prices and advice for the climb.
The desire to be outdoors, the search for adventure and social networks have turned the spotlight on this destination. However, achieving this goal requires the right mental approach and adequate preparation as the ascent to the highest refuge in Europe is pure mountaineering, and an activity which by its nature requires dedication, preparation and experience.

The trip to Capanna Margherita is a challenge with oneself, a test of resilience, a desire to satisfy, a journey into one's personal history and above all an irrational and irrepressible adventure in a direct confrontation between emotions and surprise.

It is an ascent in high mountains, which can be planned and organized but it is necessary to consider that one must indulge the moods of the wind, the snow, the altitude and sometimes it becomes necessary to know when to give up. It's a journey that begins when you start wanting it and never ends.

Is Refuge Margherita for everyone?

Do not think it is for all mountaineers, and those who do high elevation gain trekking, good fitness level, and motivation. To reach Capanna Margherita, you face an uphill difference in height of 1100 meters (consider that the climb is interspersed with a slight descent) on the day you reach the summit and therefore you need to be in good physical shape allows you to reach Punta Gnifetti in no more than 5 hours. So, the answer is no, it's not for everyone, but only for those who train and prepare with dedication.

Is it difficult to go to Capanna Margherita?

The ascent does not involve any technical difficulties in particular. There are no exposed sections and rocks to tackle; it is a long route on the glacier to be done in a roped team because it crosses large areas where there are numerous crevasses. Your guide is an expert, but the environment is impressive and walking among the fissures in the snow requires a unique ability to adapt to any given situation.

When can the ascent be done?

The climb can be done from the beginning of June to mid-September. With climate change underway, the chances of finding optimal land in June are greater than in July. From August, the drop in temperatures and possible snowfall often make the ascent easier.

Does anyone who goes up to Capanna Margherita suffer from altitude sickness?

Going up to the refuge is not in itself a certainty of getting altitude sickness, but it can be possible even if in a slight or moderate form. The real reason why we feel unwell when we sleep at the Mantova and Gnifetti refuges is not so much the altitude (about 3,600 meters above sea level), but the ability and the physiological speed of our body to adapt to the conditions of pressure and quantity of oxygen.

To reach our goal, the first 3000mt are done in just a few hours meters by car and then the ski lift and thus, our body struggles to adapt. Slowing down is the better choice.

The slower the route, the surer the guarantee of acclimatization and ultimately, also the success of the trip because reducing the hiking time means the possibility of hiking at a slower pace. Stopping for a day at 1200/1600 meters can help a lot.

I only have 2 days to do the climb: can I do it anyway? 

The ascent in 2 days is the most common choice and is called the classic Margherita. To reach the refuge it is necessary to aim for a maximum of 5 hours of ascent plus 2.30/3.00 hours since the roped parties must reach the destination in good time so that the return does not take place with temperatures that are too high for the conditions of the glacier to be optimal.

How many people in the roped parties?

The maximum number allowed for an ascent to Refuge Margherita is a maximum of 5 mountaineers per Alpine Guide.

What equipment is essential for a climb to Capanna Margherita?

You need layered mountain clothing, to protect yourself at temperatures that can drop as low as -20. Clothing must be warm, comfortable and that can be added or removed. Waterproof, warm, ankle-high boots are essential. Indispensable technical equipment consists of crampons, harness, ski poles, a 30-litre backpack and an ice ax when requested by the guide who accompanies you.

Can the ascent be done only with private groups or are there group or group outings?

The ascent with a close-knit group of friends is ideal because when under stress, it is not always easy to find the correct rhythm between climbing partners, who may have different levels of preparation. However, to reduce the costs of the climb, it is possible to participate in a group climb, also called a Collective. Those who participate in a collective group must be aware that a Roped team, is a non-homogeneous group of people (max 5) who depend on each other and therefore it is necessary to adapt to the rhythm of the weakest. In case of need, if one of the participants feels unwell, the guide can evaluate, at his sole discretion, to return the whole group to the valley.

Can I do this hike without a mountain guide?

Yes, if you have experience and if you have a climbing partner with whom you share the fundamental notions of behavior and conduct of a roped party on a glacier. The ascent to the Margherita hut is considered one of the easiest 4000m, but it is still an ascent on a glacier that reaches 4554 meters; to tackle it in safety, requires mountaineering competence and knowledge of the mountains. Our Alpine guides are trained professionals, who know the techniques for walking on a glacier, they know how to evaluate the climatic conditions and the change in temperatures and know how to measure the stability of the snowpack as well as manage the psychological difficulties of people under fatigue stress.

Margherita hut prices

with 1 alpinist1050€
with 2 alpinists610€
with 3 alpinists470€
with 4 alpinists390€
with 5 alpinists350€
Margherita hut prices for a tour with HB in the hut, lifts, UIAGM mountain guide and equipment included

Learn more about Margherita hut prices and programms to climb the 4554 m of Punta Gnifetti where Refuge Margherita stands.

Refuge Margherita in 2 days
Refuge Margherita in 3 days
Refuge Margherita on foot from Alagna or Gressoney

With the Monte Rosa guides you will find the right route for you to reach the highest balcony of Europe, where the view gets lost between infinite peaks, while entrusting your safety to a professional and your desires to the passion of those born in these mountains.

Snow holiday, thoughts about the coming winter wonderland

Alagna

Cosa fare e cosa vedere ad Alagna Valsesia Monte Rosa

720 inhabitants, sleeps 2000, 7 restaurants, 6 bars, 2 tobacconists, 1 newsagent, 3 food markets, 3 sports shops, 2 clothing stores, 2 rental service centres, a haberdashery and a dairy.

Alagna is a small town and that is the reason why you will like it!

 

 

Monte Rosa

Monterosa impianti sci 2018 19

More than 180 km’s of ski pistes at Monterosaski, 4554 metres at capanna Margherita,  3 valleys for the linked ski area (Valsesia, Valle di Gressoney e Val d’Ayas), intertwined with 900 years of Walser history and 21 peaks above 4000 metres.

Mont Rosa is a giant, the very reason you are attracted to it for your ski holiday!

 

Advice and tales to get to know Alagna and truly experience it

Where to stay

Do you have everything you need to know about choosing your favourite place to sleep for your snow holiday? Now, relax and read this story

Time slows down in Alagna Monterosa ski, sometimes muffled, but clearly marked by daily habits and temperatures. When it's hot,  Don Carlo, a mountaineering parish priest, goes out for a walk around 10 am, when he heads up to Capanna Margherita, his favourite spot and he has gone up there 300 times already. Do not confuse him with Lorenzo, the deacon, who, despite his long black cassock, is good-humoured and kind! With the good and the bad, the tourist office is always manned by Sonia and Giulia. Sonia knows Alagna like the back of her hand because her family has been Walser for generations; for her Alagna has no secrets.

But if you want a sparkling, modern perspective, you have to listen to Giulia, who is a direct descendant of the theologian Farinetti, who went up the Signal Kuppe with Giovanni Gnifetti in 1842. Let her tell you, her story!

When it has just snowed in Chäisscheri there is no time to chat. Outside the ski lift entrance, Nancy and the girls at the coolest bar in Alagna, are ready to serve the eager skiers their shot of caffeine before hitting the powered slopes! You will definitely not see them stressed out, though. I have my first coffee of the day with them, and they always have a smile on their face.

In front of the ticket office, you will find the mountain guides of Monte Rosa: Andrea Degasparis (Dega), a hard-headed Walser, who knows just how to get you skiing like a dream, Tami (Andrea Tamilla), mountain guide always cheerful and bubbly, Sergio Gabbio, a legend to many riders, the Sbarde, narrator of the history of hunting and heliski. I’m not going to give you a list of all the guides, but you will get to know them if freeride is what brought you to Alagna.https://www.alagna.it/guide-alpine-alagna-monte-rosa/andrea-degasparis-dega/

In Alagna, time is slow, sometimes a little too much, but that is how time works in a mountain village, where everyone is part of everything.

You chose a holiday in the snow this year. What do we propose for you in Alagna?

You chose a holiday in the snow this year. What do we propose for you in Alagna?

Alagna and Mont Rosa, a bond withstanding the test of time

snow holiday

The tiny village and the giant mountain have coexisted for centuries: Alagna is more undisciplined while Mont Rosa is more patient; Alagna embraces the mountain and Mont Rosa protects it, sometimes it courts it, while other times it spurs it on, and very often it pursues it. The inhabitants of Alagna are aware and grateful for this relationship because it is in Mont Rosa that they identify and recognize their destiny.

In the oldest houses of Alagna, you will see a small window, which is positioned in the direction of Mont Rosa, which is only opened when someone dies, to free their souls towards the eternal glaciers; it’s the window for the soul, which indicates the right path for it to go.

 

(We have urged the guides of Monte Rosa to learn more about it: how, where and when you can do steep skiing on Monte Rosa)

Steep skiing: a definition

Steep skiing is the extreme expression of off-piste skiing which is done on slopes with an angle of more than 40°.

From this concept, we asked ourselves a question: what is defined as an extreme steep descent?

If it is a fact that a descent of more than 40 ° is defined as steep because it can be measured, the concept of extreme can imply different evaluations. Because it is the pleasure that everyone draws from it that defines the concept of extreme; beyond a given limit, individual pleasure is extinguished and becomes something else.

Therefore, we have reached the conclusion that first of all, it is necessary for each of us to know and realize our own limits because once it is surpassed, pleasure loses its meaning. And at this point we cannot be of any help; this is the moment we need to compare our abilities with fellow adventurers, loves, lovers, masters but above all, we need to passionately do a self-evaluation!

There are many Steep Runs between Alagna and Gressoney

From cult classics to hidden gems, frequented by those who have the nerve and experience.

We decided to give you a list with comments, that focusses on what we believe is a possible point break between extreme and excess, which you will have to evaluate. The Monte Rosa guides have given us their point of view on the most beautiful descents, leaving you the task of testing your limits, to venture into the field of uncertainty and the seductive temptation of the absence of any rules.

Never forget that there are no certainties in steep skiing, only shifting variables: some are more certain such as the morphology of the terrain, but there are many changeable factors such as the quality of the snow, the weather conditions, and the psychophysical state of the skier.

We like to think that the steep skier is someone who knows how to woo the descents, who can patiently wait for the right moment, thereby minimizing the frenzy of the end result with the subtle pleasure of waiting, and all the while doing a constant self-evaluation.

The Classics

The Gran Couloir Stolemberg
A beautiful channel with sloped sections of around 40° which can only be run when the snow has settled, and it’s particularly exposed to avalanches. It has about twenty bends (the first with a "hint" of jumping) lead to rather pleasant continuous slopes of 35°. A “cool” entrance for Balma.

The Dente Bors
This run is a favourite of those nostalgic for the old Indren cable car, because it is the same route but from the ground, back upwards in what was its most evocative section. A short, but intense, couloir with some 40°bends, which descends from the plains of Balma and requires a familiarity with steep terrain. A blast from the past that should be avoided when it is hot!

The Rettilineo
It is the first channel where you can try out steep off-piste skiing. It is close to the lifts, which give you access to the legendary Balma Valley, the "Mecca" of freeride. With a difficult access of 45° with rocks outcrops, with wide slopes that allow you to get rid of the adrenaline accumulated in the few curves jumped at the entrance.

The Oblique

Really easy to spot but… so hard to find virgin and untouched! Like the Rettilineo, it requires good snow cover and excellent skiing skills. It’s a slope at a 45° angle in the first part, then it becomes easier. The right amount of adrenaline rush for the freerider who wants to quickly reach his more prudent friends who choose to ride the "easy" classic Balma.

The Miniere (Mines)

This is a side-channel of Vallone della Balma. The inclination of 35 ° is never excessive and the width of the channel makes this steep descent really wide, as long as the snow has settled well. Sometimes it can be a bit icy, so edge maintenance on equipment is essential. The name recalls the presence of mining sites on the sides of the canal. Skiers have replaced the presence of miners in just a few centuries on the Balma.

The Malfatta
A 40 m descent into the narrow and steep 45° angled entrance channel, opens the doors to homogeneous slopes between 25° and 30° for more than 1000 meters of difference in altitude. It's like that song you can listen to a thousand times!

Jakkete/Giachetti/ Jschechette
This is a particularly difficult name that creates confusion. The correct toponym is D’Ize-chetti (at the iron chain). It's a narrow and steep gully of 45° at the entrance which gradually widens and flows into the Olen valley, your first flirtation with steep skiing. It is perfect for verifying the aptitude abilities of experienced off-piste skiers who wish to try their hand at steep slopes.

The Gems

Victory
A must of all the steep winter descents of Monte Rosa. The entrance through a snow frame, the first curves at a 60 ° angle and a very exposed traverse are the towers defending the slope of Punta Vittoria, where powdery snow and a 40 ° inclination merge and give the steep skier out of the ordinary moments of glory.

Ds Likke Schloss
The meaning is “small castle” in German Walser: a sinuous canal, set between the southern bastions of Punta Vittoria with an entry at 50 ° and 800m of curves jumped at 45 ° between bottlenecks and jumps. A perfect knowledge of the area, total control of your skis and the ability to sense optimal snow conditions are necessary for those who aspire to enter the Piccolo Castello.

The Berni
Wide and gentle slopes in an isolated and wild environment are the prelude to this steep and severe 45 ° slope. The difficult location of the entrance and the exposure to the sun make it a descent that can only be wooed by skiers with experience and who know exactly what they want. This is a great descent under the Lys glacier, IN FRONT of… well, where everyone skis!

Of all the descents in Gressoney, this is the cherry on the cake.

Don’t just pick a random slope, if you don’t know which one and especially if you are not convinced! The first time you try out Steep skiing on Monte Rosa, ski with a local guide! Guide Society of Gressoney  – Guide Corp of Alagna Guide Society of Champoluc. Steep skiing must be tackled with the correct skills and the Monte Rosa guides know how to teach it!

The Monte Rosa guides do not accompany you on steep skiing, they also teach you how to do it and they pass on the necessary skills!

Write to us for more info and advice!

Can a house with a peristyle colonnade be a man’s temple?

Haste, confusion and anxiety are the common denominators of this historical period, but what if we had a choice to change to a slower rhythm and seek a new balance in a hamlet tucked away in the mountains? In Alagna we allow ourselves to be guided by Walser tradition, which has the ability to cross 1000 years of history, for that perfect balance between nature, anthropization and climate change.

Accommodation in a Walser cabin

The hotel Montagna di Luce is a renovated mountain hut with cosy, beautiful rooms and a fantastic breakfast lounge; baita Bonda is a house built in 1600. It is a short walk from the ski lift, and you can be assured of the privacy of a stand-alone apartment and a magnificent view; the residence Mirtillo Blu accommodation is the ideal place for families: it is a modern structure in a renovated Walser village and perfect for a peaceful holiday immersed in a pleasant environment. It is a classic log cabin with all the modern comforts, but it is steeped in a rich and fascinating history, the perfect solution to help you reconnect with your inner balance!

Do you know about our truly genuine products with the Deco label?

Alagna labels the cheeses and cured meats and salamis produced in the municipal area with the acronym Deco (denomination of municipal origin). What does a Deco branded product guarantee? They are products made from the animals that are raised in the pastures of Alagna. These products represent the value of sustainable development, they undergo rigorous checks, and they contribute to the management of the territory. Our advice? Ask for Deco products in the Zam Tachi and Montagna di Luce restaurants, at the Fum Diss trattoria and the Biancaneve farmhouse agritourism! We can't wait to hear your opinion

Visit our farms and buy your market products directly from the dairy farm

From October to March the cows are kept in the barn, so it is the right time to take a walk to go and visit and get to know the animals. The farm Muretto has an adopt a cow program; why don’t you pop in for a visit, strolling through the high-lying hamlets of Alagna, and discover how this family was able to nurture an ancient business successfully with innovation and devotion. The farmhouse Cascina Felice is the mecca of 0 km products (from the field to the consumer directly) where farmers Fabio Diego and Mirco produce excellent cheeses like toma, ricotta, primo sale, and butter and yoghurt. If you take walk along the beautiful trail Shenine (which means "to beautiful places” in German Walser) be sure to stop by their farmstall for a visit. They would love to meet you. In the centre of Alagna you will find the dairy shop called la Latteria. It is a farm shop where you can buy genuine and wholesome products supplied by the farm Muretto. Take our advice, try Zigru. It is a seasoned sour cheese, typically Walser. This cheese has a particular taste, but its flavour will most certainly surprise you.

Take a walk to the Walser Museum and enjoy the spectacular view of the hamlet Pedemonte

From the centre of Alagna to Pedemonte there is a footpath of about 900 m to reach the most famous and photographed hamlet of Alagna. Everybody loves Pedemonte: not only because of the perfectly preserved and intact Walser homes, the surrounding meadows and the monumental fountain set in the centre of the square which has dutifully been flowing for the past 600 years but also for the  Walser museum which tells the story of a simple but harmonious life with nature. The museum is open on 7 and 8 December, from 26 December to 6 January and every Thursday from 10 to 12.30.

Go to Gressoney on the ski lifts and meet our cousins

Alagna and Gressoney are first cousins! And even if the distance between us is 200km by car, it is only 13km as the crow flies. The Lys valley and the Valsesia are joined by the Olen and the Zube passes, and these are the two passes that the Walser of Gressoney crossed 900 years ago to colonize Alagna. Travelling between the two Walser municipalities today is very simple: using the Monterosa Ski lifts you can move from one town to the other in less than 1 hour. We suggest you spend a day in Gressony and experience the similarities and differences between the two towns. How will you get there? Take the cable car to Passo dei Salati, get off at Staffal and take the shuttle to reach Gressoney in 5 minutes. The town square, with the beautiful church of S.S. Trinity and the small cemetery, the Walser eco-museum and the headquarters of the  Guides of Monte Rosa is a spectacle to behold.
Would you like some advice on where to take a break? We are crazy about Castore & Polluce lounge bar & wine restaurant and Wongade restaurant
If you decide to stay in Gressoney for the night, at the Wongade, an original 17th century Walser house, you will find truly fascinating rooms and if you are a lover of tradition, ask for room number 2; it worth the trip!

Relax in the Flower spa in the village Baite Rosa

The small Flower spa in the village Baite Rosa have what you need to get back into shape: a Bio-sauna, massages and light therapy showers.

Buy the book Alagna Valsesia. Census of the ancient log cabins by Alrialdo Daverio…

and learn about the architecture of Alagna and its author. Daverio was the first to launch an appeal to save the surviving testimonies of that construction miracle, which makes the human landscape of Alagna a heritage to be jealously preserved. The German colony of Alagna has left us an exceptional testimony visible in the harmonious architecture of the wooden houses and in the many villages that make up this community. The book is a survey of the wooden houses of Alagna, grouped by area, photographed and each with a brief description.

A Walk among the villages of Valle Vogna

A wild and rugged valley in some places, but at the same time, cultivated and fascinating with its many Walser villages; it is a land full of contrasts and seduction. Taking a walk in the Vogna valley you are transported into a dimension in the past, where time is suspended and the slow rhythm of nature is the lord of the land; allow a guide to accompany you, the only person who can introduce you to all its secrets.

Can tourist deals be consistent with the principles of the green economy and responsible tourism?

In Alagna we are sure of it.

Clean air, healthy food, an economy without waste, a well-kept landscape, and love for the territory are all items on our daily project agenda to ensure the sustainable development of our country.

All the reasons to explain why Alagna is called the Walser Green Paradise
l) Our zoning development plan provides zero consumption of new land: we have no plans for new buildings because we believe Alagna is perfect as is: harmonious in its natural balance of meadows, woods and houses, which have spanned centuries.

2) Alagna produces its own electricity; we have two turbines and we invest in the swirling of aqueducts. The consumption needs of our cableways and electricity are guaranteed with the production of electricity in summer, and we produce more energy than we consume

3) Alagna certifies the quality of typical local products with the brand called Deco (Municipal Designation of Origin). When you choose Deco-branded cheeses, cured meats and salami or butter, you are certain that they are produced from animals born and raised in the open air, in the pastures under Monte Rosa and that their quality is the highest guaranteed.

4) By 2023 Alagna will be plastic free. We are progressively abolishing plastic bottles, ensuring the potability of the water from Monte Rosa in restaurants, bars and shops, using dispensers distributed throughout the area, where you can refill your water bottle with either sparkling or still water.

5) We have expanded the parking lots at the entrance to the town and limited entry to vehicles, to ensure the right balance between necessity, harmony of the landscape and quality of life.

6) We bought e bikes, which can be rented at controlled prices at Base Camp near the entrance to the ski lifts. We want to give everyone the opportunity to travel comfortably and quickly but in a green and environmentally friendly way and integrated in a sustainable economy.

7) We have opened a  a medical centre which offer services of remarkable quality, because we are aware that a destination can be labelled green only if it ensures a high quality of life.

8) We check the waste separation collection system daily to ensure that is efficient and that composting is widespread.

In Alagna we believe that our community, which has always been used to living in symbiosis with the mountains, must reconcile the strong drive for tourism with the principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability, because 900 years of Walser culture have taught us that this is our soul, our origin and the only possible future

Learn more about the project that we have in conjunction with the University of Turin 

Winter is around the corner: if you are reading this article, and ski mountaineering and freeride weekends are what dominates your daydreams; if, before you fall asleep in the evening, you find yourself scrolling for tips and advice on your mobile phone looking for the trip of your dreams and in the morning have breakfast by counting the difference in height between the top and bottom of the valley, you have landed in the right place!

The three valleys of Monte Rosa (Valsesia with Alagna, Valle del Lys with Gressoney and Val d’Ayas with Champoluc) will be your next destination for at least 5 reasons:

Which routes are the most popular for ski mountaineering?

The tour of Zermatt: the circumnavigation around Monte Rosa which in 4 days touches Alagna, Zermatt, Champoluc and Gressoney
Pyramid Vincent: the trip with the most spectacular view of the eastern side of Monte Rosa and a descent with the sun in your face!
Val d’Otro: if avoiding clichés is your philosophy of life, ski mountaineering in the magical Otro valley is an experience you will not expect.
Capanna Margherita: the most popular ascent for mountain enthusiasts; in a winter setting it is simply magnificent
Castore: a descent on perfect slopes with all the 4000mt peaks of the Alps in sight.

But which trips do the guides of Monte Rosa dream of?

We have a gift for you: the following are interviews we had with some of the guides, where we asked them what their favorite excursion was, the one they have been dreaming of since the beginning of autumn, the one they have eagerly been waiting for the perfect conditions for!

Andrea Tamilla of Alagna told us that his all-time dream descent is the Passo della Coppa. Why? Because it has all the elements that a perfect ski trip must have for him: a frozen lake, wide slopes where you can indulge in inversions and technique, a magnificent view of the Val d'Otro, which according to Andrea is the most beautiful in Alagna, and a breathtaking descent with a wild ending! Andrea says it is the perfect trip for those who like him, is first and foremost a ski mountaineer, but he appreciates the lengthy descents which, with an acceptable difference in height, can be reached from the ski lifts in the area.

Ioris Turini of Gressoney has ambitious dreams: he aims for the saddle between the two Lyskamm peaks and then continues towards the crest of the Naso peak up to the source of the river Lys. Ioris knows that climbing the Lyskamm ridge on skis will not be easy, but when his skis point downwards, he is absolutely certain his adventure will be unique. He dreams of this descent because it is a harmonious mix of solitude and adventure, preparation, and intuition. You have to be very experienced to chase Ioris' dreams. Click here to contact him to find out more.

Ioris' heart also beats for another more magically wild descent: the Crooked Man Pass. The reason? Because this is ski mountaineering in its purest form: sunny slopes, varied terrain, steep canals, which alternate with sinuous valleys and the hiking trail of Gender, a path full of poetry which evokes tales of life and adventure.

Andrea Degasparis of Alagna has no doubts: Otro! From the Coppa or canals of Granus. His dream trip is: "a wild journey in my territory ... this was where I was born and where my family has lived for generations ... ibex, chamois and partridges in the distance ... the fairytale plain of Gender ... and arriving in Alagna from a different point of view, without wheels, legwork only; a long journey immersed in nature ".

What can we say? Val d’Otro is in the heart of the guides of Monte Rosa!

Alberto Zucchetti, however has a different opinion. For him, the trip of his dreams is from the Lys pass with a descent onto the Grenz glacier. His goal: The wild environment of the high mountains and the very long descent, surrounded by the most beautiful peaks of the Vallese.

Teodoro Bizzocchi has the same objective as Alberto. For him, the Grenz glacier is a fairy-tale environment where man is not needed. When Teo thinks of this descent, he only has three adjectives in mind: grandiose, surreal and ephemeral.

If ski mountaineering is your philosophy of life, Monte Rosa is without a doubt the destination for you.

Did you know that some of the most coveted alpine skiing competitions take place on Monte Rosa?

The Mezzalama Trophy: is the highest ski mountaineering competition in the Alps and surpasses the peak of Castore (m 4226) and the Naso dei Lyskamm pass (m 4150).

The MonterosaSkiAlp: is a night ski mountaineering competition that takes place between the Ayas and Gressoney valleys on the slopes of the Monterosa Ski area

Read all the advice on ski mountaineering from the guides of Monte Rosa

Alagna and Gressoney are considered myths by most riders, who live to ski off the beaten track. A perfect freeride day between Alagna and Gressoney start here. The Indren ski station, at 3260 m, is the gateway to Monte Rosa and offers limitless adventures, which do not take into account the kilometers of groomed slopes but the hectares of virgin slopes, which the second highest mountain in Europe offer in abundance.

What are the cult descents between Alagna and Gressoney?

I can give you a list of names like: the Bettolina, the Malfatta, the Vittoria, the Salza, the Stolemberg and even names of steep exciting channels such as the Mines channel or the Jakkette, the Liekke Shlof and the Aquila channel, which are names known in the imagination of each freerider. But this is not the right approach to planning your freeride holiday.

perfect freeride day

How to organize a day of off-piste skiing?

Seize the moment, choose your goal from what the mountain offers on the day you will be on Monte Rosa. If you think of Monte Rosa as an immense playground, as a place where you can test your limits in total freedom immersed in nature, you must remember to broaden your horizons:

Do not choose a route before your arrival: organize your holiday and when you are in the valley of Monte Rosa, find your descent by evaluating the weather, the season and the temperatures. The exposure of a channel determines the type of snow, just as the wind, the cold or sudden snow shape the slopes.

Don't get stuck on a slope; the Malfatta can be a frightening descent with windy snow and the Miniere channel is nothing to write home about if the snow is compact or crusty.

day freeriding between Alagna and Gressoney is perfect if you learn to breathe in unison with the slow pace of the mountain you are skiing,listening to its whispers and following its advice.

And if you are not ready to go alone?

Put your trust in the guides of Monte Rosa.They have the same passion as you do, they were born in this valley, they know their mountain inside out; the guides of Monte Rosa and Monte Rosa understand each other at a glance, because theirs is a love story that withstands the test of time!

How do you define a perfect day freeriding between Alagna and Gressoney?

We are used to using epic phrases to define a descent in powder snow but we believe a perfect freeride day is pure adventure in right place, at the right timeshared with the right people!

Suggestions for your freeride holiday on Monte Rosa

The joy of ski touring in an environment of immense beauty balances out the dark moments of life;

Can the concept of ski mountaineering on Monte Rosa can be summed up like this?

What motivates you? Is it the silence, the stark white slopes, the rhythm of your breathing or the sport itself that urge you to put the skins on your skis and head for a summit? Or perhaps your friends, the conviviality at the stopover points or is it the solitude or the awareness of it being nothing compared to the whole of creation?

And for you reader, who have never tried ski mountaineering on Monte Rosa

Maybe you are intrigued by the idea, and want to find out more about this sport which is becoming more popular every day?

I would tell you that it is a style of free skiing but without using the ski lifts to go up, where you follow an off the beaten track with your skis as the only means of getting around.

Is this style of skiing suitable for everyone? Certainly, it is for the curious, the dreamers and the enthusiasts, who are familiar with skiing on slopes and who are not afraid to commit to finding new limits within themselves. If you thought that ski touring is only about strenuous effort and a descent on frozen snow, you are wrong. Follow the advice of the Monte Rosa guides and you will discover what fun is!

Tips and Advices provided by the guides of Monte Rosa on how to make sound choices about ski mountaineering:

Do you have any doubts? Write to us! We know what advice and lessons you need.

Where to start your ski mountaineering experience on Monte Rosa

If you are looking for genuine locally grown products, choose the ones with the De.CO label!
The acronym can be perplexing, so allow me to reveal the mystery: it means product of Municipal Designation of Origin.
And what is it that guarantees a product has the De.Co label? For sure it is a local product, genuine and traditional, but it also has a philosophy of life:

1) they are products from animals reared in the pastures of Alagna
2) they recognise the value of a sustainable development
3) they undergo rigorous checks and controls
4) they contribute to the management of the territory

What should you do to be certain you are buying a genuine product produced in Alagna?

Check the label! All De.Ca products are wrapped in distinctive packaging so you can recognise it.

Which products have De.Co labels?

Walsechäis
A typical type of Alagnese cheese of Walser tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. It is only produced in the summer months when the cows graze in the meadows and pastures below Monte Rosa or in autumn when they feed on the hay produced during the summer. The Walsechäis can be made of goat’s milk (Gaissu Walsechäis) or cow’s milk (Chua Walsechäis).

Chuawurst
This salami is produced with meat from cows that have spent their entire lives in the pastures under Monte Rosa. The salami is seasoned and smoked with local juniper and shrubs, aged over a long time, compact and dry.

Gaissuwurst
This type of salami is produced with meat from goats that were born and raised on the pastures of Monte Rosa. It can be more or less hard depending on the seasoning. Gaissuwurst, which is leaner than cow meat salami, is smoked and flavored with juniper

Der Anchu better known as shepherd’s butter
This is pure fresh cream butter from the milk of grazing cows. It has a yellow paste, a delicate and aromatic flavor with a creamy and enveloping taste in your mouth.

Walsechäis, Chuawurst, Anchu and Gaisswurst are all De.Co products

Farms producin cheeses and salami De.Co are identified by the brand

In September Alagna started off with a bang with the project of the Union of Alagnese and FAI for the redevelopment of the Scarpia refuges: it is an important project that will provide an adequate location for the assets donated 30 years ago by the engineer Mr Arialdo to the Alagna cultural association.

Perfectly preserved Walser architecture from the seventeenth century, the refuges of  Daverio di Otro are a heritage to be protected and its value appreciated as a direct testimony of culture, which characterizes the history and unique and exceptional identity of this area. Thanks to the agreement with FAI, the refuges of Daverio will be renovated and restored and their historical and traditional functions reinstated. They will become the premises of a tangible and accessible testimony centred around the millennial civilization that populated these valleys.

The rooms will be set and rearranged with furnishings and objects that testify and reflect daily life, culture and tradition, to offer visitors a live experience of an unedited, engaging and educational tour of a typical Walser cabin at high altitudes. The refuges will once again become a living, inhabited and productive place, which aims to revive agriculture and breeding livestock following not only ancient tradition but also contemporary sustainability, which the Walser was able to combine in a harmonious balance between man, nature and landscape.

FAI's commitment to Alagna is part of a new long-term venture: “The Alpe Project. Italy above 600 meters”. It refers to an awareness and action campaign that will lead the Foundation to intervene, particularly regarding assets located in the upper territory of areas in the country which, today, unfortunately, suffer in a demographic, social and economic crisis. These are the areas that keep intact a rich patrimony from a historical, natural, cultural, landscape, and above all human point of view, all of which are fundamental for the future of Italy.

Reaching an agreement with Fai was a lengthy endeavour for the Unione Alagnese but it was a happy and much-desired choice since it is intimately connected to the will of the donor.
Daverio was an incredible person: engineer, fond of alpine architecture, patron, free spirit, in all, he was a man of great culture.
By donating his assets, he left Unione Alagnese a difficult task because he asked the association to pass on his heritage to future generations, to educate them and make the inhabitants of the mountains aware of the value of Walser architecture and the importance of alpine culture.

"Daverio has enriched us all," says Anna Gualdi, president of the Alagnese Union, "not only because he has given our homes an economic value but above all, because he has taught us to have respect for our past and to believe in our future".

With this foreword, and considering the widespread work of revaluation and promotion of the Italian artistic and cultural heritage done by FAI, they are undoubtedly the ideal partner for such an important venture for Alagna.

Everyday Fai provides all of us the opportunity to become patrons of special places, just like Daverio has been able to do with Alagna. It provides the tools so that our commitment can be passed on to future generations. It seems as if we can hear Daverio’s voice: conservation for the future, education and love for our past.

This deal couldn't have been any better.

Did we give you an incredible desire to go to Otro to see the start of construction?

In Otro you can stay at the Refuge Zar Senni, in the hamlet of Follu, a rustic setting but managed with love by Ivana. You can book an apartment in Zam Hus, in Feglierec, where Giulia always welcomes you with a sparkling smile. Or ask for the Baitello dei Tre Alberi Liberi in Scarpia. Hint: ask Elena, the hostess, to leave some of her little apricot tarts in your room for when you arrive. You will never want to leave

Hospice Ospizio Sottile and the story of the man who could tell the difference between the bees from Gressoney and the bees from Alagna

Whether you are on holiday in Alagna or in Gressoney, Hospice Ospizio Sottile should absolutely be on your to-do-list of essential destinations!

It is situated at a height of 2480 meters on the hill of Valdobbia, on the border between Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta, and steeped in fascination, history and hospitality since opening its doors in 1823.
The road that you must follow to reach the hospice is called The Great Road of Aosta and is also known as via Regia. It connected the Duchy of Milano with Aosta as well as the passes of the small and great San Bernardo.

While walking and exploring these quiet areas and you know how to really listen, you might be able to hear the thoughts of those who walked these very trails before you, like a parallel life right next to yours. I can’t help but think about the married couple who died on this very pass a few days before Christmas of 1820. Their names and tragic story have long since been forgotten, but it was what prompted canon Sottile to build a hospice in the area to prevent any more of such tragedies to happen and protect all travellers in the area.

It always takes pain and dreamers to achieve the impossible and it was thus that Nicolao Sottile di Rossa had a refuge built on the hill over a time span of 3 years and endowed it with an income to pay the caretaker, who lived there all year round; like a motorway restaurant of yesteryear, on a highway of the past.

The architecture is quite fascinating; austere and intimate and has survived the centuries unscathed. It has cosy rooms, a small church, a quiet room, and a ballroom. He was familiar with solitude, great parties, stories, songs, dinners, and confessions; it is so full of life that it also deserves the traces of your passing through.

Allow me to tell you my story: when I was 9 years old, I went to hospice Sottile with my grandfather. At the time the caretaker was Marino Carmellino, who was the same age and a good friend of my grandad. It was a gray day, and I was in the kitchen, sitting at the table watching the fire flash from a hole in the stove. A bee, perhaps in search of heat, began to buzz around me. Annoyed, I said to the caretaker: Mr. Marino, there is a bee buzzing around me, what should I do? He was also an extraordinary calm person, and without saying a word, slowly took the bee in his fist and replied: let's take it outside.

So, we went out into the courtyard, and without letting the bee escape, he looked inside his fist, then looked at me and said: it's not one of mine, it must be sent back to Gressoney and he freed it on the Lys valley. I must have widened my eyes so much that he just stroked my head and laughed.

The best way to enjoy the Sottile Hospice is to reach it from the Vogna Valley, on the Alagna side where the hiking path is easier and then hike down towards Gressoney. The path is steeper but prepare yourself for a surprise as the view suddenly opens up and overlooks the town with the Savoy Castle in the distance.

Whether you are on holiday in Alagna or Gressoney, consider taking a round trip. If you leave from Gressoney you can use the Monterosaski lifts to reach Alagna, if you leave from Alagna you can sleep in La Trinitè and return from Col d'Olen or Zube the next day

Geographical Coordinates of Hospice Ospizio Sottile:

Gps: 45°47’18”N – 7°51’56”E​

Wgs: 45.788442 Lat. – 7.865804 Lon

The hiking trails to reach Hospice Ospizio Sottile:

From Alagna  (Val Vogna) Trail no.1, Departure from: S. Antonio (1381 meters), difference in height: 1099 meters, hiking time: about 3hrs, difficulty: E

From Gressoney Trail no.11, Departure from: Gressoney S. Jean (1385 metres), difference in height: 1100 meters, hiking time: about 3hrs, difficulty: E

From Gressoney Saint Jean – a few paces from the hiking trail, you will find the waiting area for the shuttle to go to the Staffal ski lift with the timetable.
From Alagna there is an ON CALL shuttle service to go to Valle Vogna, and it is available in the month of August.

 

The white blankets of snow have given way to green grass and rich mountain vegetation, fauna has started to move about more comfortably and has already appeared to the first trekkers.

We are too are preparing ourselves and following the awakening rituals of nature! What will summer 2021 be like? It will definitely be a summer filled with enthusiasm, a strong desire to welcome you back and enjoy restarting in the safest possible way, together.

The tables and benches of the picnic areas that were scattered throughout the area have been repositioned: in the Natural Park, in Otro Valley, in Vogna Valley, to enjoy a delicious lunch or a lazy break in, complete and total harmony with nature. Enquire at the Information Office for the map or download it here.

The ski lifts will be open from Friday, 11 June, and will remain open until 12 September. This is the most awaited-for summer event that kicks off the ascents to the glaciers of Monte Rosa and the high altitude mountain huts, and facilitates the intermittent connections on foot or by bicycle with Gressoney and offers breathtaking views unique in the world! Click here for cost and timetables.

In the meantime you will find some refuges open during the week end: Zar Senni, Pastore, Crespi Calderini, La Baita

The main attraction of the month of June will be the Monte Rosa Skymarathon, an international event of great appeal that will bring together Alagnarunners from all over the world.

And for all lovers of Val Vogna and the Natural Park, the shuttles will be operative during the weekends in June and then intensify in service from the month of July onwards. See here time table for May and June

Meanwhile, the Walser Museum has opened its doors on Saturday 8 May and will be open every weekend in May and June after which they will remain open in July and August. The museum's calendar of events is getting richer and includes nocturnal appointments with lantern lighting, theatre shows and guided tours.

The events organized by Unione Alagnese "Voci nel Vespro" are back again and will run throughout the summer, and this year, Caffè '900 (theatrical guided tours) will be added, in addition to the special open-door showcasing of chapels and fractional oratories proudly displayed during dedicated guided tours. During the month of June, every Sunday will be dedicated to medium-to-difficult trekking tours on Eco museum routes which will start from the tourist office and accompanied by a tourist and environmental hiking guide.

The Presmell Association for summer 2021, on the other hand, offers courses in natural dyeing, weaving, felting, a fair linked to the reuse of wool and hemp and the much-awaited presentation of the Walser candidacy to UNESCO.

The " High altitude Flavors " food tasting events at the foot of the glaciers are absolutely not to be missed, and have already been set for the dates of 25 July, 22 August, 5 September.

The Pro Loco Riva Valdobbia is up and running again after a forced stop and is busy preparing many surprises: miacciate, artisan market in Val Vogna, “The Shepherd's snack” and “The Queen's tea”. Have we piqued your interest?

We will definitely keep you updated on everything.

… ..So, we are ready! How about you?

 

"Dear skiers,

while keeping the benefit of the doubt that we hope the Government can solve for us today, we can finally communicate the opening dates we have planned for our stations.

We specify that what we are about to communicate will be valid only if the current and forthcoming provisions of the law on the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 allow it and as long as the Piedmont Region remains "yellow zone".

Alagna and Alpe di Mera lifts will open from Monday 15 February 2021 and more precisely:

Alagna from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm
Alpe di Mera from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

The following lifts and slopes will be excluded from the opening:

in Alagna: Bocchetta chairlift, Mullero and Mullero Competition slopes, the entire Wold area
in Alpe di Mera: Campo ski lift.

With next communication we will give you updates on the opening planned for these plants mentioned here.

In Valle d'Aosta, lifts and slopes will open from Thursday 18 February 2021. Therefore, the connection with Gressoney and the other lifts in the Monterosa Ski area will be closed on 15, 16 and 17 February 2021. It will be possible to ski on the slopes di Alagna up to Passo dei Salati, with an absolute prohibition on descending in Aosta Valley.

In light of the probable extension of the ban placed between the Regions, we are also waiting to know the rules that will be imposed on us for the possible use of "skis on" the entire area; we will give you news as soon as possible.

The ticket offices in Alagna and Scopello will be open on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February 2021 from 10.00 to 13.00 and from 14.00 to 16.00 for informations.

Starting from 15.02.2021  ticket offices will be open every day for information, customer assistance in the online purchase procedure and for the purchase of ski passes for certain categories of users.

Starting from 15.02.2021 and in the same way, the ticket office at the Trogo on Alpe di Mera will also be open.

All ski passes can only be purchased from the Monterosa 2000 web shop, with the sole exception of the following user categories:

and Teleskipass holders

We ask you, for correct use and in compliance with the rules issued by the CTS, to reach the lifts only after checking the residual availability of places for the desired day and after purchasing your ski pass online.

All the information for online purchase is available for you on this website.

The ski passes will be available for purchase, with an indication of the number of seats available for each day, starting on Saturday and Sunday.

Customers with Teleskipass will be able to use it without a reservation starting from Monday 15 February. However, we ask the owners to carefully check that the credit card inserted is valid, to avoid malfunctions and consequent gatherings.

From 18 February all Teleskipass holders will have to book their access. The methods and instructions will be announced in the coming days.

In Alagna a shuttle service will be active along the Michob car park (before the roundabout at the entrance to the town) -Palazzetto-Chiesa from 7.30-11.30 and 14.00-17.30. Information poles and signs will be posted at the stops. We remind you that the capacity is reduced to 50% by the anti COVID-19 provisions that regulate access to means of transport.

The use of shuttle buses and access to the ski lifts is subject to compliance with the contagion normatives which pertain to the personal responsibility of the individual.

We recall in particular that:

The purchase of ski passes online is mandatory, according to the availability of seats indicated by the manager
Access is prohibited in the presence of fever above 37.5 ° or respiratory symptoms attributable to the ongoing epidemic
The use of a mask is mandatory, properly covering the nose and mouth
The capacity of closed vehicle systems is reduced to 50%
The capacity of the open vehicles remains at 100%
It is mandatory to maintain a safety interpersonal distance of at least one meter
In the next few days we will be present for any need, but we ask you to check all the updates on the openings on our sites, to allow us to give everyone the necessary assistance.

We ask you to always respect them, your collaboration will be precious to resume our business in the best possible way, and to continue enjoying the skiing days that await us. Our staff will provide help and directions for compliance with the rules, which you will find displayed in the stations and on the facilities and which will be disseminated through all our means of communication.

We are waiting for you!

60 cm of snow and Alagna smiles agian. The heavy snowfall of the last days made us start again in a great way and even if the upcoming season is different from the usual, Alagna all white and silent, we tell you with pride, is beautiful.
We are ready to start a new season. Do you want to know our news? When Piedmont enters the COVID19 yellow zone, the tourist office will open; f now you can write to info@alagna.it and we will give you all the info you need.

We started hitting the cross-country track, 10 km of Monterosa view are a priority for us.

We have selected 5 bobsleigh and sled areas  to make the little ones happy and, why not, the children who always live inside all of us. After 20 December it will be possible to collect your copy of the map of the dedicated areas at the tourist office or download it online on alagna.it or on the Valsesiamonterosa app so you can choose your play area in the best possible way.

We are about to open the skating rink, which appropriately sanitized and with limited admissions, will play its part in Christmas 2020. 

We have decided to dedicate a beaten track in the Vogna Valley to novice snowshoers and we have ready for the more experienced the map of areas with difficulties within the reach of many.

During the Christmas holidays we will organize small groups of snowshoers dedicated to guests asking to  know the silence of the woods in the company of a guide, to visit the real mountain, without fear of being inexperienced.

We are also ready with MTB tours in places accessible and usable even in winter.

For those who will spend their holidays in Alagna, we will propose the consolidated free guided tour of Voci nel Vespro, to get to know Alagna from a historical and cultural perspective, with attention to the past of our small community.

If you have thought about holidays without ski, you are wrong: ski mountaineering with the guides of Alagna is a true alternative, which will reserve forgotten surprises and mountain safety lessons could be an unexpected bet.

The local farms have cellars full of excellent cheeses and a walk in the snow-covered hamlets to reach the stores is a must!

Your safety is our priority, our medical center is ready with quick tests in drive in and if you want to feel safer in a residence that is super attentive to prevention, You can ask for accommodation at the Orma residence or at Smitt House who offer stays with tests included.

Are you worried about restaurants in Alagna closed in the evening? we are ready with an adequate home service and you can book your dinner directly online, to be able to have it at home in a few clicks.

Alagna has a thousand-year history and a tradition for hospitality that spans 2 centuries. Together with the many limitations of this period, new opportunities are coming forward and we think that discovering an authentic and silent Alagna can be a real surprise for this end of 2020.

Alagna transform itself, re-adapting its health services to Covid emergency needs Alagna, located  a rural area over 50 km from the nearest hospital, eliminate hospitalizations and guaranteeing a quick swab service, without waiting.

Alagna Valsesia is a small town located at 1200 m at the foot of the second highest mountain in Europe, Monte Rosa. Here, in the summer of 2020 the Municipality inaugurated a small but innovative medical center, collaborating with the ASL 11 of Vercelli in the organization of basic health services both for the local community and for tourists.
The hospital is manned by two IFEL nurses who guarantee on-site assistance to people who need treatment and dressings, blood sampling, pressure analysis, electrocardiogram analysis and other small checks thanks to the connection with the hospitals of Vercelli and Borgosesia. Services that, without the medical center, would have required over 50 km of road and an hour of driving to reach the nearest hospital.
Guaranteeing these health services in a rural and disadvantaged mountain area in this emergency period made it possible to keep under strict control all the weakest people, who would also have been subject to excessive risks in moving to hospitals to obtain the same services.

Hot-spot dedicated to the execution of molecular swabs
With the worsening of the Covid emergency, the Municipality of Alagna Valsesia, supported by the ASL 11 of Vercelli and by the general practitioner who works in the area, has begun a rapid transformation of the medical center, adapting to offer new services strictly connected to the health emergency and aimed at offering a hot-spot dedicated to the execution of molecular swabs for the residents of Alta Valsesia. The organization has allowed all residents of the area to receive the service with an average wait of less than two days, using a queue-free and "human-sized" drive-in and easing the pressure on the hospital's tampon point. of Borgosesia.
Rapid swab service in agreement with the SISP serving the entire territory of the Montana Valsesia Union
The continuous increase in cases also in upper Valsesia has prompted the Municipality of Alagna Valsesia to purchase 2000 rapid tampons to ensure immediate intervention in the event of outbreaks in the territory of the Municipality and the entire Montana Union, allowing an almost instantaneous verification of the cases suspicious. The choice offered an immediate response to the unexpected need to launch a screening campaign for personnel operating in the social services of the Mountain Union of the Municipalities of Valsesia and aimed at guaranteeing the negativity of OSS operators, social workers and administrative staff of the Body for the protection of assisted persons, often the elderly.
Thanks to the structure and the ASL staff of the Medical Center, in less than two days screening was also carried out on all elderly people assisted by social services, carrying out free quick swabs at the homes of the most fragile people not only in Alagna and in the main valley , but also in Val Sermenza and Val Mastallone.

Rapid tampon service at a controlled price for individuals and businesses in the area
Starting from Friday 17 November a rapid tampon service will also start at the agreed price of € 35. The service was born thanks to the collaboration between the municipality of Alagna Valsesia which purchased 2000 rapid tampons, the Alta Valsesia Pharmacy which has made itself available to manage the reservations and payment of the service offered, and the general practitioner who will certify the outcome of the swabs made.
The swabs will be carried out on Tuesdays and Fridays starting at 17:30; Reservations are required and must be made by contacting the Alta Valsesia Pharmacy at the telephone number 379.2169929 (whatsapp) or by writing an email to tamponi@alpifarma.it. Payment will be made at the pharmacy while the swab will be performed in the drive-in in the square in front of the medical center.
The goal is to guarantee an immediate response at a fair price for individuals and companies that feel the need to verify their negativity or the negativity of their workers, in order not to have to suspend their work or, more simply , remove the doubts about your state of health. All the data of the tests carried out will be entered in the national portal and any positive cases will be reported to the ASL and can be quickly verified with the molecular swab

An experience, that of Alagna Valsesia, which demonstrates how the presence in rural mountain areas of small medical facilities is essential to give rapid and concrete answers to the population even in cases of emergency such as the one we are experiencing.

The experience of Alagna can be a lean, functional and low-cost "model" of territorial healthcare for the NHS, but capable of offering high-level services even to those who live far from urban centers and hospitals. The farsightedness of the Vercelli ASL first in the establishment of the medical center and subsequently in exploiting the territorial control for the COVID emergency is allowing, until now, to offer immediate answers and to treat people from home, drastically limiting access to the hospital

We’re working to let you live soon your extraordinary days in Valsesia!

Dears,

During the last summer season and the first weeks of autumn we made significant investments, to improve the experience on the snow in Valsesia. We are ready to welcome you again, to make you live in safety the emotions that we have always given to you, to show you the result of the continuous improvement work that distinguishes our Company.

In Alagna we have built a new artificial lake, paying particular attention to inserting the work into the surrounding natural environment. It will allow us to reduce the snow-making times of the slopes by about 30%. In addition to the realization of the new projects, we proceeded with the twenty-year general overhaul of the Alagna-Pianalunga gondola lift and the Bocchetta chairlift. It means the complete adaptation of the control systems of the lift and of the electronic and mechanical components, to constantly ensure their use in complete safety.

Moreover we have enhanced the network of LED screens on the Alagna slopes, with three new gate-screens at the access of the lifts Funifor, Cimalegna chairlift and Bocchetta chairlift.

At Alpe di Mera, on the other hand, we will be able to count on 30 new snow machines and an additional section of the line on the snowmaking system. This will allow to increase the coverage of the skiable area and decrease the snow production times. To improve the usability of the area, there will also be a new underpass, 42 meters long and dedicated to pedestrians and snowmobiles, which will allow them to cross the Primavera track underground.

A new Fun Slope will be built in area Campo, nearby the skilift. Right next, you’ll find the new playground we’ve built for this summer, still available on snow, and a bobsleigh track. Both will be protected and with free access. With the aim of connecting this fun park, but also other areas of Alpe di Mera, we will propose a new shuttle service, which will allow pedestrians, beginners and anyone to cover some routes.

In both locations the online ticketing system allows you to buy any type of ticket, Monterosa Ski, Monterosa Freerideparadise or Valsesia, by reloading a card or choosing to pickup at the automatic cash machine. Those who do not wish to ski but still want to go up to Alpe di Mera, can use the smartphone as a real passepartout, as gates on the way can read the QR from the e-commerce receipt. And a new automatic vending machine will be soon located in Scopello, with the function of purchasing or collecting a ski pass.

We have scheduled the start of the season for next 4th December and we are working to ensure that everything is ready for you.

While we work, we promise to update you, waiting for the green light from the Italian Authorities!

See you soon!

Monterosa 2000 S.p.A.
the President
Luciano Zanetta

 

With the arrival of warmer weather and the gradual melting of the snow, Monte Rosa becomes the ideal destination for trekking enthusiasts. Hundreds of kilometers of trails re-emerge from under their white mantle after months of silence, offering experts and outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to once again touch base with nature and its magnificent inhabitants.

From roe deer to chamois, deer to ibex and marmots to cute squirrels. Once again, our mountains teem with life, smell and sound of pure nature! Trekking on Monte Rosa is a unique adventure, which can be savored at a very high altitude (above 4,000 meters) or along the less demanding paths scattered around the town of Alagna, between 1,000 and 2,000 meters.

It is precisely this division between the peaks and valleys that will guide you while orienting yourself in the choice of easy itineraries where only few accessories are necessary, and the more difficult itineraries, where it is fundamental to be in shape, and have a certain type of technical background and importantly also rely on the company of a qualified alpine guide. Let's start with basic level treks to reach the most sought-after destination of all: Capanna Regina Margherita.

TREKKING ON MONTE ROSA BETWEEN ALAGNA AND VALSESIA

Those who love hiking in the mountain will discover endless opportunities for recreation in the areas surrounding the town of Alagna-Valsesia. The main itineraries of Monte Rosa are divided into 4 groups: trekking in Val D'Otro, trekking in the Vogna Valley, trekking in the Alta Valsesia national park and trekking under the Tagliaferro. Val d'Otro is the reference point for getting to know the history of the Walser population up close: in the 6 villages (Follu, Scarpia, Ciucche, Weng, Felljerc, and Dorf) a self-sufficient economy based on natural agriculture, herding and hunting, an example of perfect balance between man and nature is still being practiced.

Wilder but no less populated is the Vogna Valley, whose itineraries wind through the splendid Alpe Larecchio, the fascinating Vallone del Risuolo and the renowned and historic Maccagno Alp. Then there are the many paths of the Alta Valsesia Park, where you can reach higher altitudes up to the 2881 meters of Col d’Olen. Finally, there are the itineraries “under the Tagliaferro”, with trekking to Alpe Campo and Colle Mud.

 

GRAND TOUR OF MONTE ROSA: TREKKING FOR REAL EXPERTS

With its 4,637 meters, Monte Rosa is one of the most challenging peaks in Europe. For those wishing to challenge this giant there are several options, the best known is the so-called Tour of Monte Rosa, nine trekking stages divided between the Swiss and the Italian sides, crossing the Turlo Pass, the Monte Moro Pass and of the major excursion points of interest of the massif.

A shorter and less tiring alternative in terms of time, distance and energy is the excursion to Capanna Margherita , the “queen” of the Alps, which is incidentally also famous for being the highest refuge in Europe (4,554 meters).  The trip to the Capanna Margherita is truly worth the effort and a veritable challenge for all, capable of gifting unforgettable emotional experiences to those who want to live the mountain to its fullest. It is strongly recommended to book a tour with the accompaniment of an authorized UIAGM mountain guide.

 

The Piedmontese town of Varallo, is historically considered as the “capital” of Valsesia, with regards to its vast artistic and historical heritage. It is a charmingly beautiful town.

In its historic center there are many architectural testimonies: the ancient nucleus of the "contrade", small streets formerly used for trade and craftsmanship, the sixteenth-century building where the Scarognini-D'Adda family from Varese used to live and the spectacular nineteenth-century villas, located in what used to be the residential center of the city and where today all visitors can relive the spirit of the Belle Epoque era.

Characteristic features of Varallo are the many churches and religious buildings among which the Collegiate Church of San Gaudenzio stands out, with the polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari, the Churches of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Church of Our Lady of the Graces) and San Marco and the Oratory of the Madonna of Loreto: places where faith, art and history unite to form a fundamental work of art in the panorama of Italian art history.

 

The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Gaudenzian Wall.

This is a national monument, and it is located at the foot of the slope that leads from Piazza Gaudenzio Ferrari to the Sacro Monte. Adjacent is the convent which was originally occupied by the Friars Minor of the Observance and has been the religious headquarters of the Order of the Missionary Sisters of Jesus the Eternal Priest since 1953.

The foundation of the convent of  Santa Maria delle Grazie (Church of Our Lady of the Graces) is closely linked to that of Sacro Monte; and the church, convent and Sacro Monte are part of a single concept and a single historical and artistic moment which initiated at the end of the fifteenth century.

Upon entering the church, the visitor's gaze is immediately captured by the immense narrative story scenes depicting the Life of Jesus Christ that make up the famous Gaudenzian Wall, completed between 1512 and 1513. It is a prelude and synthesis of what was happening at the Sacro Monte: it is here that the art and poetry of Gaudenzio Ferrari reached that stylistic characteristic which would constitute his distinctive trait and never abandon him in the course of his artistic future.

The Christian Devotional Complex of Sacro Monte of Varallo

This complex is the oldest and most important of all the Sacred Mountains (Sacri Monti) in Piedmont and Lombardy and since 2003 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a Monumental Devotional Complex, which is of great importance, not only from a religious point of view, but also from a historical and artistic point of view.

It consists of 45 chapels, or more aptly, real architectural structures, with more than 800 statues, accompanied by paintings of exceptional artistic value. The complex spreads out on the rock terrace overlooking the city and is included in the Special Nature Reserve of the Sacro Monte di Varallo, established in 1980 in order to manage and protect the monument from a naturalistic-environmental point of view.

The creator and first promoter of the construction of the Sacro Monte was Blessed Friar Bernardino Caimi, Franciscan of the Ancient Observance, former Guardian of the Sacred Places of the East, who at the end of the fifteenth century wanted to recreate the "New Jerusalem" on the summit of the dominant mountain Varallo, to allow the faithful who could not go to Palestine to experience the spirituality of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, faithfully recreating its most symbolic places.

The Sacro Monte has the shape of a real fortified citadel, surrounded by walls and made up of streets, squares, buildings and gardens. Statues and paintings, give shape and voice to the path that narrates the events of the life of Jesus Christ from His Annunciation to the Resurrection.
Among the many artists who worked on the Sacro Monte Varallese over the centuries mention must be made of Gaudenzio Ferrari, one of the greatest Renaissance exponents of the Lombard Piedmontese culture, Giulio Cesare Luini, Giovanni D’Enrico, Tanzio da Varallo and Morazzone.

With Gaudenzio Ferrari, in particular, the initial project of the Sacro Monte to reproduce the Holy Places was, if not completely forgotten, set aside to develop the illustration of the prominent facts of the life of Christ. It was St. Charles Borromeo who the spread knowledge and veneration for the New Jerusalem of Varese and, in the years to come and, many pilgrims followed his example to go the Sacro Monte and this habit, continues to this day.

Antonio d'Enrico, known as Tanzio da Varallo, also worked on the Sacro Monte. Antonio was born in Riale di Alagna around 1578 and died in Borgosesia around 1632-33. He was an artist who studied in Rome and was also influenced to a certain degree by the artwork of Caravaggio and the Caravaggeschi. Masterpieces of Tanzio da Varallo that still remain, are the frescoes in various chapels of the Sacro Monte, where he collaborated with his elder brother Giovanni, creator of extraordinary life-size polychrome statues.

Are you craving for snow, fireplaces, aperitifs and skiing? In Alagna you can have all that and more.

The skilifts will open on November 28, snow permitting, and the winter season will kick off with new options as well as ski break suggestions that are old favourites, but always super-appreciated by our visitors.
Off-piste skiing is Alagna's strong point, an essential gem that makes Alagna a cut-above-the-rest resort. Our ski guides are already on stand-by with a selection of top proposals for you to experience the variety off-piste ski routes of our Freeride Paradise.

But if off-piste skiing seems a bit too much for you, Alagna has an excellent programme for snowshoeing hikes and guided tours for the young and old and the Alagna ski school will take care of both beginners and perfectionists.

A day in Varallo is definitely not to be missed as well as a visit to the Gaudenziana Wall at the Madonna delle Grazie, because everyone knows that beauty improves the quality of life, and even if you have come to Alagna for a sport and outdoor holiday, an afternoon dedicated to art, is a plus, and who knows, it may just surprise you.

On Tuesdays the lifts will be open at night to guarantee that everyone has the possibility to have dinner in a Baita and the themed dinners called "Italian wines" will recommence on Wednesdays at the Corno Bianco restaurant while on Thursdays the exciting moonlight snowshoe hike up to Baita dell’alpe Sewij  will free the pent up energy of the most sportive visitors.

Are you thinking of taking a short break for psychophysical rejuvenation, try our soft proposal with a personal trainer but if what you need is 7 days to really soak up the benefits, we suggest you consider our next option: a slow week in a B&b in Alagna: just the place where to find warmth, dialogue and attention.

Sundays welcome the return of Voices in the Vespro, the guided tours around the center of Alagna that give life to the historical characters who have bestowed prestige on the town and the Walser museum will once again be open at night to rediscover a not too distant past, which nobody wants to forget.

Have we piqued your interest? Keep an eye on our blog and our event calendar which we update regularly.

Get inspired
Book with Monterosa Booking, call the number 0163 1900925
Tourist Office of Alagna Valsesia
0163 922 988
ask@alagna.it

Alagna Tourist Office is open every day from 9am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to 5.30pm
December 25th Christmas - Closed
1 January - Closed all day
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