Valle Gesso

Last Sunday, we expanded our alpinism adventure to another mountain trip. This time was harder.

The Gesso Valley is a valley in the Maritime Alps, characterized by the vast basin of the Gesso stream, largely shaped by the action of glaciers.

Geographically it acts as a “hinge” between the two stretches of the Maritime perpendicular to each other, the East-West one (including the Stura di Demonte Valley) and the South-North oriented one (including the Vermenagna Valley).

In Valle Gesso there are the highest peaks of the Maritime Alps, that is the two peaks of Monte Argentera (Cima Sud, 3297 m, Cima Nord, 3286 m).

Its territory, entirely included in the province of Cuneo, is divided between the municipalities of Entracque, Roaschia, Valdieri and Roccavione.

This time in particular we went through Excursion to the Soria-Ellena refuge (1827 m) and Lago della Maura (2370m).

The Soria-Ellena refuge takes its name from two talented mountaineers, Edoardo Soria and Gianni Ellena, very active in the mountains of the Gesso valley from the late 1920s to the 1940s and authors of new routes on Corno Stella. The refuge is located in the Gesso della Barra valley and can be reached from San Giacomo di Entracque. Inaugurated in 1961, in the summer of 2020 it was the subject of insulation works that changed the exterior of the structure. It is an excellent starting point for numerous excursions and trekking in this corner of the Maritime Alps.

Elio Dutto

Along the way, it is easy to come across numerous groups of ibex and chamois, especially during the spring and early summer months. Continuing we arrive at the so-called Piazzale dei Cannoni, where the carriage road ends. The panorama looking towards Mount Gelas (3143 m) and what remains of its glacier is very beautiful.

A sign reminds us that between 8 and 13 September 1943 a thousand Jews from different places in Europe, in search of shelter from anti-Semitic persecution, convinced of finding refuge in Italy, descended from this and other paths in the valleys neighboring. They were not lucky because 349 of them were locked up in the former barracks of the Alpini of Borgo San Dalmazzo, transformed into a concentration camp. Later they were deported to Auschwitz in the Nazi lagher where almost all of them died. Only twelve survived.

We were told by Ana, about how a Jewish family survived in the Piedmont areas and managed to win the prize of the righteous, the parents of these children, now adults had been hidden away from Germans inside the mountains by the time the mother had a little girl and was with child, after the war ended they immigrated to America and after the little girl, now woman told her story in an American program about interesting stories, the recognition for the parents arrived a couple of years later.

The route stretches with tight hairpin bends and long traverses, penetrating more and more into the valley that narrows and, near the junction for the Fenestrelle hill (2463 m) which we leave to the right, we arrive at the Praiet plain, near the winter shelter, and continuing the way through the Fenestrelle hill, Maura lake (2376 m) and Passo dei Ghiacciai (2750 m), we cross a wooden footbridge going up to the Soria-Ellena refuge which is located on a hill to our left.

I must warn you, nothing is impossible when you’re curious and want to explore, you could end your trip at Rifugio Soria or go further, to go to Lake Maura, you’d need more preparation, the way is really inclined, full of stones and with strong winds, I almost flew away! it was hard for me, but it’s beautiful once you get there to appreciate the gift of nature.

It is also noted, how this mountain is full of beautiful and diverse kinds of flowers and insects 😵🦎🪱🦗🪳🪰🐝🐞🕷️🕸️

That being said, Thanks to Fabio Pellegrino, you always know the best places to visit. To Dr. Valeria de Donno, for being always such a supportive pillar for the guys, thanks to Ana from CAI (Club Alpino Italiano), thanks to Stefano for helping the guys and being pious with me, and of course, well done to all the team, you are all amazing.