Colle d’Attia – Monte Doubia

This is a classical hike offering different goals according to the season. In spring, nature-awakening contrasts with snow patches in the higher part of the itinerary. In summer, the meadows are lush green. In autumn, when big deer bellings echo in the valleys, encounters with wild fauna are quite common. The trail vertical trend and the possibility to walk through it almost all year around, make of this itinerary a good training field for skyrunners.

Indications

Suggested period

April – November, chances of snow fields at the beginning of the season.

Starting point

Ala di Stura – Central Square (1075 m)

Elevation gain

1388 m

Difficulty

Travel time

3.30 hrs

Trail indication

EPT 238

Recommended for

Hikers

Access

Reach Ala di Stura and park the car in the wide area to the left, before reaching the Central Square.

Itinerary

From the Central Square, take Via Pian del Tetto and walk to the bridge across Rio della Chiesa, which you cross. Now climb the dirt road through chestnut and beech woods. From this point, following the trail indication 238, you will come across the Lombarda, Comba and Ciautè hamlets and reach Pian d’Attia clearing (1382 m). Upstream of Pian d’Attia, enter a wide beech wood, which you will cross through a steep track, and arrive at Attia pasture huts (1740 m) where the wood gives way to wide grazing lands. Beyond the pasture, the track becomes steeper and, through some hairpin turns, reaches Colle d’Attia (2104 m). From the pass, climb westwards on the grassy crest descending from the summit. In this stretch of the track, strictly follow the many stone cairns showing the modified trail developing through pastures and small screes. Just before the summit, you will arrive at a wide hollow from where you will climb up the Monte Doubia summit (2463 m).

The descent is backwards, along the ascent itinerary.