Punta Basei | Omhoog: 3.45 uur | Omlaag: 2 uur
Gemiddeld, gedeelte naar uiterste top uitdagend
Mountain hiking in Italy, Valle d’Aosta
Short hiking trip
As a lover of mountains, sometimes that unstoppable desire to go into the mountains suddenly arises. Every moment of the day your memories take you back to that one trip, that beautiful view and that wonderful fresh air. Especially when the mercury in our flat frog country peaks above 30 degrees for a few days in a row, you want nothing more than that 3000 meter limit to enjoy some cooling.
Even with little time available you can go high into the mountains! I flew to Italy for a lightning visit of only 4 days to Valle d'Aosta to climb two beautiful mountain peaks as day trips from Rifugio Benevolo.
I had found the mountain hut online and after a single phone call three consecutive nights were reserved in this valley. They offer half board (including breakfast and dinner), so fortunately no dragging around with stoves and freezer bags.
The face of the Granta Parey
Trip to Valle d’Aosta
On Thursday morning I flew with KLM from Schiphol Airport to Milan Malpensa. Turin is closer, but to Malpensa was a finer flight time. I rented a car, backpacked in the back and within 2.5 hours you drive from the airport to Valle'd Aosta. The free parking in Thumel was tapped on the navigation and the way there was promising. From Milan you climb several hundred meters through all kinds of cute mountain villages before you arrive in Thumel, your radio no longer connects and so you know for sure that you leave the inhabited world behind you.
In the parking lot quickly swapped sneakers for my Hanwag Lhasa's and the unmissable mountain path at the end of the road. The Rifugio Benevolo mountain hut is a 1.5 hour walk from the parking lot. It is a beautiful walk along waterfalls, streams and marmots. From about half an hour walk you get a view of the Granta Parey and there are only mountains around you. The last part to the hut is a steep climb (but you can also walk out of the paved hairpin bend) and then you will be rewarded with a beautiful view. From the hut you look left at the glacier behind the Punta Basei and right on the flank of the Granta Parey.
The cabin has its own kitchen and prepares a three-course meal for its guests every day. Pasta as an appetizer, enjoy it, right? From about 10 to half past 11 it gets quiet in the hut. Nice for me, because I slept in a room above the aisle.
Mountain hiking to the Punta Basei
Friday morning the alarm goes off at 06:30 and breakfast is served at 07:00 sharp. A daytrip to Punta Basei is planned, path 13B. The difficulty level is EE, which means that sometimes you have to orient yourself based on the landscape, climb grass slopes and occasionally clamber with your hands. Upon request the Rifugio will provide you with a packed lunch up the mountain. So, now ready for the start of hiking in the mountains!
Soon you will rise above the boundary of grass and it is between the rocks and stones searching for the stonemasons that point you in the right direction. After about 3 hours of ascent you get closer to the glacier and arrive at the Col du Basei. From the Col you can see the snow-white glacier glistening in the sun and probably some climbers defying it. They climb up from another valley. On the Col du Basei it can be quite windy, so after a short stop it starts climbing to the top. Punta Basei is a kind of cockscomb with a lot of loose little stones, pay attention here! About 10 to 15 meters below the top you will find large rocks (the cockscomb) in which an iron cable and staples have been hammered. Tricky for small children, but with the right guidance perfectly possible.
After a small party at the top and pictures of the glacier and other peaks nearby, it is time to go back. After a missed turnoff and a somewhat steep descent, I finally get back on path 13B and after some time I see Rifugio Benevolo again. Tip: occasionally look back for leads for the way back. A rock, a waterfall, a cowshed or something like that can help you orientate where you are.
Back from the hike in Rifugio Benevolo
Once back in the hut is time for an ice-cold Birra Moretti and with the feet in the grass reminisce about this beautiful mountain peak. At 19:00 dinner is served and the stories of that day are exchanged. Tomorrow will be a beautiful day in terms of weather and I will climb the Becca Della Traversiere as planned! Sunday I finish with breakfast in the hut and walk out of the valley back to the car in Thumel.
Hiking route| Numbers and advice
Routenumbers 13B
For this mountain hike to the top of the Punta Basei you can start in Rifugio Benevolo. From there you have to look for route 13B. From the hut this is reasonably indicated, but still it is good searching in the beginning. Anyway, you have to pay attention to the colored landmarks and the stonemasons in order not to wander off during this hike. From the col the route is not signposted anymore and you climb on sight up over the rocks to the top of the Punta Basei.