Val Grosina and Alpe Dosdè Two-Day Hike

Overview ~ Notes ~ Photos

   

Left: Lago Negro - view southeast - Val di Avedo.
Center: Beam of light lights up the flanks of Corno di Lago Negro.
Right: The tracks for day 2 of the hike.

  

Left: View from Agriturismo Alpe Verva, north toward Monte Forcellina.
Center: A yellow wheelbarrow at Agriturismo Alpe Verva.

Right: The tracks for day 1 of the hike.

Overview

Hike 1

Length: 15.5 km
Duration: 4 hours (moving time)
Elevation gain: 897 m
Location: Italy, Valtellina, Grosio, Val Grosina, Alpe Verva

Hike 2

Length: 16.7 km
Duration: 4 hours 53 minutes (moving time)
Elevation gain: 743 m
Location: Italy, Valtellina, Grosio, Alpe Dosdè

Notes

This hike came about when friends texted us and proposed this itinerary to escape the heat of Bergamo. What were we to say, no?

It’s a two-day hike with one night at Rifugio Federico in Dosdè. We hadn’t visited this area before and were happy to discover some more of the mountains around Bormio. We were here in late June, but south of Bormio, see Valtellina Week Hike 1: Forni Glacier Trail, Valtellina Week Hike 2: Val Zebrù to Rifugio Campo – Loop Hike, and Valtellina Week Hike 3: Val Cedec at the Foot of Gran Zebrù and Rifugio Pizzini.


Alpe Dosdè is a high-altitude pasture area (alpeggio) situated at around 2,100 - 2,200 m in the Livigno Alps of Lombardy, northern Italy. The pastures lie at the foot of Pizzo Dosdè and Corno di Dosdè, just inside the municipality of Valdidentro in the province of Sondrio, near the Swiss border. Rifugio Federico (Valgoi), where we stayed, is in these pastures.

Our two-day hike went counterclockwise around Cima Viola (3,374 m). Thinking of a clock, we started at the 4 pm mark at Rifugio Eita (1,703 m), crossed Passo di Verva (2,301 m) and ended up at 10 pm mark at Rifugio Federico in Dosdè (2,133 m). The next day we returned to 4 pm mark, passing through Capanna Dosdè (2,824 m), completing our loop.

We had half-board (dinner and breakfast the next morning) at Rifugio Federico in Dosdè, a very fun and friendly place. The shared accommodations were good. Bring noise-cancelling headphones if you are sensitive to night sounds like snoring. 😊

The start of the first day was a bit grueling going from Rifugio Eita to Passo di Verva, then the second half of the walk was more relaxed and more interesting with its views north toward Val Viola and Monte Forcellina, followed by a left turn to walk up Val Viola to reach the rifugio.

On the second day, the first part of the day was gorgeous walking along the eastern flanks of Alpe Dosdè. We walked through groups of cows and horses, some who came over to us for a scratch. We heard marmots whistle and occasionally could spot them.

Then, we climbed up to 2,824 m (9,265 ft) to reach Capanna Dosdè. After that, it was all downhill, with a stop at Lago Negro. This is in the upper Val di Avedo.

On our way back to Bergamo, we made a detour to Teglio for dinner to try some... drum roll please ...pizzoccheri.  We ate at Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello where pizzoccheri is for a minimum of two people. See photos in the section below. For more information about this Valtellina dish, see the blog post The Many Faces of Pizzoccheri.

For information about the plants we saw and the meadow ecosystems we walked through, see the post Val Grosina and Alpe Dosdè Hike Plant Notes.

Photos

 

Left: Full hike route - counterclockwise, starting and ending at 4 pm on the clock face.
Right: Livigno Alps and where this hike is around Cima Viola.

  

Left: Leaving Eita behind as we start the hike - view over our shoulders, looking south.

Center: A small lake in Val Grosina.

Right: Agriturismo Alpe Verva (Ristorante).

 

Left: Polenta e formaggio dell'Alpe at Agriturismo Alpe Verva.

Right: Ricotta at Agriturismo Alpe Verva.

  

Left: Entering Alpe Dosdè - with glacier in the distance.
Center: Entrance to Rifugio Federico Valgoi in Dosdè.

Right: Sign - Sentiero glaciologico Giuseppe Nangeroni e Italo Bellotti al Ghiacciaio di Dosdè Est.

  

Left: Example room in Rifugio Federico in Dosdè.
Center: Dinner at Rifugio Federico in Dosdè.

Right: White polenta gnocchi with gorgonzola - dinner at Rifugio Federico Valgoi in Dosdè.

  

  
Left: View from Passo Verva looking south.

Center: View over Val Grossina.

Right: Val Viola - walking towards Rifugio Federico.

 
Left: View nearby rifugio early morning - east - upper Val Viola.
Right: Valley of Cantone di Dosdè - with moraine deposits.


 

Left: Sign - Explaining Vermulera Area, which includes Lago Negro.

Right: Rifugio Eita.

  

Left: Teglio - Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello - Pizzoccheri.

Center: Teglio - Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello - Sciatt.

Right: Teglio - Ristorante Pizzeria Al Castello - Ravioli al Castello.

  

Left: Looking south down Vermulèra (Grosio) below Lago Negro.

Center: Looking over Lac di Tres in Vermulèra.

Right: Walking down Val di Avedo (Val Grosina) - heading east - southeast.

  

Left: Lago Negro in Val di Avedo (Vermulèra) person at the edge.

Center: Lago Negro - and Italian trail sign in Val di Avedo (Vermulèra).

Right: Capanna Dosdè at 2,824 m.

   

Left: Horses in the morning in Val Cantone di Dosdè.

Center: Horses graze in Val Cantone di Dosdè.

Right: Cows keep watch in Alpe di Tres - Vermulèra.

  

Left: Alpe Dosdè - Val Cantone di Dosdè.

Center: Leaving Rifugio Federico Valgoi in Dosdè - looking back over our shoulders.

Right: A view back over Alpe Dosdè with Rifugio Federico visible.