Rifugio Barbustel (Champdepraz) – Rifugio Dondena (Champorcher)
Lots of small climbs and subsequent descents that allow us to cross three hills and admire four lakes, with a few stretches of barely visible path.
This stage takes us into the Champorcher valley, which we travel not in the valley floor but along a series of plateaus with several small lakes, until we reach the large basin of Dondena, where the hut is located.
Most usefull data
| Difficulty | E |
|---|---|
| Uphill slope | 550 m |
| Total length | 9.200 m |
| Total time | 3h 20m |
| Assiduity | medium |
| Recommended period | Jul - Aug - Sep |
Map
Other technical data
| Start point | Barbustel Refuge (Champdepraz) |
|---|---|
| Start elevation | 2.200 m |
| Arrival point | Dondena Refuge (Champorcher) |
| Arrival elevation | 2.192 m |
| Max elevation | 2.407 m |
| Exposure | nessuno |
| Downhill slope | 565 m |
|---|---|
| Uphill time | 2h 0m |
| Downhill time | 1h 20m |
| Trail sign | 5, 10, 9C |
Start point description
The shelter cannot be reached by car.
Trail description
From the hut you climb, in less than half an hour, to the Col du Lac Blanc where you overlook the Champorcher valley.
You descend a steep section and then continue with a gentler path following the wide basin with sparse larches and reach the Muffé lake where the homonymous refreshment point is located.
After the break for a coffee you can visit the "garden of the sky and time" located a few tens of meters below the path where you can observe different systems to detect the time.
After the visit, one continues on the level with a long traverse until reaching with a small ascent the Vernouille Lake.
One passes to the left of the lake and climbs the small valley that in a short time arrives on the crest of Mont Ros.
From here you can admire the basin of Lake Raty and, a little further on, the next pass.
You descend a short distance, pass near the Raty Dessous Alp, skirt a small lake and climb slightly until you reach the Raty Dessus Alp.
The trail continues slightly downhill until it reaches the junction where the route coming from the valley floor arrives.
You continue until you reach Raty Lake with an uphill section.
From the lake you climb gently to the left until you reach the hillock clearly visible in the background.
From the collar you descend a steeper section and reach the small lake Giasset, which you skirt to the left to take the path down to Dondena.
In the final part there is a rural road that takes you up to the bridge that crosses the stream.
You go up a small section along the rural road, then descend slightly and, just after, take the path that goes directly back to the hut.
