Rifugio Dondena (Champorcher) – Château (Champorcher)
This is an easy route that follows the Alta Via No. 2 along well-marked trails. It is advisable to take it in bad weather or to shorten the more challenging official stage. The descent of the trail called the Echelette or Scaletta runs through the narrow rocky valley overlooking the Ayasse stream and reaches Chardonney, where the official stage is located.
From there it continues along the same route to Château.
Most usefull data
| Difficulty | E |
|---|---|
| Total length | 7.500 m |
| Total time | 2h 5m |
| Assiduity | medium |
| Recommended period | Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep |
Map
Other technical data
| Start point | Dondena Refuge (Champorcher) |
|---|---|
| Start elevation | 2.192 m |
| Arrival point | Château (Champorcher) |
| Arrival elevation | 1.412 m |
| Max elevation | 2.192 m |
| Exposure | nessuno |
| Downhill slope | 780 m |
|---|---|
| Downhill time | 2h 5m |
| Trail sign | AV2 |
Start point description
At the Pont-Saint-Martin highway exit, turn left in the direction of Aosta.
At the traffic circle, continue on the left in the direction of Aosta.Continue until you reach Bard.After the village, at the traffic circle, turn left in the direction of Champorcher.Pass through the village of Hône and enter the Champorcher Valley.Pass Pontboset and continue until you reach Champorcher.At the end of the village, turn right in the direction of Dondena.
Continue up the mountainside until you pass the parking lot of the Barbustel refuge, where you continue on an unpaved, uneven road to Dondena, where there is a no-transit sign.From the Verrès tollbooth, turn right in the direction of Turin, pass Arnad and at the traffic circle turn right in the direction of Champorcher.
Trail description
From the hut you descend along the path leading to the bridge over the creek.
Just after the bridge, without going up along the rural road, walk along the stream following the route of Alta Via No. 2 and then continue along the pastures to the Champlong Alp. Continue past some huts and then go straight ahead (be careful not to take the wide mule track that goes downhill to the right) passing the Brenvey huts and after passing a small stream you enter the wooded gorge. Continue along the path called "echeletta" or "scaletta" high on the stream until almost the end where there is a bridge to cross.With a final descent you reach the houses of Chardonney. You pass through the houses to the square and then follow the paved road for about a hundred meters, cross the picnic area and the bridge and follow the path along the creek to the left. Reaching a second bridge you cross it and, following the paved road, you reach Château.
