Hike to Monte Massone and Eyehorn from Ornavasso

From the town of Naters, in Canton of Valais in Switzerland, came the first group of Walser immigrants. According to the legend, twelve pairs of brides and grooms, who rose up against the local castellan, fled across the Alps and established the first Walser villages in Ornavasso and Migiandone, on the mountain that is still to this day known as the “mountain of Twergi”, the benevolent elves of the Walser tradition.

The itinerary begins from the sanctuary of Madonna del Boden and, along the “vertical kilometer”, climbs up steeply towards the Cappella del Buon Pastore (chapel of the good shepherd), later crossing Alpe Rossombolmo and reaching CAI Alpe Cortevecchio Mountain Hut. The latter can become a support point to develop a two days hike. From here the trail crosses a last tract of woods, climbing up to the peak of Eyehorn. According to tradition, this round peak takes its name from the German word “Ei”, which means egg! On the secondary peak nearby a huge cross was placed, celebrating the twinning between Ornavasso and Naters, carrying the Latin phrase “lingua divisis, corde unitis” (divided by language, united by heart).

The trail proceeds towards the peak of Monte Massone, following the walkways and the trenches of Cadorna Line, which defended Ossola until the bottom of the valley, in its narrowest point at Punta di Migiandone, and then going up along the slopes of Val Grande until Colma di Vercio. A 360° panorama opens up from the peak, spacing from Valsesia to Lake Maggiore, the lakes of Varese and Monate, the Monte Rosa massif and until the peaks of Val d’Aosta (with the Matterhorn among them) and the peaks of Switzerland.

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