trekking to andolla lodge, camasco alp and campalamana alp

WARNING: trekking is not like walking! If you can't overcome a passage, go back!
Some of the tracks presented here are set along mountain trails where some passages may require holding to ropes or climbing short ladders, and may have exposed passages without safety protections. These tracts can be a serious danger if faced without the right equipment, awareness and physical condition.
ITINERARIUM® has no responsibility regarding the tracks presented here, their dangerousness, accessibility, praticability and safety. Who decides to take these tracks does it at their own risk.

From Cavalli lake to Camasco alp along Val Loranco

Val D'Ossola - Valle Antrona

Download GPX track

Length:
14 Km

Our time:
5h30' walking

Total climb:
750 mt

Min and max height:
1485 mt - 2120 mt

Type of track:
ring track

Surface:
trail

Panorama:
lake - mountains

Cell network coverage:
very poor

Traced in winter:
no

Traced by bike:
no

The trail starts from Cheggio town, in Alta Valle Antrona Regional Park, and goes along the orographic right side of Cavalli lake. It crosses Fraccia alp and Del Gabbio alp where the bridge on Loranco creek takes to Ronchelli plain. From this point the tall pine trees become sparse, leaving room to the alpine pastures of Val Loranco until Andolla lodge.
The birth of this lodge is tied to Edison electric company that, whit the purpose of taking advantage of the hydroelectric power of Valle Antrona, built the basins of Campliccioli, Antrona, Camposecco, Cingino and Cavalli.
While building the dam on Cavalli lake, Edison decided to build a lodge on the pastures of Andolla, to be used as holiday location for its employees, and it was inaugurated in 1925. Later, the building was given to Villadossola CAI and, after the war, they restored the lodge and renamed it “Andolla”, with 17 beds. In 1986, after some extension works, the new lodge was inaugurated and it can now host 59 persons. The Andolla lodge is a pivotal point for many traverses and climbs.
The track proceeds along the trail that takes to Camasco alp and reaches Campalamana alp. It’s a narrow passage that cuts a steep crest, some exposed tracts can be safely crossed thanks to steel chains. The trail crosses the small Loranco creek in two points, and, during flooding periods, the stones used to cross it can be submerged (we faced this event in August 2020). Alternatively, the same track used to reach Andolla lodge can be taken.
From Camasco alp there is a crossroad to reach Coronette of Camposecco, viewing the Bottarello glacier, while in Campalamana alp a small detour can be taken to reach the Tibetan bridge on Loranco creek, the starting point to Curtit alp and Pozzuoli lake climb.