Alpine Passes Trail, Stage 13/43

The long panoramic stage to the hut Capanna Gries reveals the southern charm of the valley: airy larch woods, the tiny villages of Ossasco, Villa, Bedretto and Ronco down below. Latin-style stone houses dotted between typical Valais wooden houses.

The long mountain hike begins at the Airolo stop. The route initially leads out of the village and on to Nante. Before long, it joins a mountain trail marked in white-red-white. Climbing through stretches of woodland, it reaches open meadows and pastures that define the character of the rest of the hike.

For many kilometres, the trail continues in a steady succession of ascents and descents. A distance of around 26 km and approximately 1,950 metres of elevation gain make this a demanding undertaking. Near the end, the church of San Nicolao stands directly on the route. From here, the long final ascent continues into the Corno valley.

After around nine hours, the hike ends at Capanna Corno Gries at approximately 2,335 m, which is also the highest point on the route. The mountain hut stands in the Corno valley, not far from the Nufenen Pass. There is no public transport connection directly at the destination; the nearest stop, Cruina, is around 1.4 km away.