The stage starts in front of the Aalts Dorf Hotel of Riale, where an arrow and a commemorative plaque indicate the beginning of the "Mario Rigoni Stern Path", the track of which rises evidently to the Furculti plateaus and crosses the alpine pasture track for Alpe Nefelgiù. The path wants to remember the writer's presence in Formazza in the winter 1938-1939 on the occasion of the Skiers Course of the Alpine Military School. Going up the Rigoni Stern path up to Furculti, continue on taking the track to the left until you first reach a wetland with some small lakes and then the plateau with the Alpe Nefelgiù. From here you can reach the homonymous pass along a large detrital valley. From the pass, the descent on the opposite side presents more decisive slopes with the path that descends with narrow hairpin bends towards Lake Vannino and the stopover, Rifugio Margaroli.
THE TOUR:
Great Crossing of the Alps - GTA: Northern Piedmont Section
THE STAGES OF THIS TOUR:
GTA Stage 1: Cannobio - Falmenta
GTA Stage 2: Falmenta - Malesco
GTA Stage 3: Malesco - Fondomonfracchio
GTA Alternative stage of Alta Valle dell'Isorno Stage 3A: Malesco - Alpe Cortevecchio
GTA Alternative stage of Alta Valle dell’Isorno Stage 3B: Alpe Cortevecchio - Alpe Lago
GTA Alternative stage of Alta Valle dell'Isorno Stage 3C: Alpe Lago - Campo Valle Maggia
GTA Stage 4: Fondomonfracchio - Capanna Alpe Arena
GTA Stage 5: Capanna Alpe Arena - Campo Valle Maggia
GTA Stage 6: Campo Valle Maggia - Bosco Gurin
GTA Stage 7: Bosco Gurin - Formazza Loc. Ponte
GTA Stage 8: Ponte - Riale
GTA Stage 8A: Canza - Lake Vannino
GTA Stage 8B: Riale - Alpe Cruina
GTA Stage 8C: Riale - Nufenen Pass
GTA Stage 9: Riale - Alpe Vannino
GTA Stage 10: Alpe Vannino - Alpe Devero
GTA Stage 11: Alpe Devero - Alpe Veglia
GTA Stage 12: Alpe Veglia - Alpe Solcio
GTA Stage 13: Alpe Solcio - Varzo
GTA Stage 14: Varzo - Alpe Arza
GTA Stage 15: Alpe Arza - Alpe Laghetto
GTA Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 15A: Alpe Laghetto Refuge - Andolla Refuge (through Pontimia Pass)
GTA Stage 16: Alpe Laghetto - Cheggio
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16A: Alpe Laghetto Refuge - Andolla Refuge
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16B: Andolla Refuge - Cingino Bivouac
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16C: Cingino Bivouac - Oberto Refuge
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16D: Oberto Refuge - Macugnaga
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16E: Macugnaga - Buon Pastore Refuge
GTA Alternative stage of Upper Anzasca and Antrona Valleys Stage 16F: Buon Pastore Refuge - Sant'Antonio di Val Vogna
GTA Stage 17: Antrona Locality of Cheggio - Colma Refuge
GTA Stage 18: Colma Refuge - Molini di Calasca
GTA Stage 19: Molini di Calasca - Pian Lago Alp
GTA Stage 20: Pian Lago Alp - Campello Monti
GTA Stage 21: Campello Monti - Rimella
GTA Stage 22: Rimella - Alpe Baranca
GTA Stage 23: Alpe Baranca - Carcoforo
GTA Stage 24: Carcoforo - Rima
GTA Stage 25: Rima - Sant'Antonio di Val Vogna
GTA Stage 26: Sant'Antonio di Val Vogna - Rivetti Refuge
