Day 8: Hiking with Kirsten up from Termi di Valdieri

 Our eighth hiking day dawned clear and sunny.  Kirsten took her day off to hike with us in the morning.  She points out to Alan, above our lunch destination of a refuge near the top of the valley.  Below, she talks to two Italian hikers at the refuge.

 We left Kirsten at the last steep climb to the pass, above.
By the time we got to the pass, it had clouded over, below.

Terme di Valdieri Albergo Turismo

In Terme di Valdieri, we stayed at old-fashioned Albergo Turismo, which is now run by Roberto below.

 Termi di Valdieri is a prime recreational destination for hikers and cyclists, as it is about 1,000 meters of altitude above the Piedmont plain.  Also, there are thermal baths which attract people who come to 'take the waters.'

Day 7: Early Morning at Rifugio Morelli-Buzzi and Hike Down to Valle Gesso

Short day hike down from Rifugio Morelli-Buzzi at 2351 m to Termi di Valdieri at 1368 m.

5 km, 1000 m down.

 Early morning dawned clear, sunny and beautiful.
The chamoises were licking the refuge concrete, above.

 The sun rose above Valle Gesso (Valley of Chalk) above and reflected off the dliffs across from the refuge, below.

 The path down was like a military road with boulders fitted together.

 Our German friend Kirsten welcomed us to Termi di Valdieri, where she is working for the summer.

Day 6: Rifugio Morelli-Buzzi

 After a long day 6 with two high passes, we were happy to spy Rifugio Morelli-Buzzi, above.
Roberta and Giorgio below are parents of the hut warden, who was away at a mountain rescue course.

 Alan enjoyed meeting Nicole and Werner, super hikers from Belgium, below.

 Chamois are also frequent visitors to the hut.  They seem to like the salts in the concrete mortar.

 After a festive night, that included sugar cubes soaked in vodka and mountain mint, all hikers and caretakers set off, below, for a good day.  This refuge is a short hike above Termi di Valdieri in Valle Gesso.

Day 6 of GTA Hike: Rifugio Soria-Elena over Two Passes

From Rigugio Soria-Elena at 1840 to Rifugio Morelli-Buzzi at 2350 m.

11 km, 1100 m up, and 700 m down.

Two passes, one at 2460 and the second at 2526 m.

 The trail ascends steeply as Alan starts out above.
He passes other traffic on the trail, below.

 The mid part of the hike descends into a glacial bowl that has a hydroelectric dam, below.
The next pass is visible straight ahead on the other side of the lake.

 The west side of this pass still had snow in mid-July.

Day 5 of GTA Hike, Afternoon: San Giaccomo to Rifugio Soria-Elena

Trinita at 1091 m to Rifugio Soria-Elena at 1840 m.

16 km, 1500 m up, and 800 m down.

Colle Vaileto at 1515 m and pass into Valle Gesso.  Low point was at a river at 180 m.

 The Italian woman above wanted to sell me (a hiker carrying everything in a backpack) 10 kilos of plums!
She succeeded in selling me one kilo of plums, which I tried to give to other hikers.
The group below takes a lunch break in San Giacomo.

 The refuge can be seen in the mid left of the photo above, perched above the switchbacks in the notch.

 Hut wardens Mary and Lori below take care of everything at Rifugio Soria-Elena, including occasional mountain rescues.

Day 5 of GTA Hike, Morning: Trinita to San Giacomo

Avalanche: La Valanga

 Evidence of avalanches is common.
Above, trees were splintered.
Below, the snow and debris from an avalanche is still there in July.

 Whether fast or slow, these are slopes in motion.

Locanda del Sorriso in Trinita

Day 4 of GTA Hike: Palanfre to Trinita

Palanfre at 1379 m to Trinita at 1091 m.

12 km, 800 me up and 1080 m down.

Pass at 2170 m.