With snowshoes in Val d'Aveto

The highest mountains of the Ligurian Apennines are located around Santo Stefano d'Aveto; The beautiful landscapes of this area are crossed by different paths that really become fabiliaries when the snow whitewall peaks. On this page we suggest some beautiful routes with snowshoes (but obviously recommended also as normal walks) towards Mount Black, the Maggiarasca, the Monte Bue and Mount Aiona, also passing through the onion lawn, Lake Lame and the lake Black.

Santo Stefano d'Aveto is a pleasant country located at 1012 meters of altitude and 50 km from Chiavari. Once admired the small historic center, you can direct you by car towards Rocca d'Aveto, from which most of the snowshoeing described here. In fact, from Rocca d'Aveto (about 1281 meters of altitude) you can get to the onion lawn (share 1578) in a chairlift, so as to save a trait as a climb. If there is snow already below, however, it is worthwhile immediately to wear snowshoes and walk the beautiful trails in the woods (the itinerary starts from the parking lot on the left of the chairlift). About 40 minutes should be used from Rocca d'Aveto to the onion lawn.

The paths are well marked by the signs, but if there are no traces in the snow we still risk losing the path. When you arrive at a wide snowy glade, the rocky onion spur is standing out in the background.

Here two options are opened: to go to the onion lawn and then to Monte Bue and/or at the time .

If you proceed for Lake Nero (we will describe later how to arrive at Bue and Maggiarasca, and at the end we will have a synthesis of different paths), you have to walk on the coast, passing around Monte Bue, in typically increasingly snowy areas being turned to North.

To get to Lake Nero there is between 1500 and 1600 meters of altitude, and reached its destination after about 4 km of Rocca d'Aveto. Considering the snowshoes and the climb, take two hours to travel this path.
Above Lake Black stands imperious. The Monte Nero, 1754 meters high. To reach the summit you have to walk towards Monte Bue, except to deviate and follow the path on the crest of Monte Nero, not always very comfortable with snowshoes. The views repay fatigue.

Consider an hour of walk to reach the Black Monte from the lake of the same name (more if there is a lot of snow).
After admiring the black lake from above, as well as the expanse of the mountains of the Ligurian Apennines and the Vette del Monte Bue (with the arrival of the chairlift) and of the increasing (with antennas on the top), you can go back or head to the latter. Obviously, it is advisable to divide these itineraries into at least two different hikes with snowshoes, although the complete ring route starting from Rocca d'Aveto in theory would be feasible - but really excessive.

Once you get out of the crest of Monte Nero and returned to the itinerary for Monte Bue, you go back to snow slopes towards the top of this mountain.

The Monte Bue is 1777 meters high and offers an equally nice view that on the clear days reaches the sea. If you don't go to the Black Monte, and you arrive at the ox directly from Lake Nero, consider an hour of snowshoeing.
From Monte Bue, following one of the ski slope (generally the red, the steeper and therefore rapid) yes You can get to the onion meadow or, alternatively, deviate early towards the Mosto Maggiarasca.

The majority is the highest mountain of the Ligurian Apennines, at 1800 meters of altitude, and obviously offers another beautiful view. (The highest top of Liguria is the beautiful Monte saccarello, a tour described at this link , located in the maritime Alps). From here you can go down to the onion meadow.

Once you arrive at the onion lawn, you can go down to Rocca d'IfTo along the ski slope, rather than along the path used to the first leg, thus completing a fantastic ring circuit. Alternatively, from the topaking it is possible to get off at Rocca d'Aveto passing through the Rocca del Prete and the Passo della Hare. This itinerary also deserves a lot, for the beautiful views of the rocky Rocca del Prete and the Penna and Aiona mountains, so also for this reason it is good to devote more days to snowshoeing from these parts.

In summary, I would say that a very interesting ring for an intense day trip is: Rocca d'Aveto - Lago Nero - Monte Bue - Prato della Cipolla - Rocca d'Aveto. A second ring that deserves, a little shorter, is that Rocca d'Aveto - Rocca del Prete - Maggiarasca - Meadow of the onion - Rocca d'Aveto. You can add the Black Monte to the first ring, or, with more calm, go up from Rocca d'Aveto to the onion and then to Monte Nero and go back for the same path - and maybe uphill you can also use the chairlift.
a Other route with interesting snowshoes in Val d'Aveto area is the one at Mount Aiona from Lake Lame.

Lake of Lame can be reached by car from Rezzaglio (without arriving so far to Santo Stefano d'Aveto). From here, a well-marked path arrives on the summit of Monte Aiona at 1701 meters of altitude. Lake of the blades is 1060 meters high, and you can consider about 3 hours for the climb (obviously all the times reported here are very relative: with snowshoes it becomes more difficult and if there is a lot of soft snow the trips stretch A lot).

The summit of Mount Aiona is strangely flat and offers beautiful views of the Monte Penna and the other mountains of the Ligurian Apennines. The descent can take place on the same route (with snow is the recommended route), but there are numerous variants. From Mount Aiona it is for example possible to go down to Pratomollo and in AltraCroce.

In the area it should also be visited Il Monte Ramaceto (with and without ciespole) .
I hope all these suggested itineraries are useful for planning your trips. So many paths cross on this part of the Ligurian Apennines and the Council is to take advantage of it! Especially with snow when the landscapes become really high mountain. Given the proximity of the sea and the quotas, in winter the snow is not always guaranteed, but you can control the situation on the webcams of the Val d'Aveto plants. Good snows!
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