With snowshoes in Sestriere

Sestriere is a Piedmontese ski resort full of ski lifts, but in the vicinity there are some splendid trips with snowshoes that pass through heavenly snow-covered landscapes. In fact, between Cesana Torinese, which is located at 1300 meters of altitude, and the Colle del Sestriere (altitude 2000) there are several uncontaminated mountains, including the beautiful Argentera valley opens.

But let's go with order. Sestriere is located about fifteen minutes by car from Cesana, and both are in the province of Turin, a few kilometers from the French border. Some beautiful summer walks depart from Sestriere Country and also some routes for snowshoes. In addition, between Cesana and Sestriere there is the village of Bousson, from which two spectacular winter excursions leave, the one to the Mautino hut and that at the top of the woods. On this page we describe all these gyduriose trips.

To take the itinerary that leads to admire only Lake Black, Capanna Mautino and Lake Fontana Cold, you must park in Bousson, in the large parking lot along the Thures torrent (10 minutes drive from Sestriere).

From here, the forest road (snow-covered and closed to winter traffic) rises comfortably to the Mautin hut, but to shorten the path you can also use the path reported by the frequent signs indicating the refuge and the Black Lake.

The itinerary for the first hour takes place in the woods. The path follows the Rio Serverettes, uphill constant but not too tiring, apart from some steepest stretch. As the views are opened and the woods spread, showing the snow-capped peaks; At one point, path and forest road reconnect.

It is about two and a half hours of walking that, with a small deviation than the forest harsh, you arrive at the beautiful black lake, a nice destination for a summer trip and even more for a winter snowshoeing, even if the lake will obviously be covered with snow! Here from the Black Lake that actually in winter is white as all the other black lakes that dot the Alps, the possible itineraries are divided.

Going up on the slopes to the left of the lake you can in fact go to the top Fournier, a favorite trip with ski mountaineering enthusiasts. To the right, instead, you can rejoin the forest from Bousson and walk to the Mautino Capanna (favorite excursion by polenta enthusiasts) and then towards Lake Fontana Cold and Col de Bousson (splendid for hiking enthusiasts and panoramas) . Obviously, you can even add more passions!

Among the Black Lake and the Mautino hut they are needed about 20 minutes with snowshoes. The refuge is located at around 2100 meters of altitude, seven hundred meters higher than Bousson. From the Capanna Mautino the signs indicate the Col de Bousson, a great destination to digest the polenta, near and spectacular. In half-hour walk you can reach the Lake of Fontana Cold and shortly after the hill, on the border with France, about 2200.

The return to Bousson takes place on the same itinerary, following the path or the forest road ... which we did slipping on two palettes :) After the 3 hours of ascent, the descent can take a couple of hours: counting the pauses , it's a day full of great satisfaction.

Compared to the excursion just described, on the other side of the Rio Thuras valley, there is the top of the forest, a destination for a beautiful snowshoeing departing from Bousson or directly from the village of Thures. The picturesque and a bit decadent stone and thures wood houses are located at 1640 meters of altitude, so arrive here by car will save you 200 meters in altitude.

The climb part in the woods in the midst of a pleasant and peaceful environment; Some signs indicate the top of the forest, the panettone of snow, the top of which is 700 meters further on, overlooking Thures. The climb is never too steep, in the middle of the sparse trees, which makes this itinerary a particularly safe path for ski mountaineering.

As you go up following the frequent traces (the climb path is very evident because, basically, if you walk upwards you can only get to the top of the forest), the views become increasingly large, especially in the Alps French.
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You arrive like this on the summit, at 2300, after a couple of hours of walking. Here is a cupper in which you can take refuge to eat repaired by the wind. The panorama is 360 degrees, truly spectacular.

The descent takes place for the same itinerary (deviating in fresh snow sections if you have skis), in an hour and a half of a pleasant journey. A comfortable and recommended excursion !!
As already anticipated, around Sestriere Country there are other paths. The classic and very simple one is at the top of the village, at the bottom track (and those who want to stretch the walk can also reach the Chalmettes refuge). Recommended excursion, not as beautiful as the longest itineraries with bousson snowshoes towards Capanna Mautino and top of the forest, but anyway of satisfaction!

The other path I mentioned between Sestriere and Cesana is that in the Valle Argentera, a beautiful area in the middle of the empty mountains that, precisely for this reason, can only be addressed with very safe snow conditions.
Always with prudence, therefore ... good trips !!! You can't just miss the excursion to the top of the forest and the one towards Lake Nero/Capanna Mautino/Lake Fontana Cold/Col de Bousson.

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