Loop from Acqua Bianca to Rifugio Barba Ferrero
Perched on the right bank of the Flua stream, near the rock jump that supports the imposing lateral moraine of the Sesia and Locce glaciers, the Rifugio Barba Ferrero (2240 m) is like an eagle's nest with a view of the valley.
hiking
May-November
hiking
4h 30min
Alagna - Acqua Bianca (1450 m)
Lago Nero (2240 m)
790 m
The position and exposure of the rich pasture suggest ancient origins, around the early 1700s, but the current Rifugio was built only at the end of the 1960s and renovated in the 2010s. The entire hike is a feast for the eyes that can rest on the glaciers of Monte Rosa.
From the Acqua Bianca parking area (1450 m, accessible only on foot or by shuttle from the Wold parking lot), you can choose whether to take the more direct route or indulge in a more panoramic one.
For the former, follow trail 7 that passes by the Alpe Fum Bitz and continues along the left bank of the Sesia stream initially, and then that of the Flusa, which crosses over a small bridge just before a chapel. From here, the path becomes steeper and skirts the rocky bastion to reach the refuge.
In the second case, take the comfortable mule track 7a that leads to the Colle del Turlo; follow it up to an elevation of 1940 m, where, shortly after the lower Mittentail pasture and corresponding to a stream, you turn left onto a steeper path (7d) that leads up to the pasture Testa Nera, which at 2260 m is the highest point of the hike. From here, on a gentle and panoramic ups and downs, still following trail 7d, you arrive at the Rifugio Barba Ferrero. You then descend via the “normal” route of the refuge, described earlier, and you can choose whether to detour to the Rifugio Pastore (1575 m) or return directly to the parking area.
Safety in the mountains
Experiencing and living the mountains requires caution, preparation, and experience. No activity, even the easiest one, should be taken for granted or improvised.