Escursioni nelle Alpi Cozie Meridionali

The three valleys described in this volume, all included in the Province of Cuneo, highlight an east-west orientation which, from the vast plain, advances towards the border with France. All three, in fact, are border valleys, but only one of them, Val Varaita, across the Colle dell'Agnello, culminates with an important road pass open only in summer. The other two are closed by hiking passes, which are however easy to overcome: the Po Valley, through the famous Salt Tunnel, excavated in the 15th century for commercial reasons; Val Maira, on the other hand, easily crosses Col Maurin, which leads to the transalpine region of Ubaye. Val Maira, together with Valle Grana and the northern half of Valle Stura di Demonte, possibly the subject of discussion in a future volume, are still fully part of the Southern Cottian Alps. They correspond to the so-called "Cuneo Valleys", as they are accessed through the Piedmontese capital. The other two, however, located further north, constitute the only two "Saluzzo Valleys", because they are accessible through Saluzzo and its surroundings. All three, however, with their peaks among the highest in the Cottia, with their villages still untouched (especially in Val Maira), with their immense coniferous and broad-leaved forests, represent one of the best preserved alpine environments of Piedmont. Roccabruna, Celle Macra, Monte Chersogno, Base Camp Refuge, Gardetta Refuge, Bric La Plata, Monte Ferra, Monte Pence, Punta Tre Chios, Punta Losetta, Balma Boves, Monte Riba del Gias, Crissolo, Alpetto Refuge, Quintino Sella Refuge, Monte Viso Mozzo, Punta Roma.