Departure from Riale in the upper Formazza Valley. Riale is a hamlet of a few houses from where many excursions to go to high altitude start. As for the tour of the Lakes of Val Toggia, we start from the same center of Riale, but this time we go to the lake of Morasco and we will continue in that direction.
Continuing to the left of Riale, we go along a long straight asphalted road until the dam of the homonymous lake and going up on the right we arrive after some hairpin bends at the beginning of the lake.
The lake of Morasco in sunny days offers crazy colors and being entirely surrounded by a path, you can go all the way around. We will close the tour on the way back.
The path goes entirely along the lake and we continue on the right side of the lake towards Alpe Bettelmat. The path now becomes entirely unpaved and has no difference in height until the next fork to the Alp.
At the first junction you have to stay in the direction of Sabbioni Lake and follow the path of a couple of km with modest slopes that leads directly to Bettelmat.
Alpe Bettelmat is located at about 2000 meters and is a vast flat area where in the summer months are still brought many cows to pasture for the production of the famous cheese of the same name of the valley.
On the left side there will be the last climb that separates us from our destination. The signs remind us that we are close to the Rifugio Città di Busto Arsizio, less than an hour and we will be there.
The path now begins to become more challenging for its slope, without presenting particular difficulties, while towards the last part of the climb will return again a decidedly gentler slope and after a dozen of hairpin bends you will find the hut in front.
The hut stands in view of three valleys and enjoys a privileged central location. In the distance towards the snow-capped mountains it is possible to glimpse even with the naked eye the Sabbioni Lake, while more hidden there will be the Rifugio 3A, located at 2960mt, the highest refuge of the whole valley.
In periods when there is still a lot of snow around, it is not recommended to go further if not with the use of crampons.
On the way back we will do the reverse tour on the lake of Morasco so as to catch the last glimpses.
Trail Type: mountain trail
Water: you need to be self-sufficient, or you can find it at the shelter
