Stage 1: Maggia-Rifugio Alpe Masnee

From far away you can see the pretty chapel of Pioda, above Maggia, surrounded by vines. The tour starts with many stone steps and leads exactly to this chapel. Along the way, the sound of the picturesque Cascata del Salto waterfall, which thunders down into the valley just a stone's throw away, accompanies you. Now you walk through the fairytale-like and mostly shady Valle del Salto into the valley until you reach its end. Now the real ascent begins. Passing various hamlets, you enter more and more alpine territory and nature becomes increasingly wild. The last stretch is once again very steep, but you are rewarded with a pretty mountain lake, the Laghetto di Pianca, shortly before arriving at your destination for the day. Gather your strength and climb the remaining metres to the hut. The Rifugio Alpe Masnee consists of six stone huts where you can spend the night and have cooking facilities. The seclusion makes this place a unique oasis of well-being surrounded by peaks.